A Time for Regional Action

The Vision 2020 Strategies Handbook contains numerous strategies that have both a municipal and regional component. The county and other stakeholders (county officials; county and regional planners; and representatives from the university, the chambers of commerce, businesses, and non-government organizations) play an important role in supporting municipal and multi-municipal actions.

In an ideal world, the 23 municipalities would agree to do all projects together. However, much time would be lost in trying to coordinate and facilitate such an activity. The reality is that municipalities will individually or collectively in small groups move the vision forward. The county and the region will provide the logistical support to maximize these efforts through data sharing, education, organization, and funding initiatives.
Supporting the Municipal Effort with a Regional Action Plan

The Regional Action Plan (click here) establishes the region-wide agenda for reaching the sustainable future and supporting local efforts. Significant activity occurs within the first ten years. The Plan prioritizes major actions for implementation within four time periods: immediate (0 to 2 years), short term (3 to 5 years), intermediate term (6 to 10 years), and long term (more than 10 years). Each activity description provides a list of affected municipalities, key players, Vision 2020 Strategies Handbook references, and the connection to future activities.

Presenting the Top 10 Recommendations

for the Regional Effort

Several activities are extremely important to the municipal effort and must be given high priority.

Four activities have a significant bearing on local implementation:

• organizational support,
• education and training,
• data sharing and
• funding.

1. Complete the Centre County Comprehensive Plan and share baseline data, analysis, recommendations, and mapping with municipalities.

1. Complete the County Long-Range Transportation Plan and develop a 20-year countywide Roadway Functional Classification System based on 2025 year traffic projections for the short-term. As a next step, endorse a 50-year planning horizon and process to create a Countywide Transportation (more than roadways) Functional Classification System and amended Centre County Comprehensive Plan.
2. Complete a Critical Lands Analysis and share associated mapping.
3. Collect subwatershed baseline water quality and quantity data and create planning and management objectives for the development of a program to protect and sustain water supplies.
4. Complete a sustainable design toolkit to include model ordinances for municipal use.
5. Support workforce and entrepreneurial development through satellite training centers, incentives, vouchers, and private training grants with the assistance of the university and the region’s chambers of commerce.
6. Provide organizational support for strategy implementation through existing organizations (e.g., Centre County Planning Office / Commission, Centre Regional Planning Agency / Commission, the University, chambers of commerce, tourism interests) and new or expanded organizations and special task forces (e.g., Metropolitan Planning Organization, Regional Access Management Task Force, Regional Water Authority, Sustainable Design Task Force, Technology Steering Committee, Regional Commodity Exchange and Agricultural Alliances)
7. Provide education and training to support the implementation of strategies. The focus of education and training programs includes: growth management, multi-municipal planning and zoning, agricultural preservation, functional roadway classification, access management, context sensitive roadway design, management of critical lands, water monitoring and protection, environmental management systems, sustainable design, workforce advancement, and main street programming.
8. Provide mechanisms to share information with municipalities. Types of information include baseline data, GIS mapping, water supply data, air quality data, model ordinances, industrial analyses, business assistance ideas, tourism information, and main street literature.
9. Develop funding strategies to assist municipalities in initiating municipal action plans.