Lancaster County Planning Commission’s Envision Speaker Series; Thursday, December 10th

You are invited to the Lancaster County Planning Commission’s Envision Speaker Series on Thursday, December 10th to hear Mr. Alan Greenberger, nationally renowned architect, leading designer and newly appointed Executive Director of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. Alan Greenberger, FAIA, explains the benefits of making good design an important part of building, housing and land plans. Please see attached postcard for more detailed information.

Seating is limited, so please RSVP to Donna Hahn as soon as possible. You can reach me by phone at 717-299-8333. We hope you can attend.

Thank you!

Donna Hahn, Administrative Secretary, Lancaster County Planning Commission

For more info -> Envision Speaker Series

2009 Agriculture Summit October 20 & 21, 2009 from 9 AM to 3 PM

The Lancaster County Commissioners invite you to attend the 2009 Agriculture Summit. This 2-day event will focus on the important role of Lancaster County agriculture, specifically focusing on Lancaster County 's economy and water quality on October 20 & 21, 2009rom 9 AM to 3 PM (Check out the flyer!)

The Cost of Sprawl & What it Means to Our Community

The Coalition for Smart Growth announces their Fourth Annual Smart Growth Summit to be held on Tuesday, September 29, 2009 from 8 AM to 3 PM at the Lancaster County Farm and Home Center (see flyer). This year's summit, entitled "The Cost of Sprawl & What it Means to Our Community" will feature Keynote Speaker Joanne Denworth, Senior Policy Manger for the PA Governor's Office and Founder of 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania.

The summit will address ways to manage the costs of sprawl through Smart Growth Practices. The program content will feature industry leaders who will focus on the positive financial implications of implementing the principles of Smart Growth in such areas as sewer, water, transportation, mass transit, education, parks and public safety services.

Act now by placing this date on your calendar. More detailed program information will follow in the coming months. We look forward to seeing you there!

Sign up today: Understanding Infill, Redevelopment and Replacement

Sign up today: Understanding Infill, Redevelopment and Replacement, March 12, 8 a.m., Bolger Conference Center, Millersville University

Make plans to attend the Thursday, March 12 all-day conference at Millersville University's Bolger Conference Center entitled Finding Hidden Opportunities: Understanding Infill, Redevelopment and Replacement presented by the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors and co-sponsored by the Lancaster County Planning Commission.

The $60 registration fee includes tuition, materials, lunch and a break. This is a cost and time effective way to earn AICP credits on a very pertinent subject and a day-long session that will interest those without AICP certification as well. This conference is open to everyone, so please sign up quickly to reserve your space. This is a great subject and there may be a lot of people interested in attending this conference.

This course has previously been approved for CM credits by the American Planning Association. Members may apply for credits through the self-reporting process.

Please do not send RSVPs to me, Donna Hahn. Please register online and/or send registrations to the PSATS office (information included on the brochure).
Donna Hahn (for)
Liz Smith
Education and Communications Leader
Lancaster County Planning Commission

Crossings stormwater plan nixed

Township denies developer’s request

By LARRY ALEXANDER, Staff --
From the Intelligencer Journal
Lancaster, PA
Published: Sep 10, 2008

Correction/Clarification — The story below, posted on LancasterOnline Tuesday, incorrectly described the prospects of The Crossings at Conestoga Creek shopping center. Manheim Township's rejection on Monday of a revised stormwater plan halts the project at least temporarily. The developer has several options. It could: ask the commissioners to revise the township's floodplain ordinance; proceed with the land development and provide more engineering detail, then reapply for permission; or reduce the size of the project to lessen stormwater runoff.

•••

Concerns about flooding along the Little Conestoga Creek led Manheim Township's board of commissioners to turn down a revised stormwater plan for a proposed shopping center.

By a vote of 3-2, the commissioners denied High Family Partnership's request to modify plans for The Crossings at Conestoga Creek, a $100 million, 650,000-square-foot shopping complex proposed for a former 90-acre farm opposite Long's Park.

Commissioners Mike Flanagan, Nancy Keebler and Rick Casselbury Jr., voted against the proposal, with Carol Simpson and Larry Downing voting in favor.

High had asked for permission to reduce the number of stormwater retention basins and flood elevations while enlarging the flood-plain volume and surface areas. High also wanted to construct an acre of riparian buffer along the creek for each acre of reduced 100-year flood plain.

In rejecting the developer's request, Keebler read a letter from Arro Consulting Group, an engineering firm hired by the township, recommending rejection of the plan, saying it does not conform with the township's stormwater requirements...

Read the full story: Crossings stormwater plan nixed: Township denies developer’s request

We have an opportunity to win some important victories regarding "The Crossings at Conestoga Creek" & the Dillerville Rail Yard Relocation

Hello Petition Signers!, attached is VERY URGENT NEWS. A STRONG CHANCE TO BLOCK THE FUNDING FROM WASHINGTON FOR THESE TWO PROJECTS THIS WEEK! PLEASE JOIN US IN THIS OPPOSITION! Please download the document from the link below for the important information and instructions.

Surface Transportaion Priority U.S. Rte. 30, Harrisburg Pike gateway Interchange project, and Dillerville Rail Yard Relocation

Here is a response we've received from Senator Specter's office c/o Matt Kelly, his staff person. "Thanks for your emails regarding the two Lancaster County transportation projects currently included in H.R. 3074. I appreciate hearing from you on this and please feel free to contact me any time on this or other transportation-related issues affecting PA."

"I wanted to let you know that on the Senator's website there is a procedure for constituents to officially submit comments on all legislative issues. These get recorded, tallied and responded to. If you or others want to send in official correspondence this way (you can of course always use the mail as well, although this takes a little longer to reach us due to anthrax scanning), please visit this site and follow the instructions:

http://specter.senate.gov/public/index.cfmFuseAction=Contact.ContactForm "

"...If there are others who want to submit comments on these projects, the website may be the best way because we can tally them and have an official record."