FOCUS AREAS
LAND USE
DRAFT
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Transportation infrastructure plays an important role when planning for regional land use. Our region is strategically situated in central Pennsylvania, placing us in a key location and offering convenient access to many major state and interstate highways. Much of our region’s land use patterns, especially the recent growth in population, employment, housing, and industry, can often be attributed to easy access of these transportation corridors. This access has caused a boom in regional warehouses and distribution development, facilitating connectivity and increased commerce. Just as transportation access influences land use patterns, land use patterns influence transportation planning. Land uses within our regional municipalities influence travel demand and where future infrastructure investments must be made.
Coordination between transportation efforts and land use planning is vital as the two are inherently connected. Without this collaboration, the outcome could lead to low-density development, higher infrastructure costs, limited access to services, more isolated communities, and fewer opportunities for active transportation. Planning for these connections ultimately improves the sustainability, livability, and vibrancy of our local communities.
CONDITIONS
EXISTING LAND USE —
The majority of the region (47%) is made up of land designated as “Natural Resources.” At 29%, “Agricultural” is the second largest land use category. Considering these two land uses together, along with “Water” (3%), about 79%, or 842,252 acres, of our region is regarded as undeveloped. On the other hand, only 21%, or about 220,146 acres, of the land in our region is considered developed. The developed land uses consist of “Residential” (12%), “Commercial and Services” (4%), “Transportation and Utilities” (3%), “Recreational” (0.84%), “Institutional” (0.79%), and “Industrial” (0.49%).
In Cumberland County, the prevailing land use is “Agricultural,” totaling 146,803 acres and taking up 42% of its total land. Meanwhile, the largest land use within Dauphin and Perry Counties is “Natural Resources.” 49%, or 174,575 acres, of the land in Dauphin County is designated as “Natural Resources,” while in Perry County it is about 66% (234,123 acres). Even though the largest land use may vary by county, all three have undeveloped land uses as their top two land uses, further indicating how the majority of each county remains undeveloped.
Table 1 - Existing Land Use by County
Cumberland County leads the region in terms of residential land use as 15% is designated “Residential,” while Dauphin is at 13% and Perry is only at 7%. Cumberland County also leads the region in the “Commercial & Services” category with almost 10% land designation, while Dauphin is at 2% and Perry is at 0.34%. These numbers may be indicative of the rapid growth that Cumberland has seen in the past few years. In terms of overall developed land within each county, Cumberland is 31%, Dauphin is 22%, and Perry is only 9% developed.
To view existing land use, click here for the interactive mapping application.
FUTURE LAND USE —
The three counties have different land use needs and different projections for the future whether that be a growing residential population or increased industrial and commercial spaces. In the long run, each county must plan for their individual needs over the next 25 years, meaning that each county addresses future land use in different ways. The three counties outline their future land use plans within their respective Comprehensive Plans, taking into consideration such things as population, environmental factors, existing land use, and transportation and overarching land use policy direction from TCRPC's Regional Growth Management Plan.
Cumberland County divides their future land uses into six different categories: “Conservation,” “Rural,” “Village,” “Core Communities,” “Suburban,” and “Regional Activity Centers.” These categories are meant to represent the generalized development patterns in the coming years and visualize successful application of their countywide goals. For example, their “Regional Activity Center” category is meant to represent and encompass large-scale development grouped around the important transportation corridors that run through the county. To view the Cumberland County Future Land Use map, click here. To view the Cumberland County Comprehensive Plan, click here.
Dauphin County separates their future land use into five different categories including “Conservation,” “Urban Core,” “Suburban Core,” “Rural Core,” and “Rural Reserve”, which reflects the planned growth areas contained in TCRPC’s Regional Growth Management Plan. These categories are meant to delineate those areas where future development should be directed. In this way, growth is limited to previously developed areas and minimized in those areas designated “Conservation.” To view the Dauphin County future land use map, click here. To view the Dauphin County Comprehensive Plan, click here.
Future land use in Perry County's Picture Perry Comprehensive Plan is divided into eight categories including “Agricultural,” “Commercial,” “Conservation,” “Industrial,” “Public/Semi-Public,” “Residential,” “Transportation,” and “Village/Mixed Use.” The goal was to consider existing land uses, incorporate local planning goals, and manage growth. To view Picture Perry's future land use map, click here. To view the Picture Perry Comprehensive Plan, click here.
Regionally, each county tries to pinpoint their urban centers as well as their surrounding residential areas, identifying these locations as areas targeted for future development. This protects natural resources and agricultural land uses while retaining the natural and cultural character of their communities, and directs limited funds for supporting infrastructure investments to already developed areas whether for maintenance or efficiency in development expansion. The ongoing RGMP update will provide a broad vision and policy direction for development patterns in the region, guiding decision making for land use regulations and infrastructure investments.
ISSUES
INEFFICIENT LAND USE PATTERNS —
Our land use and infrastructure are becoming increasingly centered around the distribution and warehousing industry which are prevalent in the region. This has led to sprawling, low-density development situated along our major transportation corridors, increasing the cost of development and making access to services and daily needs more difficult. These land use patterns have, in turn, made traveling by any mode other than driving increasingly more difficult, creating a cycle of car dependency and development that only serves drivers. By encouraging land use patterns that emphasize compact development concentrated in around existing infrastructure, alternatives to driving, such as walking, biking, and the use of local transit systems, are easier, safer, and more convenient. These strategies improve public health, reduce traffic congestion and transportation costs, build sustainable and resilient communities, increase safety and accessibility, and ultimately improve the quality of life within our communities.
UNREALIZED POTENTIAL FOR REUSE —
Our region’s population and economy continue to grow, including Cumberland County, one of the fastest growing counties in the state. However, due to local regulations and market forces, this growth is often pushed to areas that had previously been undeveloped, neglecting the use or reuse of land in those areas that already contain existing infrastructure and an available labor force. By working together to develop forward-thinking ordinances, reduce regulatory hurdles, and provide incentives for desired development types, growth can be directed toward redevelopment and infill development that require less investment to serve the same number of jobs, people, visitors, etc. Investing in existing transportation infrastructure allows for improvements of our current systems, increasing efficiency without the need for any new construction, leading to more sustainable growth, environmental preservation, and long-term resiliency of existing infrastructure.
DIVERSE RANGE OF COMMUNITIES —
With 103 municipalities in our region, ranging from urban centers to rural boroughs and farming communities, it can be difficult to understand and integrate the needs of every single community. That’s why it is important to coordinate and communicate with our local municipalities and understand what goals they have for their communities in the coming years. Coordinating transportation planning amongst the local, county, and regional levels allows us to address local issues while also facilitating regionwide transportation needs. These local community goals help support the larger regional goals and can collectively have a significant impact and serve as an example or best practice for others in the region.
ACTIONS
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Focus transportation investments in areas with existing infrastructure capacity or planned for growth.
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Promote land use patterns that encourage or support walking, biking and access to transit.
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Coordinate with counties and municipalities to support and progress transportation-related goals and objectives contained in their comprehensive plans.