top of page
Dauphin County Comp Plan Logo

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ––

Over half of the community survey respondents would like to see considerably more effort put into planning for future growth. Nearly two-thirds of respondents felt that maintaining the character of Dauphin County should be given somewhat to considerably more attention.

 

The Regional Growth Management Plan (RGMP), which is currently being updated, is the primary planning/policy document for addressing these desires and providing for a sustainable development pattern for future generations. The RGMP, included here by reference, goes into significant detail for a wide range of action items to provide for sustainable growth and development. Key goals and implementation measures from the RGMP are included here as they relate to future development in Dauphin County.

Planned Growth Areas
Click for interactive map

PRIMARY GOALS

  • Manage growth toward areas with existing or planned public facilities and services;

  • Promote the use of planning and stormwater best management practices (BMPs);

  • Promote the creation of livable, sustainable communities;

  • Promote economic development in conjunction with regional needs;

  • Integrate land use with transportation and other public infrastructure.


KEY ACTION ITEMS

  • Implement the CSA concept from the RGMP by monitoring actual development, with a goal of having at least 75 percent of new development occurring within the CSA boundaries. Municipalities where this goal is not met are to be given priority for Regional Connections planning funds or other available funding for the development of a new comprehensive plan that seeks to improve the consistency with the Dauphin County Comprehensive Plan. Similar priority should be given to municipalities without CSA lands, but with comprehensive plans greater than 10 years old or where significant development is anticipated.

  • Work with the municipalities to ensure that developments determined to have multi-municipal or regional impact are all within the CSA boundaries and that they do not have undue impacts on existing infrastructure, facilities, and services.

Planned Growth And Community Service Areas

  • Through education and model ordinance development, promote the utilization of a variety of techniques, such as official maps, coordination of land acquisition and/or easement programs, a range of available zoning techniques, transfer of development rights, green infrastructure or other applicable tools to protect environmentally sensitive lands and reduce the footprint and impact of future development and encourage in-fill and redevelopment opportunities.

  • Provide priority for the use of County Land Bank, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Infrastructure Bank and other funds within the CSA boundaries 

  • As the items listed herein are put into action, the Implementation Partners should seek to continue their efforts toward the accomplishment of the plan’s goals through the identification and implementation of additional efforts deemed appropriate by the committee and the County Commissioners. Any such actions should be publicly identified in the “Tracking Our Progress” section of the Comprehensive Plan Website.

bottom of page