As Cranberry Township approaches the half-way point in the development of a plan to chart the community’s future through 2030, officials received a financial boost in the form of a $96,210. grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, to help with the project. The grant is through the Governor’s Center for Local Government Services’ Land Use Planning and Technical Assistance Program (LUPTAP).
Richard Hadley, chairman of the Township Board of Supervisors, praised the efforts of John K. Trant, Jr., chief strategic planning officer and the township’s planning staff for seeking the grant. Hadley said, “We know that good communities don’t ‘just happen’ – and because we are growing so rapidly, we need a framework for the future. Our primary goal is to determine what the grown-up, built-out Cranberry ought to look like, then we can identify the best strategies to help us get there. We want to ensure a viable, sustainability future for our residents.” Cranberry is no stranger to long range planning. The most recent plan was adopted by the Board in 1995, and goals set in that plan were accomplished, added Hadley, we know the value of good planning.
Known as “The Cranberry Plan”, the current five-phase initiative began with a community visioning process to lay the foundation. In the second phase, township staff worked with planning and development consultants to gather background information and baseline statistical information, leading to the current phase, a detailed growth management analysis, resulting in several possible growth scenarios.
Citizen involvement has been a critical component at every step, noted Jerry Andree, township manager. The Board issued a call for volunteers and created a Citizen Advisory Panel to review and react to reports, assessments and studies. More than 70 residents answered the call and began meeting on a monthly basis in November 2007, forming six task forces to study key areas: Economic development & redevelopment; transportation & mobility; public image; culture & diversity; sewer/water & environmental stewardship and parks and recreation. Recently, the task forces presented summaries from their months of study, and their recommendations will be incorporated into the final phases of the plan.
In the next phase, a preferred growth scenario, resulting from the research, analysis and public input, will be selected by early fall, becoming the growth management plan. Once The Cranberry Plan is completed, and adopted by the Board, the fifth, and final phase, implementation, will begin immediately, added Trant. “Planning is great, but doing is better. The Cranberry Plan will address every aspect of the community with a primary focus on sustainability and what we must do today and along the way, to ensure a healthy and financially secure future for Cranberry Township.” Planning energies will then re-focus on a comprehensive parks and recreation plan.
To gain input from the entire community, the supervisors conducted an opinion survey among residents, through a mailed-survey, which produced a remarkable 50% response. Results of the survey will be presented in public session on Thursday, June 26. A public meeting, to provide the community at-large with details of the first three phases of the comprehensive plan is set for Thursday, July 31.
