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Development plan approved

By David E. Gehlke Thursday, January 19, 2006
Monroeville's new comprehensive development plan has a component its predecessor did not: a catalyst to get things done, one councilman says.

"The difference between the new comprehensive plan and the old one is this one has a 'strategic action plan' which is critical," Councilman Dave Kucherer said. "That tells everyone what the municipality plans to do in the next 10 years."

Community Development Director Shelley Kaltenbaugh said the "strategic action plan" is set in a manner so that each task is taken care of within a year, then a new set of tasks is developed.

Council last week approved the plan that will guide the municipality over the next 10 years.

Kaltenbaugh said she will outline what the community's priorities are for the year in meetings with council in coming weeks.

Kucherer and Kaltenbaugh indicated four pressing items on the new plan:

  • Update zoning by developing a new zoning ordinance.

    "There are multiple things wrong with it (the existing ordinance), it has regulations going back to the 80's," Kucherer said. "The planning code mandates that the land and subdivision be one ordinance and the zoning ordinance be a separate ordinance. Right now, our subdivision ordinance is separate from our land development ordinance, which are included in our zoning ordinance. We need to address those items."

  • Launch the Street-Scape initiative program which includes creating an overly district from Route 22 and have everything be standard in the business district.

  • Maintain the superior quality of residential neighborhoods by initiating general planning projects like the Pedestrian Plan and the Shade-Tree Plan.

  • Continued improvement of the transportation network. This includes formation of a traffic review board, road pavement, condition, and maintenance survey plan, transportation and land use quarterly study.

    "The plan is written so that every year you can update your plan and monitor what you accomplished that year and prepare your action for the next year," Kaltenbaugh said.

    Kucherer said there is no set budget for the plan.

    This is the second comprehensive plan for Monroeville, the first being designed in 1984. Work on the present comprehensive plan got started in 1995.

    "It's a difficult process," said Kucherer. "If you take a look at what the DCED (Department of Community and Economic Development) and MPC (Municipalities Planning Code) requires, it's an enormous amount of work," Kucherer said. "The past couple of years, we have dedicated an enormous amount of time so that we complied with those recommendations and mandates."


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