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Pittsburgh is establishing a comprehensive growth plan to “right size” the city after years of population loss. Year one has already been completed with thousands of residents taking part in helping to shape a way forward for Pennsylvania’s second largest city.
This plan, which is expected to be completed in 2014, will focus on the following areas in order:
Open spaces and parks – wrapping up
Cultural heritage and preservation – up and running
The next ten have yet to be started:
Transportation
Public art
Design
Energy
City-owned buildings
Infrastructure
Economic development
Housing
Education
Zoning
Land Use
The Pittsburgh planning department is enthusiastically seeking participation from city residents! The cost of this long-range plan is $2.3 million dollars. Cities are not required to submit comprehensive plans but they can opt to do so. Only a handful of cities have done this. Pittsburgh is once again being a leading innovator in their approach to managed growth and sustainability.
These components were not accidentally chosen. Open space is first because vacant land use will influence every other category on the list. Pittsburgh has 5,500 acres of open space. Half is parks and 14,000 vacant lots make up the rest. Pittsburgh realizes that green space has an impact on property values.
These meetings last two hours and are held on various nights and in several locations around Pittsburgh to maximize citizen involvement.
Pittsburgh is consistently ranked as one of America’s most livable cities.
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