SAPA Plan Included In Scranton’s Updated Recovery Plan

More than two years after Scranton City Council slammed the door on a regional planning initiative, the Pennsylvania Economy League has pushed it wide open.

Tucked inside Scranton’s 60-page updated 2012 Recovery Plan, which council accepted Thursday, is one paragraph suggesting council will reconsider joining the Scranton-Abingtons Planning Association Comprehensive Plan.

“The PEL sneaked it in the recovery plan at the 11th hour, right before our final vote,” Councilman Jack Loscombe said. “I still feel the same way, though. I don’t see how the plan benefits the city economically.”

The plan, which has been adopted by nine municipalities, provides a policy guide for future land use, economic revitalization, open space conservation and historic resource preservation among the SAPA members. Scranton is the last SAPA member, of 11, to consider adopting the comprehensive plan, according to the updated recovery plan.

Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/sapa-plan-included-in-the-city-s-updated-recovery-plan-1.1364607

Building York: A Community & Economic Development Summit

A Building York summit was called by York Mayor C. Kim Bracey and her partners to identify economic and community development opportunities and challenges that face the York Metropolitan area.  The summit means to:  identify goals, educate the community, spur redevelopment in the urban core, accelerate investment, formulate new ideas, and create momentum, partnerships and a sense of urgency.

The goal of the two-day summit, which ended Thursday, was to formulate a plan of action from 2011 through 2015.

One of the cool events was the screening of a film called “My Tale of Two Cities” by Carl Kurlander.  The film chronicles where Pittsburgh was, where Pittsburgh is and how Pittsburgh reinvented itself.  Kurlander gave an inspirational talk to the large crowd and said things like:  believe in the possible, what happens in York matters to everyone and do not tear down all the beautiful historic buildings!  It was a message of hope and what can be accomplished if the entire York community pulls together.

Sessions offered to participants were on topics such as:  sustainable infrastructure and Pennsylvania’s green economy, best practices in urban renewal, residential reinvestment and new methods and practices in urban redevelopment and investment.  The sessions were followed by roundtable discussions, led by York civic and community leaders.

Two Roy’s Rants thumbs up to York City and County leadership for working together to improve the entire York Metro area!