National County Government Month Department Spotlight- Community Planning

The Pike County Office of Community Planning is responsible for development, management and implementation of Countywide planning initiatives and the coordination and implementation of the Pike County Comprehensive Plan.

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the State grants the power to govern and regulate local land-use and subdivision to the municipalities. The Community Planning Office aids Pike County’s 13 municipalities by providing professional technical assistance in areas such as municipal comprehensive planning, zoning, subdivision and land development, grants and infrastructure. The office also helps to support and facilitate local municipal and multi-municipal planning initiatives.

Pike County Comprehensive Plan
An update to the County Comprehensive Plan is currently underway. The Pike County Office of Community Planning, along with the Pike County Planning Commission is responsible for the design and implementation of the Comprehensive Plan. A Comprehensive Plan is a non-regulatory document that provides statistical information and existing conditions to support future goals of a county or municipality. It establishes a vision for future growth and development and provides an implementation strategy to reach that identified vision. The plan is prepared with a broad range of subjects including housing, land use, economic development, transportation, infrastructure, community facilities, scenic and natural resources, historical resources, open space, greenways and trail planning.

Pike County Hazard Mitigation Plan
An update to the Hazard Mitigation Plan is currently underway. The Pike County Hazard Mitigation Plan assembles important inventory and data on potential hazards to our communities and prioritizes these hazards in frequency and severity. It analyzes and reviews alternative mitigation options based on the resource capabilities of our County and communities. The plan enables the County and its municipalities to effectively respond to hazards as they occur and reduce the potential risks of these hazards to the health, safety and welfare of our residents.

Pike County Open Space, Greenways & Recreation Plan
An update to the Open Space, Greenways, and Recreation Plan is currently underway. The Pike County Open Space, Greenways, and Recreation Plan is an official component of the Pike County Comprehensive Plan. The plan identifies the resources that define the County’s exceptional quality, unique natural, cultural and historic features, and important recreational resources, and recommends strategies for coordinating open space and natural resource conservation and protection and facilitating the development of recreational facilities as an integral part of its community and economic development. The goal of this planning efforts is to link greenways, identify and implement programs that address "green infrastructure", and integrate these efforts with community revitalization and economic development.

Residential Recycling Services
Recycling is an important activity that all residents of Pike County can do to reduce their impact on the environment. The Community Planning Office developed a Residential Recycling Guide complete with tools, resources, and a listing of local and area recycling service providers to help you recycle. Pike County is currently working towards the development of a Recycling Center at the Bennett Avenue Complex in Milford Borough.

Agricultural Land Preservation Program
The purpose of the Pike County Agricultural Land Preservation Program is to protect and promote the continued agricultural use of valuable agricultural lands by acquiring agricultural conservation easements on actively farmed lands within Ag Security Areas (ASA's).

As the County continues to grow, the Pike County agricultural community will be faced with monumental impediments to their continued operation. This program is intended to help strengthen and protect our quality farmland areas in the County for the continued production of food and other agricultural products.

Interested landowners must be included in an approved Agricultural Security Area (ASA) in the County in order to apply for easement purchases. Further details on this program can be obtained by contacting the Planning office.

Pike Outdoors
PIKE OUTDOORS is a public lands guide for Pike County visitors and outdoor enthusiasts. Pike County has over 120,000 acres of federal and state-owned lands open to public use. This Guide provides maps, articles, and tips for adventuring in Pike County. Hunters, Anglers, Hikers, Bikers, Boaters, Kayakers, Birding enthusiasts will all find something special in Pike County.

Pike County Planning Commission
The Pike County Planning Commission was created to serve as an Advisory Board to the Pike County Board of Commissioners on matters of future growth and development.

Duties of the Planning Commission include:

To provide for the active participation of all local governments and public and private agencies in a review of the needs, requirements, and goals of the County.
To review subdivision & land development plans from all 13 municipalities to ensure consistency with local ordinances and the County Comprehensive Plan.
To prepare and keep updated a long-range comprehensive plan of development that will provide for the best future growth of the County in terms of its specific needs, requirements, and goals; present the Comprehensive Plan for the consideration of the governing body, and promote public interest in, and the understanding of, the comprehensive plan and planning.
To assist local municipal planning agencies by providing information on matters of county and regional significance.
To provide technical planning assistance to local municipalities.
To encourage cooperation among local governments and regional authorities and to encourage and assist with the development of multi-municipal planning efforts.

Road Task Force
The Pike County Road Task Force (RTF) is organized as an appointed committee by the Commissioners of Pike County, for advice on highway and Bridge matters as they affect Pike County. The Task Force meets monthly to discuss transportation issues and address needs.

The Pike County Road Task Force was formed following the severe immobilizing snowstorm of April 22-23, 1986, where private citizens, local officials, and state officials believed a public meeting should be held in Pike County in order for all involved parties to present facts and air complaints. The Pike County Road Task Force has been meeting for over 30 years and is a model of multi-agency cooperation and coordination of local transportation concerns and improvement needs in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The RTF is formed for the following purposes:

To act as a referral group between the Pike County Board Commissioners and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for matters relating to highway/bridge needs of Pike County.
To act as a conduit for citizen and business input, to and from PennDOT, on matters relating to highway/bridge needs and construction projects;
To monitor, report and advise PennDOT on highway/bridge maintenance and conditions within Pike County.

Scenic Rural Character Preservation Program
The Scenic Rural Character Preservation Bond (SRCP) was created with the importance of preserving and protecting the natural resources of Pike County and the County's scenic rural character in mind. Approval of the SRCP was an important step in protecting the County's natural resources, preserving sensitive natural areas and critical open space, providing parks and recreation areas and improving planning efforts at both the County and Municipal levels.

The mission of SRCP is to provide for:

protection of drinking water, wildlife habitat, preservation of scenic ridges and critical open space;
protection of water quality of rivers, lakes and streams
creation and development of parks and recreational areas
improved county and municipal planning
related acquisitions of real property or interests therein from willing sellers on a voluntary basis and to provide education, outreach and the provision of funds for such purposes.

Tick Borne Disease Task Force
The Pike County Tick Borne Diseases Task Force was established in 2015 with the goal of decreasing the number of tick-borne illnesses by building community awareness through education, support, and advocacy. The Task Force meets monthly and offers educational materials to help people prevent tick borne diseases and safely enjoy the great outdoors. Educational materials can be found on www.pikepa.org/tick