A committee that is developing long range comprehensive and transportation plans for Luzerne and Lackawanna counties wants the public to help prioritize goals and create a vision for the region through 2040.
The committee posted a public survey online and plans to hold regional forums as it continues shaping plans that will provide guidance for municipalities on land use and transportation issues, said Tina Roseberry, a planning manager with Michael Baker International — a Lehigh Valley consulting firm that is helping develop the plan.
When completed, the plan will provide a framework for local municipalities and guidance on common issues such as highways, public transportation, flooding, trails, growth and redevelopment trends, shopping needs, housing, natural systems, economic growth and impact of large development for the next 20 years, Roseberry said.
The comprehensive plan can also serve as a guide for municipalities as they deal with issues pertaining to land use, parks and recreation and blight, she said.
In developing the plans, the committee created focus groups, which have met virtually to tackle specific issues such as natural environment and recreation.
Feedback from those groups helps develop an understanding of what’s been happening over the past decade and shape the mission of each group moving forward, she said. The recreation group included representatives from regional trail groups, conservancies and municipalities that have large amounts of open space.
Another focus group consisting of housing authorities and municipal planning officials tackled land use and housing, she said.
A third group will meet this week and discuss transportation and freight.
The committee originally planned to hold a public meeting in each participating county, which have been delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials are considering virtual meetings in each county and holding a forum for a broader audience afterward, she said.
A public meeting could happen by late June or early July.
The survey is available at Lackawanna-Luzerne.metroquest.com.
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570-501-3586
