Local municipalities could enter land-use agreement
CONNELLSVILLE TWP. – Two additional municipalities will be invited to join a proposed multi-municipal agreement between the Connellsville Township, Connellsville City and South Connellsville Borough to create a comprehensive land-use plan. Connellsville Township and South Connellsville officials decided this week to contact other neighboring municipalities that may be interested in taking part with the intent to adopt a resolution on the pact next week.
The other municipalities include Bullskin and Springfield townships, while Dunbar Borough has opted to take a different route and Dunbar Township’s plan is up-to-date.
Teresa Furnier, community development specialist from the Fayette County Office of Planning, Zoning and Community Development, provided more details about the plan Wednesday during an afternoon meeting at the township fire hall attended by residents, township supervisors and borough council members, while the city had no representatives.
The meeting was primarily generated from questions concerning the costs associated with the plan that would serve as a guide for future growth, development, land use and community character with each municipality having its own part.
While the township’s comprehensive plan dates back to 1999, the borough’s was completed in 1972.
Borough council members discussed the feasibility of the plan earlier this week during a work session at which time Mayor Pete Casini said he planned to veto a resolution signed on Jan. 10 by four councilmen to authorize the city to apply for a grant on the borough’s behalf without further information on the plan.
Richard Bower, solicitor for both the borough and the township, said the agreement could pose legal problems as far as controlling how the grant would be distributed.
“Let’s be very blunt, if someone wants a certain percentage of the money, there’s nothing in writing or in place to dictate that,” said Bower.
According to Furnier, municipalities that apply for funding as a group, as opposed to individually are eligible for up to 50 percent of the plan’s cost awarded by the state’s Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) through its Land Use Planning and Technical Assistance Program.
In addition, each municipality involved would be eligible to receive up to $7,500 issued by the Local Government Academy for two or more municipalities agreeing to produce and implement a multi-municipal comprehensive plan.
Furnier stressed that municipalities should be aware that they will have to provide part of the total cost.
“It’s not going to be a 100-percent free ride,” said Furnier.
The funding is contingent upon a representative attending three training sessions dealing with smart land use principles and an application deadline of May 1.
While the grants aren’t guaranteed, Furnier said, the amount of funding is based on the number of participating municipalities under a scoring system by the DCED.
Depending on the number involved, Furnier said the township and borough could pay as little as $2,500 for its share of the comprehensive plan.
“It’s not who makes the application it’s how it’s done after the money comes in and how it is split,” said Bower.
As the first step, Bower recommended the municipalities adopt a resolution noting the 50 percent funding from the state would be distributed evenly across the board for each municipal plan.
Before applying for a grant, the DCED suggests that resolutions be prepared by the municipalities solicitors and having the governing body of each enter into an Intergovernmental Cooperative Agreement for planning that establishes a steering committee to guide the comprehensive planning process, scope of activities and cost sharing among municipalities.
The final step involves hiring a planning consultant to assist in preparing the comprehensive plan and implementing any ordinances.
“Everything comes down to cooperation and joint (ventures). The state does not want to give money to each municipality; they get more bang for their buck if municipalities join forces,” said Furnier.
A date and time for next week’s meeting was not immediately determined.