Friday, July 07, 2006

2030 Plan Approved by 6th Community

As reported on Friday, July 7, 2006 in the Morning Call by Michael Duck, the Bath Borough Council approved the Council of Government (COG)'s Nazareth Area 2030 plan becoming the 6th of the 10 municipalities to do so.

Nazareth Borough was the first to approve the plan which provides guidance for future growth that is conscientious of natural resource preservation and historic conservation. Chapman and Tatamy Boroughs along with Bushkill and Upper Nazareth Townships have also approved the plan.

Stockertown, East Allen, Lower Nazareth, and Moore have not yet voted to adopt the plan.

Adoption of the plan simply means the municipalities are willing to take the first step and discuss how they would enact the plan. There is nothing binding by approving the plan except to participate in discussions on how to enact it - not to actually enact it.

Land use, be it preservation, conservation, or development, are always hot button issues, but in this particular instance, since the municipalities are only agreeing to discuss how to implement the plan, it seems short-sighted not to take the step to approve the plan to come to the table and talk.

What do you think? Can 10 municipalities work together to develop a regional plan or will it devolve into each wanting and not giving? To that end, will 10 even participate in the discussion in the first place?

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