Lower Nazareth Approves COG Regional Plan

Arlene Martinez of the Morning Call reports (sorry, article was not found online this morning) that Lower Nazareth has now approved the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission's Nazareth Area...2030 Regional Plan. This effort was begun about three years ago when the Nazareth Area Council of Governments (COG) requested the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission assist in a regional planning effort.

The goal of the plan as written in the "forward" section is:

The Nazareth Area … 2030 Multimunicipal Comprehensive Plan is a vision of the future of the ten municipalities in the Nazareth Area that places special importance on the preservation of natural features, farmland, open space and historic resources. It emphasizes the appropriateness of urban uses locating near adequate transportation, sewer and water supply infrastructure. It is a vision that seeks to replace the current scattered pattern of new development with a more deliberate, thoughtful development approach tied to community values and long-term objectives. It is a vision that allows the ten municipalities to work cooperatively to provide for all needed land uses rather than require the full spectrum of uses to be available in each community.

Read more NewsOverCoffee posts related to COG here.

The Nazareth Area...2030 report is available here.

Eight of the ten municipalities have signed on to the plan those being Nazareth, Bath, Chapman, and Tatamy boroughs, and Bushkill, Moore, Upper and Lower Nazareth Townships. East Allen Township and Stockertown Borough declined to participate.

Each of the eight participating municipalities must now determine how they are going to proceed by passing an "implementation" agreement.