Formulating a 202-page economic development plan is one thing. Making its goals real is another thing entirely.
Last summer York County adopted a 10-year plan for managing growth and economic development in the county, which has historically been an industrial center. The impetus for the plan was the federal government’s 2005 decision to shift thousands of jobs from Fort Monmouth in New Jersey to Maryland’s Aberdeen Proving Ground, which is within commuting distance of York County.
The plan’s main goals are to manage growth and development, preserve agriculture and conserve the county’s rural and scenic areas, says Roy Livergood, senior long range planner with the York County Planning Commission. The county was further divided into five sections, each of which has their own goals.
This month the planning commission and York County Economic Development Corporation have set up five meetings with state legislators, aimed at presenting the plan and discussing what needs to happen to bring those goals to fruition. Livergood says smart-growth groups, municipal officials and other interested parties plan to attend.
Another goal of the meetings is to present a new online regional mapping tool that can give new and current residents a better idea of the different resources in York County.
Source: Roy Livergood, York County Planning Commission
Writer: Rebecca VanderMeulen
