Earlier this week, Tyrone Borough held the first public input session regarding its effort to put together an update of its comprehensive plan.
The borough began work on the plan earlier this year after being approved for a grant from the state’s Department of Community and Economic Development.
Tyrone hired the EADS Group of Altoona, an engineering and design firm to assist it with the process. The borough also sought a cross section of community members to be a part of a comprehensive plan committee.
A community workshop for the public was held on Tuesday night. The workshop was the first chance for Tyrone residents and other interested parties to hear about and discuss the planning efforts.
EADS planning director Richard Truscello was the moderator at the meeting, according to Tyrone Borough Manager Sharon Dannaway. He presented information using a slide program.
Dannaway said Truscello gave an overview of the general comprehensive plan process. He explained what he had done to date on Tyrone’s plan including compiling census figures and obtaining maps from the Blair County Comprehensive plan. Dannaway explained the goal is to use the maps to help create maps that are specific to Tyrone. She said the county maps would only be used in a general way toward that goal.
Dannaway said Truscello offered a question and answer period to gather input about Tyrone’s negative and positive aspects. At the end of the session, Truscello reviewed the information with the attendees.
Dannaway said the comprehensive plan committee would review the information. She said a training meeting would be held for plan committee members in November.
Dannaway said a separate meeting would be held for the public about the borough’s plans to update its zoning ordinance that was last done in 1983. Tyrone’s last comprehensive plan was done in 1974. Most such plans are usually good for about a ten-year period.
Previously, Dannaway explained the process toward completing the comprehensive plan. In reference to the EADS Group, she said, “They go out into the community and assess what we have now, they’ll look at what we did have and look toward the future.”
The process will include looking into population growth and decline, the borough’s housing stock, infrastructure and education facilities. Dannaway said there would also be public input to shape the plan.
In a previous article, Dannaway noted, “Through these meetings with the public and the research they’ll do, they’ll put together this comprehensive plan,” said Dannaway. “(It’s done) to say this has been the past history of the borough from the beginning, this is what’s happened, this is where we are at now and according to the census information, this is what we may need to look at in the future to plan for projects.”
Dannaway explained with the expected opening of Interstate 99, connecting Altoona and State College, it was important for Tyrone to have a new plan in place. Dannaway said once I-99 opens up such a plan would be “critical” so Tyrone “can be ready for the influx of people relocating here.” She noted the plan would include information from a comprehensive plan being undertaken by Snyder Township along with one that is being done for all of Blair County.
Dannaway said the meeting this past Tuesday was just one in a series of meetings that will be scheduled during the next two years as Tyrone works on the comprehensive plan. The meeting was attended by about 15 people including about a half dozen from the general public. Dannaway said officials had anticipated more people.
