Earlier this year, Tyrone Borough began work on its comprehensive plan and now the municipality is inviting the general public to be involved in the process regarding the town’s future.
The borough has announced a Citizen Community Workshop scheduled in early October. The workshop will be Tyrone resident’s first chance to hear about and discuss the planning efforts.
Tyrone’s last comprehensive plan was done in 1974. Most such plans are usually good for about a ten-year period. The EADS Group of Altoona, an engineering and design firm, has been hired to oversee the comp plan update. The borough will also be working on its zoning ordinance that was last updated in 1983.
Previously, Tyrone Borough Manager Sharon 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.
The borough has already formed a “planning committee” made up of a cross section of residents. Planning committee members will review the information compiled by the EADS Group. They are also involved with the public sessions like the one set for October.
On Monday, Dannaway told borough council the planning committee held a kickoff meeting on Sept. 7. Members were introduced and gave a brief background about themselves. Rich Truscello of EADS chaired the meeting.
Dannaway said he provided a brief description of the role of the citizen planner, a review of the scope of the work involved in putting together a comprehensive plan, an overview of demographics completed to date, a description of future activities to be completed and a short discussion of the issues, problems and opportunities for the community.
The citizen’s workshop has been scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 4 at the LGI Room at the Tyrone Elementary School.
In a previous Daily Herald 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.
There will be a series of meetings during the next two years as Tyrone works on the comprehensive plan. In addition to their participation, committee members review input from the public meetings.
The borough is using grant money from the state’s Department of Community Economic Development and providing a local match to fund the efforts on the comprehensive plan.
