Clearfield County Oks Share for Joint Comprehensive Plan with Elk County

CLEARFIELD – Clearfield County will soon begin the process of updating its comprehensive plan for the first time since 2006.

It will be a joint, year-long venture of stakeholder meetings, public presentations and input with northern neighbor, Elk County.

Beginning in 2024, the document will serve as a road map for future economic growth, housing infrastructure and so forth.

Michael Baker International, headquartered in Pittsburgh with nearly 100 offices nation-wide, was chosen as the plan’s developer.

And while the cost for the plan is significant ($130,000) so is PennDOT’s funding ($80,000) available to the counties.

This leaves Clearfield and Elk counties with a much lighter financial load of $25,000 each. Clearfield approved its share Tuesday.

Comprehensive plans are required of counties and must be updated every 10 years, according to Planning Director Jodi Brennan.

“I use them weekly in my office,” she said, adding “any time there’s a grant or permit application.”

The county has gone 16 years without an update due to lack of funding and “a lot has happened” since then, Brennan said.

There have been unconventional gas, wind and solar developments as well as supply chain issues after the COVID pandemic.

So, both counties will closely examine their existing conditions and other regional comprehensive plans.

Brennan specifically saw the 2019 Northern Pennsylvania Tri-County Comprehensive Plan as a valuable resource.

“There’s no need to reinvent information that’s out there,” she said of the firm’s plan for McKean, Cameron and Potter counties.

Community members will also have widespread opportunities to offer their input online and in-person.

But Brennan is most looking forward to examination of future conditions and drafting attainable county goals and objectives.

“Like improvements, investments we can potentially make on one- three- or five-year terms,” she said, “to put us on path for our future.”

Commissioner Mary Tatum embraced the process itself.

“It’s community-led …, which I think is imperative, and ultimately it will bring us to where we need to be.”

The North Central PA Regional Planning and Development Commission will administer the funding for the plan’s Steering Committee.

The committee will have equal representation from both counties so each may maintain its integrity throughout the plan’s development.