2007 News

April 12, 2007

Bucks County Planning Commission Efforts Earn National Recognition

The American Planning Association has chosen three staff members from the Bucks County Planning Commission to make presentations during its national conference, April 14-18, in Philadelphia.

Planning Commission Executive Director Lynn Bush, who also served as co-chair of the program committee for the 6,000-person conference, will speak on zoning techniques to protect the natural environment. It is a topic that the Planning Commission pioneered and continues to promote through its many local and county projects. The presentation will include examples of how Bucks County’s work on innovative zoning techniques has been used in other parts of the country, from New Jersey to the Midwest.

“We are proud to have proven leaders who have been on the cutting edge of municipal and environmental planning for decades,” said Commissioner Chairman Charles H. Martin. “Similarly, we are pleased that the American Planning Association has chosen to share Bucks County’s expertise with national leaders.”

Senior environmental planner Dennis Livrone has been tapped to lead a workshop titled: “Rediscovering the Potential of Small Towns.” Livrone will escort a group of planners from Philadelphia, via SEPTA, to Doylestown, where they will stop at the Michener Museum, tour development and redevelopment sites in Doylestown Borough, and hear presentations on how compact small towns with transit access can thrive and provide good living environments.

“Bucks County has taken a lead role in municipal zoning preservation,” said Commissioner James F. Cawley, Esq. “We are thrilled to share a glimpse of these efforts with planning executives from all over the nation.”

Community planner Matt Walters will lead a group tour of Bristol Borough to witness the changes and revitalization progress in this historic riverfront town. That tour will include a visit to Island View Crossing, a Bucks County Redevelopment Authority waterfront project that currently serves as the corporate headquarters of Lenox. Last year, the company relocated 400 employees from Lawrenceville, NJ, to occupy 126,000 square feet of the once-vacant building.

“We are extremely fortunate in Bucks County to have a Planning Commission comprised of individuals of the highest caliber,” said Commissioner Sandra A. Miller. “They each embrace our commitment to projects that improve our infrastructure, create jobs, and bolster our economy. I’m pleased to see that they are regarded so highly on the national level as well.”

The American Planning Association meets annually to provide a forum for sharing ideas. This is the first time since 1960 that the group has held its national conference in Philadelphia.