#PLACES2040
ABOUT
Thursday, March 31, 2022
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Ware Center - 42 N Prince St, Lancaster, PA
The Places2040 Plan envisions a future that emphasizes preserving the unique assets of Lancaster County while allowing for smart growth for the future. With its Five Main Themes, Beyond My Backyard; Beyond The Narrative; Beyond The Bubble; Beyond Borders; Beyond The Plan, the Summit seeks to bring together an eclectic mix of decision makers, community leaders and visionaries from the business, government and non-profit sectors.
EDUCATORS
COMMUNITY MEMBERS
CITY AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
HOUSING REPRESENTATIVES
AGRICULTURE AFFILIATES
MEDIA MEMBERS
DEVELOPERS
REAL ESTATE INVESTORS
YOU
WHO SHOULD COME
SCHEDULE
7:30 – 8:00 Registration / Coffee & Pastries
8:00 – 8:10 Opening Remarks
8:10 – 8:55 Plenary Session – Planning Beyond Boundaries
9:00 – 9:30 Keynote Presentation – Dr. Daniel A. Wubah, Ph. D., President, Millersville University CM | .5
9:30 – 9:45 Break
9:45 – 11:00 Breakout Session 1 CM | 1.25
11:00 – 11:15 Break
11:15 – 12:30 Breakout Session 2 CM | 1.25
12:30– 1:15 Lunch
1:15 – 2:30 Breakout Session 3 CM | 1.25
2:30 – 2:45 Break
2:45 – 3:45 “Share Time” – Moderators Present top 3 takeaways and future actions from each session CM | 1.00
3:45 – 4:00 Closing Remarks – It’s Go Time!
AICP members can earn Certification Maintenance (CM) credits for this activity [or many activities at this event]. When CM credits are available, they are noted at the end of an activity description. More information about AICP’s CM program can be found at planning.org/cm.
Beyond My Backyard
The Beyond My Backyard track asks participants to reconsider restrictive zoning laws that severely limit usage of property in our municipalities. Sessions in this track are designed to help participants identify NIMBY attitudes and strike a balance between local control and openness to multiple uses that benefit homeowners and businesses alike.
Sponsored By:
Session 1:
Title:
Easing Zoning Restrictions to Create Stronger Community: Lessons from East Lampeter Twp
CM | 1.25
Moderator:
Dr. Angela Cuthbert
Speakers:
East Lampeter Township Supervisor, Chairman & CEO:
Demme Learning
Director, Office for the Lancaster County Homelessness Coalition
Description:
East Lampeter Township, led by Ethan Demme, engaged in a series of zoning reforms intended to ease restrictions on personal use (such as building accessory dwellings) as well as reconsidering zoning categories to provide flexibility for business owners and entrepreneurs. This session will highlight the motivation behind these reforms as well as how he believes they increase both freedom and community. The session will pay specific attention to the way these zoning reforms created the opportunity for housing displaced people in East Lampeter hotels, demonstrating the types of projects possible when we get out of “backyard” thinking.
Session 2:
Title:
Is Density the Key to Solving Lancaster’s Affordable Housing Needs? A Conversation
CM | 1.25
Moderator:
Josh Druce
Speakers:
Claude Hicks, Senior Vice President of Real Estate Development, HDC Mid-Atlantic
Ian Rawhauser, Assistant Director of Real Estate Development, HDC Mid-Atlantic
Dave Dumeyer, West Hempfield Township Supervisor, Consultant: Dave Dumeyer Consulting/ Triad Strategies
Description:
That Lancaster is facing an affordable housing crunch is no secret, but when it comes to addressing the shortage there is no silver bullet or widely agreed upon path forward. This conversation features two affordable housing advocates who see high-density projects as a way of addressing both volume and affordability need. We will also hear from a current township supervisor whose rural/suburban township recently increased their minimum density zoning requirements. The wide-ranging conversation will discuss the pros and cons of density as an answer to the affordable housing crisis.
Session 3:
Title:
The Oregon Village Project: Multiple Perspectives
CM | 1.25
Moderator:
Mary Frey
Speakers:
Sam Mecum
Former Commissioner
Manheim Township
Architect
Former Commissioner
Manheim Township
Description:
There are many perspectives regarding the planned development of the Oregon Dairy tract on the Oregon Pike in Manheim Twp. First, the project is supported by the 2010 Comp Plan and associated zoning ordinances. Secondly, the project will finally do something positive with the old Shawnee property. The project will result in a number of TDRs being preserved. The down side is the usual concern about traffic and sprawl. Lots to discuss.
Beyond The Bubble
One of the most significant challenges to greater collaboration across Lancaster’s 60+ municipalities is working with people that may not be part of your “bubble”—your ideological, political or cultural group. This could include working with people who vote, think or live differently than you or seeing how people who live in difference circumstances (economic, rural v urban), may be facing similar problems.
Sponsored By:
Session 1:
Title:
Very Different Neighborhoods, Very Similar Needs: Stories from the Community Foundation’s Work with SE Lancaster and Paradise Township
CM | 1.25
Moderator:
Speakers:
Tracy Cutler,
Executive Vice President,
Lancaster County Community Foundation
Aaron Spangler,
Director of Communications
Lancaster, YWCA
Humanitarian Activist, SE Times Founder & Political 360 writer, City Chair, Civil Service Commission
Community Activist
Executive Director,
The Factory Ministries
Description:
Strong neighborhoods are the keys to healthy communities. With that in mind the Lancaster County Community Foundation created Project Activate, a community-centered approach that used deep listening and an emphasis on lived experience to assess and address community needs in and tell important stories from two very different communities: Southeast Lancaster City and Paradise Township. Despite surface level differences in demographics and surroundings, some common themes emerged. During this session we’ll talk with neighborhood leaders involved in the project about what our communities need, how residents can guide us, and how local government, nonprofits and community organizations can best address those needs to foster healthy neighborhoods.
Session 2:
Title:
Uniting Diverse Stakeholders to Achieve Carbon Neutrality
CM | 1.25
Moderator:
Fritz Schroeder
Speaker:
Director, RegenAll
Description:
What could actually help society change course as global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise and all national and international efforts fail? Modelling of climate solutions indicates that important opportunities for drawing down atmospheric carbon exist not only in urban centers, but also in rural communities. In order to effectively address climate impacts, we need to shift our climate strategy beyond cities to regions containing both urban and rural populations. This session will explore the solutions that exist for drawing down carbon and how diverse coalitions are coming together to depoliticize and localize climate narratives to the scale that works for local governance. We will explore how planning for climate at this regional scale opens new possibilities for climate to catalyze entrepreneurship, job creation, and economic resilience across rural and urban communities.
Session 3:
Title:
Why Can’t We Talk Anymore? A Conversation about Working Across the Aisle
CM | 1.25
Moderator:
Dr. Stephen Medvic
Speakers:
Former Mayor of Lancaster
Former State Senator
Description:
Polarization and extreme partisanship has not only eroded our sense of common ground but has also interfered with our ability to bring meaningful, nonpartisan policy into fruition. Local politics has traditionally been immune to this trend, but increasingly less so. We will hear a conversation Lancaster Mayor Rick Gray, a Democrat, and former State Senator Gib Armstrong, a Republican, on the ways they were able to work across the aisle to create meaningful value for the residents of Lancaster.
Beyond The Narrative
Another challenge to achieving our shared goals is that we don’t have an accurate, data-driven picture of the problems we face. This can sometimes be caused by the fact that popular, but untrue, narratives threaten to obscure real need or when we lack reliable information on a topic. One example of an untrue, but popular narrative is: affordable housing and poverty are “city problems”. The goal of this track is to highlight the use of accurate data to solve pressing issues.
Sponsored By:
Session 1:
Title: Affordable Housing: Myths, Opportunities and Innovation
CM | 1.25
Moderator:
Shelby Nauman
Speakers:
Executive Director, Community Basics, Inc.
Director of Housing and Community Development, Lancaster County Redevelopment Authority
Executive Vice President, Gatesburg Road
Ed Kaminski, Director,
Landis Quality Living
Description:
One of the persistent challenges to affordable housing projects is false public perceptions of the impact of affordable housing on surrounding areas as well as what the projects themselves look like (dull architecture, high rises , concentrated poverty..). This panel will highlight some of the innovative developers attempting to address Lancaster’s need for more housing and, in the process, how they are changing public perceptions about what affordable housing can be. In addition to innovation, the panel will discuss persistent barriers and novel opportunities to bring the Lancaster community together to address the need.
Session 2:
Title: Five Surprising Takeaways from the 2020 Census
CM | 1.25
Moderator:
Naomi Young
Speaker:
Geography Lab Manager,
Millersville University
Kelly Brubaker, Student,
Millersville University
Stephen Repa, Student,
Millersville University
Description:
The Census is a powerful tool for academics and policymakers to understand demographic shifts at the national, state, and regional level. While much of Pennsylvania is experiencing population decline, Lancaster County is growing at a healthy rate and diversifying rapidly. During this session, we will identify five surprising trends from the 2020 Census and their likely impact on policy, planning and everyday life in Lancaster County.
Session 3:
Title: Understanding the Impacts of Poverty on Lancaster County
CM | 1.25
Moderator:
Bob Thomas
Speakers:
Rachel Luehm, Data Analyst, Community Action Partnership,
Vanessa Philbert, CEO,
Community Action Partnership
Bob Thomas, President,
Tabor Community Services
(2006-2018)
Description:
This session will address the following questions:
How extensive is poverty in Lancaster County and where is it most prevalent?
What impacts does poverty have on the County?
What efforts are underway to combat poverty here?
Beyond Borders
If Track 1 asks us to think beyond our own individual uses and needs, Track 4 asks us to think across municipal borders to ensure that planning acknowledges that artificial borders don’t change the reality on the ground. A new shopping center just over a borough line still causes traffic in my township. Many of the county’s best features (rivers, farmland, trails) cross multiple boundaries and need a cooperation to manage well. This track asks us to look for regional cooperation.
Sponsored By:
Session 1:
Title:
Susquehanna National Heritage Area: Working Beyond Boundaries
CM | 1.25
Moderator:
Dr. Justin Mando
Speaker:
President, Susquehanna National Heritage Area
Description:
The landscape of the lower Susquehanna River corridor in Lancaster and York Counties is prized for both its natural beauty and its storied history. It served as an early gateway to America’s frontier and facilitated transportation and trade with indigenous people and later European settlers. This region has been designated one of 55 National Heritage Areas and 12 Pennsylvania Heritage Areas. The group responsible for managing the heritage region is Susquehanna National Heritage Area (SNHA), a non-profit organization with its headquarters on the river in York County that also manages a river visitor center in the Lancaster County river town of Columbia. SNHA shares the stories of the region and works to raise awareness of the Susquehanna River as a destination for residents and visitors alike. Since the Susquehanna River landscape spans two counties, working within this political framework can be challenging. Hear how SNHA manages the geographic and political boundaries to highlight the stories that make the lower Susquehanna River corridor a world-class destination.
Session 2:
Title:
Solanco Coming Together
CM | 1.25
Moderator:
Bob Shenk
Speakers:
Scott Peiffer
Manager, Quarryville Borough
Chairman, Board of Supervisors, Bart Township
Drector for Planning Implementation, Lancaster County Planning Department
Description:
Places2040 calls for public, private, and nonprofit partners to work together to 1) celebrate and enhance what they have in common; and 2) share resources to address opportunities and challenges on a regional basis. This kind of cooperation is the most efficient and cost effective way to create the kind of Lancaster County we all want to see in the future..
Session 3:
Title:
Bridgeport Crossroads - connecting four communities through planning, collaboration and persistence
CM | 1.25
Moderator:
Bob Shenk
Speakers:
Director of Planning,
Derck & Edson LLC
Assistant Township Manager,
East Lampeter Township
Director of Public Works,
City of Lancaster
Description:
Planning at the crossroads of four municipalities requires patience, time, dedication, and open communication. The Bridgeport Crossroads project concluded with greater communication between the four municipalities, projects that can move forward at the municipal or regional level, a more thorough understanding of the Bridgeport communities, and a direction for the future of Bridgeport. This study took longer than expected and had numerous challenges but resulted in a plan that is already beginning to be implemented. We will share techniques for collaboration, strategies for community engagement, and examples of the planning and survey tools that will help your community overcome barriers and achieve greater understanding.
Beyond The Plan
While the Places2040 Plan aims to be comprehensive, there are many important aspects of life in Lancaster County that it doesn’t directly address. Those issues will nevertheless affect the way the plan’s goals are pursued and executed. Some of these issues include: race and gender, retirement and aging in place, immigration to the area and many others. This track also explores gaps in the initial plan as identified in the two years of its existence.
Sponsored By:
Session 1:
Title:
The American Rescue Plan- An Historic Opportunity for Lancaster County
CM | 1.25
Moderator:
Patrick Hopkins
Speakers:
Tony Collins, President
Blake Collins Group
Jess King,
Chief of Staff
City of Lancaster
Description:
-
Describes the purpose and elements of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
-
Outlines ARPA best practices as recommended by leading experts.
-
Introduce possibilities for ARPA in Lancaster County.
Session 2:
Title: The Importance of Language Access and Cultural Competency to Good Governance: Gaining Diverse Feedback for Lancaster’s Comprehensive Plan
CM | 1.25
Moderator:
Amer AlFaydh
Speakers:
Milzy Carrasco
Director of Neighborhood Engagement, City of Lancaster
Language Access Coordinator, City of Lancaster
Senior Planner, City of Lancaster
Description: The 2020 Census demonstrated what we already knew: Lancaster City and County is diversifying rapidly. Capturing those diverse voices is not only a matter of justice, it’s crucial to good governance. As Lancaster City embarked on its comprehensive plan, we sought feedback from all Lancaster residents, regardless of their geographic origins, immigration status, or primary language. During this session will we highlight key takeaways for eliciting important feedback for the plan from all communities in Lancaster and how similar methods might continue to strengthen support for Places2040.
Session 3:
Title: The Role of Immigration in Keeping Lancaster Economically and Culturally Flourishing
CM | 1.25
Moderator:
Dr. Margaret Mbindyo
Speakers:
Matt Johnson, Refugee Community Organizer, Church World Service
Apsara Uprety,
Senior, Millersville University
Intern, Church World Service
President/Founder, Communications Essentials LLC
Heather Valudes, Vice President, Lancaster Chamber of Commerce
Description:
The session will explore the many economic and cultural advantages related to Lancaster’s role as an immigration hub. It will also identify barriers immigrants face in the county and how failing to address those barriers will mean losing a vital force in the Lancaster community.