Harrison • Brackenridge • Tarentum

Joint Comprehensive Plan

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Comprehensive Plan Completed

Comprehensive Plan Finalized Tarentum Borough has received the final copy of the HBT Comprehensive Plan “Forging Our Future”. The final report, appendices and executive summary are now available in their completed format.  You can also find the previous drafts and other information regarding the Comprehensive Plan at the Comp Plan

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Comprehensive Plan Update

Comprehensive Plan Update Tarentum Borough will be holding its Public Hearing tonight, Tuesday December 1, 2020 at 5:30 PM for the multi-municipal comprehensive plan. The hearing will take place via Zoom. To access the Public Zoom Meeting, please click or call below: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7242241818 Meeting ID: 724 224 1818 Call In: (301)

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The Plan

Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plan

Forging Our Future | Harrison • Brackenridge • Tarentum Comprehensive Plan (2020)

Forging Our Future | Appendix

Forging Our Future | Executive Summary

HARRISON, BRACKENRIDGE AND TARENTUM, FORWARD TOGETHER

The three northernmost communities along the Allegheny River in Allegheny County are in a position to forge a future that capitalizes on their location, assets and ambition for change.

Key Issues

Public Engagement

STEERING COMMITTEE. Our joint steering committee has met five times starting on February 12, 2019 with the most recent meeting on October 8, 2019. Our committee reviewed all of the public input and helped generate the Key Issues.

PUBLIC MEETING. We conducted our first public meeting on June 3, 2019 at the Salvation Army gym. We had about 80 people attend who generated 140 ideas on things that could be improved and 50 things they thought were positive things in the communities.

QUESTIONNAIRE. We received about 500 responses to the digital questionnaire. The top 4 areas of concern were (1) Drug issues/Crime, (2) Dilapidated Buildings, (3) Emergency Services, (4) Streets and Roads

KEY PERSON INTERVIEWS. Based on contacts provided to us by the steering committee we interviewed 21 people from the area. People included: developers, bank managers, non-profit directors, members of the faith community, business owners and municipal staff.

OTHER PUBLIC INPUT. We met with state senator Lindsay Williams on September 12, 2019, to discuss this planning process and to seek her help in identifying opportunities for public funding. Several of our steering committee members conducted “pop up” events and interviewed people at the YMCA and the Library for this plan.

All three municipalities recognize the importance of addressing blight and property deterioration. The communities have had some success in addressing blight on a case-by-case basis through code enforcement, legal action, property acquisition, remediation, demolition and/or redevelopment.

Looking ahead we believe that property deterioration can best be addressed through a coordinated effort among the communities. Click here to learn more about the problems blight creates and the efforts to address this item.

Read More About Key Issue #1 Here

As employment patterns changed and population declined in our communities since the 1970s, disinvestment has created economic stress in the communities’ commercial areas. Commercial property vacancies has increased throughout all three towns.

Other external factors and the global transition to online retail have created additional pressure. Looking ahead we feel that social enterprise and community & economic development goals can best be met through a coordinated effort among the communities, in collaboration with existing businesses and non-profit organizations. Read more about the efforts to create new development opportunities in our communities.

Read More About Key Issue #2 Here

The three Allegheny River Valley communities share several important assets and characteristics such as riverfront access, parks, sidewalk connectivity, and trail planning. All of these are valuable and important to the communities and create a basis for additional opportunities that could have even greater impact.
This section of the comprehensive plan represents both “strengths to build on” and “problems to solve.”

Looking ahead we feel that the communities can benefit from increased community connectivity and the assets of riverfront views, river access, parkland and recreation. Learn more about our next steps for trail, park and riverfront development.

Read More About Key Issue #3 Here

In the late 20th century, as populations shrank and disinvestment occurred, our small downtown’s faltered and some properties deteriorated. Communities became more diverse and less centered on steel mill and manufacturing employment. “We’re not an old mill town anymore,” one local elected official stated, “but what are we?”

Now, in the third decade of the 21st Century, the three communities do not have a commonly understood description of how they see themselves today and in the future. Looking ahead we feel that creating a joint “identity” or “brand” will help build upon the strength and assets of our communities.

Read More About Key Issue #4 Here

More information on the Comp Plan development process can be found here.

318 E 2nd • Tarentum • 15084

mnestico@tarentumboro.com

724.224.1818