Latest Post

The Cumberland Principles – Guiding Future Development and Preservation in Cumberland County

January 13, 2025

Cumberland County, one of the fastest growing counties in Pennsylvania, adopted a new Comprehensive Plan on December 19, 2024 (“Plan”).

The Plan is organized around eight principles, identified as the “Cumberland Principles”:

Protect the Best First: Safeguard the County’s irreplaceable natural resources.

Grow In Not Out: Efficiently accommodate growth in locations with appropriate infrastructure.

Housing for All: Create housing options within the financial reach of all residents.

Plan for People and Places: Design communities to value sense of place and encourage healthy living.

Expand Transportation Choices: Provide safe, accessible, and affordable transportation choices.

Adapt and Stay Safe: Ensure communities are safe and resilient to future change.

Open for Business: Support a diverse economic base that enhances the quality of life.

Engage to Improve: Engage residents, municipalities, non-government organizations, and business partners in the decision-making process.

The Cumberland Principles are a unifying planning policy guide that enable consistency between the Plan and municipal comprehensive plans and ordinances, while also serving as an educational tool that shows residents, municipal partners, and stakeholder organizations what responsible planning looks like.…