Traditional Neighborhood Development by Jerry Andree, Cranberry Township Manager

Jerry Andree, Township Manager of Cranberry Township, possesses a blend of innovative and traditional beliefs, particularly in the areas of neighborhood and community development. We spoke with Jerry about the Pennsylvania House Bill 1280, which would amend the Municipalities Planning Code to expand the power of municipalities to incorporate 'traditional neighborhood development' in their planning. The bill would give local governments the power to include 'standards and conditions for traditional neighborhood development designations…and providing for subdivision and land development ordinance provisions applicable to traditional neighborhood development.'

Jerry explained that traditional neighborhood development, or TND as it is commonly referred to, is 'an attempt to recreate a sense of place that people are looking for now where they live.' When looking back at development in previous generations, people valued the proximity to each other and connectivity. Pennsylvania’s zoning became segregated, splitting land for residential use, commercial use, etc., resulting in sprawl. Jerry explains TND as a design model rooted in tradition, although the incorporation of it in development today seems innovative compared to the sprawl that has been prevalent for years.

TND desegregates zoning to allow for mixed-use development, such as buildings with retail spaces on the first floor and residential spaces above. It also uses different design elements, such as streetlamps, benches, and traditional storefronts right on the sidewalks, offering more of a quaint, town-like atmosphere. TND uses wider sidewalks to encourage walking and biking, and on-street parking is encouraged for direct access to all available amenities. The proximity of different types of development and the services they have to offer encourage people to be friendly with each other. TND encourages people to get back to an integrated way of living, which is more sustainable than continuing sprawl.

Currently, TND can only be done as an overlay, and it is still a planning option for municipalities. Jerry described an overlay district as placing inducements over a single purpose zone, such as a retail zone, to incorporate mixed-use development, such as buildings that can serve both residential and commercial purposes. House Bill 1280 would give a community the power to make TND the primary type of land-use that they would allow, although it may be contested because of the costs associated with TND, which are higher than other forms of development. Jerry suggested that including incentives for TND and other measures for sustainable development would help cover some of the costs. House Bill 1280 is in the third consideration and final passage phase, meaning that it has a strong possibility of passing the Senate and becoming law.

Jerry acknowledged that Pennsylvania is not known for having the most innovative planning, and he cited fragmentation as a main reason for this. He said that local governments need to put resources into planning for tomorrow as well as today, and that those communities that are really preparing for future generations set goals for sustainability in development. Jerry mentioned that working together with neighbors was a good solution for cutting costs in service delivery and planning, such as efforts for TND. 'I would always advocate an intergovernmental approach in everything we do.'

When considering TND in a particular area, it is important to have planners, engineers, and the community working together for a holistic view of the effects it might have on the daily workings of the neighborhoods involved and the lives of the people residing there. Jerry explained the importance of a collaborative vision in planning. 'I am a big believer in visioning. Every community needs to know what they want to be when they grow up!' Cranberry just passed Ordinance 2007-377, creating a new planning advisory commission that will be dedicated to involving the citizens in their community in the planning process. Jerry expressed confidence in the 'community ambassadors', which are volunteers from Cranberry Township that will take a grassroots approach in finding out what is important to those who live in Cranberry. They have nearly 90 people who have signed up to become ambassadors.

The 'Cranberry Plan' is an update to the current comprehensive plan that includes a new phase of TND planning, using a bottom-up approach with the community ambassadors to really represent the wishes of community members. Jerry is proud that Cranberry’s elected officials are very supportive of significant citizen involvement in the plan. 'Anything that is sustainable cannot come from five, or seven, or nine elected officials. It must come from the community.'