Serving the Townships of College, Ferguson, Halfmoon, Harris, Patton and the Borough of State College The Centre Region is a Bicycle Friendly CommunitySM

Centre Regional Planning Agency

2643 Gateway Drive, Suite #4 State College, PA 16801 Phone (814) 231-3050 www.crcog.net

CENTRE REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA

Centre Region Council of Governments Office Building

2643 Gateway Drive

Thursday

March 7, 2019

6:30 p.m.

1. CALL TO ORDER – Mr. Forziat will call the meeting to order.

2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – February 7, 2019 meeting minutes

3. CITIZENS’ COMMENTS – For items not on the agenda

4. REGIONAL INTEREST ITEMS – Commission members will report on activities in their

municipalities that may be of interest to CRPC members and the public.

5. CRPA ACTIVITY REPORT – Mr. May will provide a verbal report on items of interest

from the CRPA Activity Report.

6. CONSENT AGENDA

a. None

7. GUEST PRESENTATIONS

a. None

8. ACTION AGENDA

a. Ordinance O-19-01 Landscaping and Screening – College Township

b. Resolution for PennDOT/CRPC Master Agreement and Work Order Agreements –

Centre County Metropolitan Planning Organization (CCMPO) – Centre County

9. POLICY AGENDA

a. Introduction to the Centre County Metropolitan Planning Organization (CCMPO)

- Background and CRPC Responsibilities – Centre County

b. CCMPO Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) 2050 – Workshop to Identify

Needs and Issues – Centre County

c. 2019 Road and Bridge Projects in Centre County – Centre County

Centre Regional Planning Commission March 7, 2019

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10. COMMITTEE AND LIAISON REPORTS

a. Centre County Metropolitan Planning Organization (CCMPO) Report – Mr. Eich

will report on recent activities of the CCMPO Coordinating Committee.

b. State College Borough Water Authority (SCBWA) Liaison’s Report – Mr. May

will report on recent activities of the SCBWA.

c. Parks and Recreation Regional Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee – Mr.

May will report on recent activities of the Advisory Committee.

d. University Area Joint Authority (UAJA) Liaison’s Report – Mr. May will report

on recent activities of the UAJA.

11. OTHER BUSINESS

a. Matter of Record – The CRPC will next meet on Monday April 1, 2019 at

12:15 p.m. in the COG Building Forum Room for a joint meeting with the COG

Transportation and Land Use Committee. Agenda items include a review of the

Comprehensive Plan Implementation Program (CHIP), a review of the

Development of Regional Impact (DRI) process, and one potential item for the

CRPC.

b. Matter of Record – On February 14, 2019, the Halfmoon Township Board of

Supervisors voted unanimously not to move the proposed Development of

Regional Impact (DRI) on the eastern end of Township forward to the CRPC. At

this time, the Township Board has not decided any next steps for the property.

c. Matter of Record – Penn State recently announced the development of 70

megawatts of large-scale, offsite solar energy to support the University’s

Strategic Plan. The project to install large-scale solar arrays will provide 25

percent of Penn State’s state-wide electricity requirements over a 25-year term,

while driving economic development and educational opportunities for the host

community. The project will consist of over 150,000 solar panels (ground

mounted) in three locations encompassing roughly 500 acres in Franklin

County, just outside of Chambersburg. The project is anticipated to lower

electric costs and greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of 57,000 metric

tons. This is equivalent to taking about 15,250 internal combustion vehicles off

the road.

d. Matter of Record – The 2018 CRPC Annual Report will be provided electronically

beginning this year. A draft will be presented at the joint TLU and CRPC meeting

on April 1, 2019 at 12:15 p.m.

12. ADJOURNMENT

Centre Regional Planning Commission March 7, 2019

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ITEM 8a.

LANDSCAPING AND SCREENING ORDINANCE FOR COLLEGE TOWNSHIP –

presented by Ray Forziat

This item provides information regarding an ordinance to screen ground-mounted mechanical

and electrical equipment from public streets and adjacent residential property. The CRPC

should review the ordinance and provide comments. The CRPA will forward any comments

to the College Township Council for their consideration.

THE ISSUE

This ordinance was developed to assist the Township with screening of ground-mounted

mechanical, electrical, and utility hardware for commercial subdivisions and developments in

the Township. The ordinance applies to installations on commercial zoning district that are

visible from a public street or adjacent to a residential property line and are more than 25 feet

from the primary structure on the property.

The College Township Planning Commission recommended approval of the ordinance at its

meeting on January 15, 2019. A public hearing is scheduled for the April 4, 2019 Township

Council meeting.

PREVIOUS ACTION

The CRPC has not previously reviewed this item.

CONSISTENCY WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

The proposed ordinance is consistent with the 2013 Centre Region Comprehensive Plan.

RECOMMENDATION

The CRPC should consider a motion to recommend approval of the ordinance and request that

the CRPA prepare a letter with any comments for consideration by the Township Council.

PROPOSED MOTION

Move to recommend that the College Township Council approve Ordinance O-19-01 with

any comment provided by the CRPC.

ATTACHMENT

1. College Township Ordinance O-19-01 Landscaping and Screening

NEXT STEPS

The CRPA will prepare a letter and forward it to the College Township Council for their

consideration.

Centre Regional Planning Commission March 7, 2019

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ITEM 8b.

RESOLUTION FOR PENNDOT/CRPC MASTER AGREEMENT

AND WORK ORDER AGREEMENTS – presented by Tom Zilla

This item involves the approval of a resolution authorizing the CRPC Chair and Vice-Chair to

execute a Master Agreement and periodic Work Order agreements with PennDOT, through

which federal and state funding is provided to the CRPA for completion of work tasks on

behalf of the Centre County Metropolitan Planning Organization (CCMPO). The resolution

also authorizes the CRPA Director to execute special purpose legal agreements with

PennDOT and other public agencies, as needed for the CRPA’s completion of work tasks on

behalf of the CCMPO.

THE ISSUE

The original agreement forming the CCMPO in 1982 designated the CRPC as being

responsible for performing the technical work required to maintain the MPO’s long range

transportation plan and program. Having been assigned the responsibility of completing

technical analyses, the CRPC also assumed responsibility for contracting with PennDOT for

federal and state funding provided to the Commission’s professional staff to complete the

technical work. The CRPC is also responsible for executing contracts with outside consultants

and vendors when federal and state funding is used to retain special services.

Historically, PennDOT has required the CRPC to approve an annual resolution that authorizes

the Commission’s officers to execute a multi-year Master Agreement and periodic Work

Order agreements with PennDOT. The Master Agreement and Work Orders provide the

mechanism by which federal and state funding is provided to the CRPA for MPO-related

work tasks.

PennDOT may provide a Work Order agreement to the CRPC in the next few months for

supplemental planning funds that will be added to the current FY 2018-20 Unified Planning

Work Program (UPWP). An adopted resolution for 2019 must be included when the CRPA

returns the executed Work Order to PennDOT.

Special purpose agreements are frequently required for the Commission’s professional staff

[the Centre Regional Planning Agency (CRPA)] to complete work tasks for the CCMPO. For

example, the CRPA executes a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) annually with both

Centre County Government and CATA that documents the commitment of Centre County and

CATA to provide local matching funds that help support the CCMPO’s Operating Budget.

PennDOT also periodically requires the CRPA to execute agreements that govern access to

special sources of data used in the transportation planning process.

In 2018, PennDOT required the CRPA to execute a special purpose agreement for access to

the new Pennsylvania Crash Information Tool. At that time, PennDOT required that a

resolution be provided with the special purpose agreement to specify that signature authority

was delegated to the CRPA.

Centre Regional Planning Commission March 7, 2019

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PREVIOUS ACTIONS

This item has not been previously presented to the CRPC.

RECOMMENDATION

Staff recommends that the CRPC approve the resolution.

PROPOSED MOTION

Move to recommend that the CRPC approve a resolution that authorizes the Commission Chair

and Vice Chair to execute a Master Agreement and periodic Work Order agreements with

PennDOT and authorizes the CRPA Director to execute special purpose agreements with

PennDOT and other public agencies, related to the CRPA’s completion of work tasks on behalf of

the CCMPO.

ATTACHMENT

1. Resolution 2019-01

NEXT STEPS:

Approve and submit the resolution to PennDOT and execute work orders and special purpose

agreements and MOUs with PennDOT and other public agencies.

RESOLUTION 2019-01

WHEREAS, the Centre Regional Planning Commission (CRPC) was formed on

September 1, 1960, organized under the Pennsylvania Regional Planning Law, Act of May 19,

1956, P.L. 1845 (53 P.S. 491 et seq.); and

WHEREAS, the CRPC continues to function as the Centre County Metropolitan Planning

Organization (CCMPO) Secretary; and

WHEREAS, as CCMPO Secretary, the CRPC is authorized to perform certain

transportation planning activities under contract with the Pennsylvania Department of

Transportation (PennDOT);

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Centre Regional Planning Commission:

1. That the Chair, Raymond P. Forziat, or in the absence of the Chair,

the Vice-Chair, Andrew Meehan, is authorized to execute a Master

Agreement and Work Orders on behalf of the CRPC with

PennDOT for highway and mass transit planning activities funded

through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and U.S. Department

of Transportation.

2. That the Centre Regional Planning Agency Director, James J. May,

is authorized to execute any special purpose agreement and

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with PennDOT and other

public agencies necessary for the completion of highway and mass

transit planning activities funded through the Commonwealth of

Pennsylvania and U.S. Department of Transportation.

3. That all transportation planning activities will be consistent with

the approved CCMPO Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP),

designed to maintain a planning process consistent with the intent

of Section 134 of Chapter 1 of Title 23, United States Code.

CERTIFICATE

The undersigned duly qualified and Chairman of the Centre Regional Planning Commission

certifies that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of a resolution, adopted at a legally convened

meeting of the Centre Regional Planning Commission held on March 7, 2019.

ATTEST:

______________________________ By ____________________________

James J. May, AICP Raymond P. Forziat

CRPA Director CRPC Chair

DATE: March 7, 2019

Centre Regional Planning Commission March 7, 2019

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ITEM 9a.

CENTRE COUNTY METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION (CCMPO)

BACKGROUND AND CRPC RESPONSIBILITIES – presented by Tom Zilla

This report will provide information about the role of the CCMPO in leading transportation

planning activities in Centre County, and the CRPC’s responsibilities as: 1) a voting member

of the CCMPO; and 2) the body which contracts with PennDOT for the funding provided to

staff for the completion of MPO-related transportation planning tasks.

THE ISSUE

Federal law and regulations require local and state officials in all urbanized areas in the

United States with a population of over 50,000 persons to have a cooperative, continuous, and

comprehensive long-range transportation planning program, which is carried out by a

“metropolitan planning organization (MPO).” The CCMPO fulfills this mandate in Centre

County by completing long-range transportation planning activities, allocating federal and

state funds for surface transportation projects, and completing technical analyses and studies

identified in the bi-annual Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP).

The CRPC is a voting member of the CCMPO and is also responsible for executing legal

contracts with PennDOT that provide funding for staff activities which support the CCMPO.

OTHER INFORMATION

The CCMPO is comprised of multiple entities that work together to fulfill the federal

mandate. The policy-making body of the CCMPO is the Coordinating Committee, which is

ultimately responsible for the transportation planning activities mandated in federal laws and

regulations. The Coordinating Committee includes eighteen voting and three non-voting

members from county and municipal governments, and federal, state and local public

agencies. A Technical Committee comprised of members from the same organizations

provides comments and recommendations to the Coordinating Committee.

The CRPC has been a voting member of the Technical and Coordinating Committees since

the MPO was originally formed in 1982. The 1982 formation agreement designated the CRPC

as being responsible for performing the technical work required to maintain the MPO’s long

range transportation plan and program.

Having been assigned the responsibility of completing technical analyses, the CRPC also

assumed responsibility for contracting with PennDOT for federal and state funding provided

to the Commission’s professional staff to complete the technical work. The CRPC is also

responsible for executing contracts with outside consultants and vendors, when federal and

state funding is used to retain special services.

Centre Regional Planning Commission March 7, 2019

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RECOMMENDATION

This agenda item does not require formal action by the CRPC. Staff will provide a

presentation that addresses:

• The roles and responsibilities of the CCMPO and the CRPC.

ATTACHMENTS

None

NEXT STEPS

None

Centre Regional Planning Commission March 7, 2019

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ITEM 9b.

CENTRE COUNTY METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION (CCMPO)

LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN (LRTP) 2050

WORKSHOP TO IDENTIFY NEEDS AND ISSUES

– presented by Tom Zilla and Leslie Warriner, Senior Transportation Planner,

Centre County Planning and Community Development Office

This item will include a round-table workshop session for CRPC members to provide input

about transportation needs and issues relative to preparation of the CCMPO’s new LRTP

2050. CRPC members are asked to consider their responses to the questions in the “Other

Information” section of this staff report prior to the meeting.

THE ISSUE

One of primary responsibilities of the CCMPO is to periodically prepare a Long Range

Transportation Plan (LRTP). The current LRTP 2044 was adopted in September 2015 and

must be updated by September 2020. A target adoption date of June 2020 has been set for

preparation of a new LRTP, which will identify transportation needs out to the year 2050.

For the new Plan, the CCMPO is holding workshop meetings with all 35 municipalities in the

County and other key stakeholders to capture needs and issues, vs. soliciting specific projects

with a lengthy written form as in past Plan updates. The face-to-face workshops held to date

have provided MPO staff with great feedback about safety concerns, maintenance practices,

condition of locally-owned assets, and administrative needs.

The goal of the new input-gathering process is to define better-scoped projects that address

multiple needs and issues and to help identify funding opportunities. MPO staff and the

CCMPO Technical and Coordinating Committees will be working to prepare an action plan

that includes specific projects, as well as other programs or activities that are helpful to

meeting the needs and issues identified by local officials.

OTHER INFORMATION

The MPO staff will facilitate an abbreviated workshop discussion with the Commission to

obtain input about transportation-based needs and issues for state and locally-owned

transportation systems. Issues may be related to vehicles, pedestrians, bikes, transit, and land

use. Each Committee member will be afforded the opportunity to provide input on needs and

issues associated with the following questions:

1. What are the biggest regional issues or needs that Centre County is facing related to:

a. Road/bridge system

b. Public transportation system

c. Pedestrian and/or bicycle travel

d. Rail or air travel

Centre Regional Planning Commission March 7, 2019

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2. What common complaints do you hear from residents, elected officials, planning

commission members, and municipal staff?

3. What changes in land use/development are anticipated to result in issues or impacts to

the transportation system?

4. What new or emerging technologies would you like to see deployed to improve

mobility or system operation?

Commission members are asked to consider their responses to the questions prior to the

meeting. The LRTP workshop portion of the agenda is anticipated to take approximately one

hour to complete.

PREVIOUS ACTIONS

This item has not been previously presented to the CRPC. Similar input-gathering workshops

are being completed with the Centre Region Council of Governments (COG) Transportation

and Land Use Committee, and the CCMPO Technical and Coordinating Committees.

RECOMMENDATION

This agenda item does not require formal action by the CRPC.

ATTACHMENTS

None

NEXT STEPS

None

Centre Regional Planning Commission March 7, 2019 Page 10 of 10

ITEM 9c.

2019 ROAD AND BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN CENTRE COUNTY

– presented by Tom Zilla

This item provides information to the CRPC relating to road and bridge projects in the Centre

Region and Centre County that will begin construction in 2019. No action from the

Commission is required.

THE ISSUE

There are a number of road and bridge projects in Centre County scheduled for construction

in 2019. This presentation will focus on construction projects being advanced by PennDOT

and the municipalities that are anticipated to result in increased traffic congestion and delays

for travelers. Although most of the projects to be covered are located in the Centre Region,

staff will also address key projects in other areas of Centre County that will affect travel to

and from the Region.

In addition, staff will report about efforts to communicate information about the impacts of

construction activities to the residents, visitors, employers and businesses.

PREVIOUS ACTIONS

There has been no previous action by the CRPC on this item.

RECOMMENDATION

This item is for information only. No formal action is required.

NEXT STEPS

None.

ATTACHMENTS

None.