The 12th issue in the Planner’s Portfolio series focuses on a flexible approach to project planning.

Tactical placemaking is an increasingly popular approach to planning that emphasizes testing projects through a series of phases rather than constructing projects straight from the drawing board. Common examples include crosswalks, pedestrian plazas, and bicycle lanes. Projects begin as demonstrations, become pilot projects, and then, if successful, are installed permanently.

The iterative process of tactical placemaking has the benefit of incremental development. Projects begin short-term, low-risk, and inexpensive, but lead to long term installation. The phases of construction usually include demonstrations, pilot projects, and then permanent structures.

Pilot projects involve larger budgets and greater degrees of sophistication than demonstrations. This phase serves as an intermediary between a simple demonstration and a permanent installment. Pilot projects use more durable materials such as traffic paint, steel furniture, and planters. A demonstration that marked out a curbside extension with traffic cones might be improved by a pilot project with bright paint and decorative barriers.

Permanent structures are installed after thorough consideration and experimentation. With the benefits of public input from the demonstration and experimentation in the pilot project, final installations are built to last. Permanent structures use sophisticated and long-lasting materials such as concrete, tiling, and railing as it is unlikely changes will be necessary.

For more information, check out the Tactical Placemaking issue or the entire Planner’s Portfolio series.

The 13th issue in the Planner’s Portfolio series focuses on a flexible approach to project planning.

This issue in the Planner’s Portfolio series focuses the regulation and permitting of medical marijuana grower/processor and dispensary facilities.

The Pennsylvania “Medical Marijuana Act” (PA Act 16, 2016) was passed by the Pennsylvania State Legislature in April 2016 in order to legalize the growth, processing, storage, transport, and dispensing of medical marijuana to those issued a permit for its use. This portfolio provides an overview of the guidelines put in place to regulate medical marijuana growers and dispensaries.

The state was divided into six medical marijuana regions; each of these regions received two medical marijuana growing/processing permits and multiple permits for dispensaries to distribute medical marijuana and medical marijuana products. The amount of dispensary permits allocated to each section was based on the regional population, number of patients suffering from qualifying medical conditions, and access to public transportation. The portfolio describes the application process, as well as the permitting and site requirements for growing/processing facilities and dispensaries.

There are requirements to ensure that both growing/processing facilities and dispensaries ensure that medical marijuana is received by those who are eligible. Every dispensary is required to have a physician or pharmacist in the store during all operating hours, and employees must be trained for 90 days. Both grower/processors and dispensaries must have electronic tracking, recordkeeping, and surveillance systems for all aspects of the business. Only those who are diagnosed with what the state of Pennsylvania considers a “serious medical condition” or “terminal illness” may receive a medical marijuana identification card.

For more information, check out the Medical Marijuana issue or the entire Planner’s Portfolio series.

The 14th issue in the Planner’s Portfolio outlines ways to support a healthy and equitable food system.

Food is among the most basic of daily human needs, yet it often gets taken for granted. Planners have long focused on other aspects of daily life – where we live, where we work, how we get around – but a focus on issues related to food has emerged relatively recently. Food is indeed a significant part of the urban system; how our food is produced, where and how we purchase and consume it, and how we dispose of it can have significant economic, environmental, and health impacts on our communities.

A food system is an interdependent network that integrates food production, processing, distribution, consumption and disposal. It operates within and is influenced by the social, political, economic, and, environmental conditions of a community or region. Therefore, the food system has strong connections with many other planning topics including economic development, community health, social equity, agriculture, and environmental sustainability.

Due to its interconnected nature, it is difficult to separate the food system from other areas. Food system planning involves the integration of food system issues into policies, plans, and programming at all levels of government, but also involves buy-in from private businesses and the general public. More and more planners have engaged in encouraging a comprehensive food system planning process at the community, regional, and national levels. Concerns about food production, insecurity in food access, and food waste have led to the demand for a more sustainable food system. Effective planning can help to create a local food system that is sustainable, healthful, and equitable as well as efficient and profitable.

For example, food access encompasses all the issues related to connecting people to a variety of fresh, healthy, and quality food options. Access to healthy food may be hindered by a number of factors ranging from economic issues like income, or physical issues such as distance to a food market. In some areas, distribution of both healthier and less-healthy food options may be unequally concentrated in different neighborhoods, but planners can help address these disparities through the use of planning tools such as zoning and special studies.

For more information, check out the Food Systems issue or the entire Planner’s Portfolio series.

The State Association of Boroughs offers a variety of in-person and online training courses for municipal elected and appointed officials.

IN-PERSON TRAINING:

The Pennsylvania Municipal Planning Education Institute (PMPEI) was developed as a collaboration between the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Planning Association and the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs to provide unique educational services to municipal elected officials and staff.

There are four core courses in the PMPEI Planning and Zoning Course Program. Each is an in-depth 10 hour course taught by two PMPEI Certified Instructors. Participants receive the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, a Course Handbook with related information and thumbnail visual aids, and other materials they use for hands-on experience with the course content. All courses are continuously updated to include the latest amendments to the PA Municipalities Planning Code, current state and national trends, and recent court decisions affecting planning and zoning. The courses are:

• The Course in Community Planning  
• The Course in Zoning 
• The Course in Subdivision & Land Development Review  
• The Course in Zoning Administration

The Delaware County Planning Department periodically hosts one of the in-person course offerings, usually in the spring and fall. Please check back here to see any upcoming course offerings.

ONLINE TRAINING:

In addition to in-person trainings, sessions are also offered online at a cost of $25.00 each. The sessions below are being offered online:

Building a Strong Planning Commission

Thursday, March 26, 2026, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

A strong and well-organized planning commission is the key to a successful planning program. While MPC Article II provides the authority to have a planning commission, it offers no guidance for how to be an effective unit serving the elected governing body and the community. Using hands-on activities and interactive discussions this course explores the full range of a planning commission's work, how it can be organized to accomplish more of its goals, and what is needed to prepare members to get involved in the group's work.

The Limits to Zoning

Thursday, April 16, 2026, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Zoning is a powerful tool of local government used in over 2000 Pennsylvania municipalities, but its power is not unlimited. Community expectations for zoning are high, but ordinance drafters and administrators must know what the limitations are and the effect they have on a municipality's zoning program. This course will explore these limitations such as those in the MPC itself, the Police Power, non-conforming use property rights, and state and federal laws impacting local zoning. This is not a zoning case law update, but it is an interactive discussion of common zoning issues with an opportunity to look at them in the context of the course.

The Zoning Officer & Zoning Hearing Board

Thursday, May 7, 2026, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

The MPC states that every municipality that enacts a zoning ordinance shall create a zoning hearing board and it must have an official who handles the day-to-day work of administering the ordinance. This online class will review the job each is responsible for, along with the basic terms used in zoning, special exceptions, variances, nonconformities, notice of violation of the ordinance, plus the basics of the zoning hearing process.

Managing the Subdivision Review Process

Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Subdivision and Land Development ordinances are the most common land use regulation in the commonwealth. For many local planning commissions reviewing development applications takes up most of their meeting time. This course looks at the important work of a commission in managing the review process. The review process is tightly structured by the Municipalities Planning Code and many procedures can easily be misunderstood and create problems for municipal planners and officials. This course examines the complex review process and points out problem areas and how to avoid them. It describes how planning commissions, with project applicants, are engaged in a collaborative process to build the future community. Included in the course are hands-on discussions of problem situations.

 

For questions on registration, contact Dani Baker-Papinchak at dbaker@boroughs.org.

Register for this class at www.myaccount.boroughs.org; click on register for training.

 

For information about these courses and other PMPEI offerings, please visit the PMPEI website.

Questions about a PMPEI workshop? Contact the Planning Department at 610-891-5200 or Planning_Department@co.delaware.pa.us.

The 15th issue of the Planner’s Portfolio looks at several planning topics through a health lens.

Healthy communities are places where the healthy choice is the easy choice for everyone who lives, works, or visits. This means more than just the absence of illness and rather focuses on creating healthy lifestyles. The design of a community directly affects the ability of people to live a healthy lifestyle.

This portfolio provides a short handout which focuses on key elements to a healthy community such as equity, physical activity, social connectivity, and healthy food access. It also includes an easy to use healthy community checklist that can help assess whether a policy, plan, or project will improve the health of residents in your community.

A healthy community can, for example, create inviting places for residents, workers, and visitors to exercise or play and encourage people to walk or bicycle to destinations to increase physical activity. Community trails and complete streets, which provide safe spaces for all driving, bicycling, walking, and public transit, make it easier and safer for people to incorporate physical activity into their everyday life.

The County works closely with Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) and PennDOT to identify state roads that are scheduled for resurfacing and discuss potential changes to the road configuration. This identification provides opportunities for striping improvements, road diets, lane re-allocations, bike lanes and other components of complete streets. You can find more information about the Complete Streets Resurfacing Program here.

For more information, check out the Healthy Communities issue or the entire Planner’s Portfolio series.

The 16th issue in the Planner’s Portfolio series explores the concept of Aging in Place, or helping people remain in their communities as they age.

Aging-in-Place is the idea that people should be able to remain in their existing homes or communities even as they age and their needs change. According to census data, the population of people 65 and older in Pennsylvania has grown at a much faster rate than the general population in the past 5 years, and is expected to keep growing. This means significant portions of the population will have changing needs and demands in the years ahead. There are issues that municipalities should be aware of and steps they can take to ensure that their older residents feel safe, welcome, and engaged.

This Planner’s Portfolio looks at issues related to aging-in-place and provides recommendations for creating “age-friendly” communities. It focuses on the topics of housing, mobility, public spaces and parks, and social opportunities and civic engagement.

For example, housing is particularly important to aging populations. Age-friendly communities offer a variety of affordable, safe, and accessible housing options. Zoning can facilitate aging-in-place by allowing for a variety of housing types from large managed care facilities to accessory dwelling units in rear yards. New construction can be encouraged to utilize the “Universal Design” concept, which encourages design usable by everyone, regardless of age or ability.

For more information, check out the Aging In Place issue or the entire Planner’s Portfolio series.

The 17th issue in the Planner’s Portfolio series explores Form-Based Codes, an alternative to standard zoning that is gaining popularity all around the country.

A Form-Based Code is an alternative to a regular zoning code that allows municipalities to manage the look and feel of their community. While traditional zoning focuses on use (with little to no emphasis on appearance), form-based code focuses on aesthetics, and uses fall in line in order to maintain or encourage visually appealing areas. Communities looking for a way to preserve open space and enhance a specific style of built structures in their town should consider a form-based code overhaul to their zoning code, or a combination of form-based and traditional zoning techniques.

The first step towards implementing form-based code is identifying how you want your township or city to look; the code is then built out around these design choices in order to guide future development, and maintain or encourage visually appealing areas.

For more information, check out the Form-Based Code issue or the entire Planner’s Portfolio series.

The 18th issue in the Planner’s Portfolio series explores Automated Vehicles, a future technology that could have big implications.

Automated Vehicles have been a growing trend in the transportation industry, with major companies and universities researching and testing vehicles. Automated vehicles rely on sensors to assist with driving functions. These technologies have been developing over time and in recent years there have been advances that would allow automated vehicles to pilot themselves. As automated vehicle technologies continue to advance, they are expected to shape our transportation landscape.

This Planner’s Portfolio will explore the types of automated vehicles, current testing initiatives, and detail the potential benefits of Automated Vehicle Technologies.

For more information, check out the Automated Vehicles or the entire Planner’s Portfolio series.

The Delaware County Planning Department offers educational resources to assist in problem-solving and traversing complex planning topics.
 

The Department provides educational information to municipalities and local residents throughout the year to help introduce new planning techniques, explain complex concepts, and spread the word about the planning discipline. These pages offer more information on planning related topics, educational workshops, and other guides and models to help build a more engaged and informed community.

I’M INTERESTED IN…

• Learning about planning-related topics through a Planner's Portfolio
• Enrolling in a Pennsylvania Municipal Planning Education Institute course
• Looking at Model Ordinance Guides
• Exploring other Regional Partners
• Finding Planning Publications
• Examining Demographic Data

Questions about Planning Education? Contact the Planning Department at 610-891-5200 or Planning_Department@co.delaware.pa.us.

Providing security and weather protection for your residents and employees who ride the bus doesn’t mean you have to accept the advertising companies’ shelters.

Bus stops serve as a gateway into the transit network. Shelters with amenities can be dignified and attractive features that municipalities can take great pride in. Findings from a 2017 University of Utah study found that added shelters and amenities increased ridership while reducing paratransit demand, creating a more efficient transit network.

Amenities should go beyond a shelter and a bench. A transit map, signage, and even real-time arrival information can be invaluable resources for all riders, particularly those who are new to the system. Trash receptacles are useful for passengers, along with lighting to increase safety and visibility of riders. Shelters should be designed for visibility, so that riders can see the bus, and bus operators can see riders.

EXAMPLES OF SHELTERS FROM LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES AND ELSEWHERE

Most bus passenger shelters at bus stops are installed by advertising companies who accrue revenue from the advertising that the shelter holds. However, their shelters have minimal amenities for bus riders – perhaps two seats in a small shelter. Some municipalities and companies have installed more accommodating shelters that are also more attractive. One Delaware County municipality has designed shelters that have been placed at several locations. Here is Concord Township’s short presentation on their shelters:https://delcodev.ntc-us.com/sites/default/files/2025-02/WCPcsBusSheltersConcord.pdf

Shelters can also serve as connection points to other modes of transportation. Minneapolis, Minnesota has created “mobility hubs”, which are connected to bus stops and host bike share, scooters, and/or bicycle parking. Shelters can serve as connection points to many different modes of transportation and can host solutions to the “last mile” transportation problem.

BUS STOP DESIGN GUIDELINES

Municipalities, employers and developers thinking about providing shelters should review the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission’s SEPTA Bus Stop Design Guidelines (2019):  https://delcodev.ntc-us.com/sites/default/files/2025-02/SEPTA-Bus-Stop-Design-Guidelines-2019.pdf. This report provides municipalities, local developers, and other local partners a consistent set of guidelines for designing surface transit stops.

Questions about Attractive and Functional Bus Stop Shelters? Contact the Planning Department at 610-891-5200 or Planning_Department@co.delaware.pa.us.