Sustainable Community:
Smart Growth

• What it is:
  Residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural development as outlined in the Berks County Comprehensive Plan, Vision 2020.
  
  
• Who's involved:
  County and municipal officials, The Berks County Conservancy , the agricultural preservation board and the Smart Growth Alliance of Berks County, the Homebuilders Association, the Reading-Berks Association of Realtors, the Center for Community Leadership, township supervisors, the Berks Economic Partnership and the Berks Business Executives Forum.
  
  
• Objectives:
  -- To encourage changes in zoning to permit "smart growth" (as defined by the American Planning Association) projects in Berks County.
  -- To recognize, evaluate and preserve critical natural resources, recreation and greenways in Berks County
  -- To encourage development, dissemination and maintenance of a clearinghouse of database and informational resources for redevelopment of vacant and approved commercial and industrial economic development sites.
  -- To encourage municipal cooperation and zoning within 5 years.
  -- To develop a plan for remediation of brown field sites in Berks County.
  -- To promote the preservation of 200,000 acres of agricultural land through effective agricultural preservation (EAP) zoning or the purchase of agricultural conservation easements within 100% of municipalities designated in the 2020 plan as having agricultural preservation land.
  -- To promote the preservation and development of 2,500 acres of land for commercial, industrial and business park use.