INTRODUCTION
Mission
Nazareth Area communities have a rich history dating back more than 275 years, and part of that tradition is municipal cooperation.
The purpose of the Nazareth Area Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plan is to enable the boroughs of Bath, Chapman, Nazareth, Stockertown and Tatamy, and the townships of Bushkill, Hanover, Lower Nazareth, Moore and Upper Nazareth to shape their collective vision for the future. The plan will build on the eight-community Nazareth Area Comprehensive Plan adopted in 2007.
The Plan will be prepared in accordance with the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code. Developing the Plan will gather all these communities together with private and non-profit sectors and the public to define shared objectives and collaborate on implementation. Along the way, each community retains its autonomy, while partnering with its neighbors on important issues that face the Nazareth Area.
PROCESS
Comprehensive Planning
Comprehensive planning is a process that determines community goals and visions, setting a clear path to where you want to go and how you want to get there. Ultimately, the outcome of the comprehensive planning process will be a Nazareth Area Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plan, called NazPlan, that will set public policy for transportation, utilities, land use, recreation, agriculture, education, housing and other local priorities.
The Nazareth Area Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plan will be a legal document guided by the direction and parameters set by the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, but it’s also about aspiring to create the future Nazareth Area communities want. The Plan will guide decisions, research, reports and funding as the official legal strategy influencing the growth, development and preservation of the Nazareth Area assets. The Plan will be designed to communicate through writing, as well as through maps, charts, graphs, tables, graphics and infographics that can be shared through all communication platforms.
Through its accessibility to everyone, the Plan will serve as a tool that lets everyone be part of striving toward the future the area has chosen together.
• Bath Borough
• Bushkill Township
• Chapman Borough
• Hanover Township
• Lower Nazareth Township
• Moore Township
• Nazareth Borough
• Tatamy Borough
• Stockertown Borough
• Upper Nazareth Township
NAZARETH AREA COMMUNITIES
Issues and Opportunities Report
The foundation of the Plan is the Issues and Opportunities Report. This report collects much of the information we already know about the Nazareth Area and consolidates it into an organized, easy-to-read document. The report covers the existing information on the communities, analyses about issues ranging from equity to development growth, the first rounds of community engagement and the draft goals. This process builds a base of information about the communities and identified community concerns.
The Nazareth Area Plan will build upon this base to create a framework of policies, actions and implementation steps that will prepare the Nazareth Area to adapt to the challenges of an evolving community.