Comp Plan 5th Meeting Addressed Multimodal Transportation

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On Wednesday, August 21st, Mercersburg Area leaders met in the Peters Township Hall to give attention to the important topic of Multimodal Transportation.

Kicking off the meeting, HRG Project Manager Dean Severson introduced Franklin County Planning Director, Steven Thomas. Steve provided a review of all governmental and non-governmental planning resources. He updated the Mercersburg Area Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee on current projects, and described the methods associated with introducing new projects. Key points of Thomas’ presentation were the relationships between the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), and the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).

To accompany the Franklin County story, Dean Severson provided a list of projects underway, and additional lists of projects planned in our area. The leaders were interested to understand key areas of funding for new projects and much of the conversation revolved around the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).

Included in the data for the meeting, was a summary of the Citizen Survey being conducted by the project team. 417 responses have been received by the middle of August, with more expected by the end of the survey period, which will be September 30. The energetic response from the community was a welcome sign, and indicates that many residents are interested in the outcome.

The meeting also included an open discussion of priorities around development of bikeable and walkable ways to key places in the Mercersburg Area such as parks and retail centers. The leadership team is optimistic about addressing key concerns that have been noted in the Citizen Survey. At the end of the meeting, the previous topic of water supply was discussed briefly.

The next meeting of the Steering Committee will be September 18th, at a place to be determined in early September. The first draft of the Comprehensive Plan outline is expected by the next meeting.

Tourism was Focus of Fourth Planning Meeting

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Hosted by Matt Wedd, Executive Director of the Conococheague Institute in Montgomery Township, the Mercersburg Area Comprehensive Planning Steering Committee participated in the fourth meeting of the planning project.

Janet Pollard, Tourism Director of the Franklin County Visitors Bureau provided a profile of tourism Franklin County, and directed the conversation toward marketing best practices that will draw visitors to the Mercersburg area. She noted that agri-tourism isn’t specifically limited to agricultural activities but more generally as a rural scenic area for people to visit. Matt Wedd provided insight into his experiences as a career professional on this topic.

Comprehensive Planning Project Manager, Dean Severson, provided an update about the first draft of theme’s for the comprehensive plan, and a broader conversation about the full scope of the plan was undertaken during the last segment of the meeting.

The final meeting of the Steering Committee is expected to focus upon multi-modal transportation, and will be scheduled for mid August.

Steering Committee Conducts Third Meeting

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On Thursday, June 20, the Mercersburg Area Comprehensive Planning Steering Committee held its third meeting. The meeting was held in the Mercersburg Borough Hall, and was attended by leaders from all facets of the community. Key topics included: Water / Sewer modernization; Housing Inventory; and Tourism / Economic Development. The latest results of the Citizen Survey were presented and discussed during the meeting. The July meeting of the Steering Committee will focus more deeply on Tourism and Economic Development.

May 15 Steering Committee Meeting focused on Agriculture

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The Mercersburg Area Comprehensive Planning Steering Committee participated in a tour of the Snider’s Elevator facility in Lemasters, followed by a meeting of the planning steering committee on May 15, which was focused on the topic of agriculture in the Mercersburg Area. 

Representatives of DCED, Franklin County Planning, Montgomery Township, the Mercersburg Borough, Franklin County Tourism, Franklin County United Way, and several farm / agriculture business owners participated in the tour of the Snider’s Elevator production floor, and grain storage systems. Susan Snider, fourth generation owner of the business, provided an in-depth explanation of their supply chains, business methods, and key challenges.

After the tour, the steering committee met upstairs at the Snider’s facility to elaborate on strengths, weaknesses, and government relationships relative to the future of agriculture in the Mercersburg Area. The input of this focused session will be consolidated by the HRG Project Manager, Dean Severson.

After review and feedback by the municipal leaders, the comprehensive plan will include data about agriculture and land use in the Mercersburg Area and provide recommendations for the good of farms and landowners

DCED Grant Approved

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The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) notified the MVSC on May 10, 2024 that a grant of $45,000 has been awarded for the purpose of Mercersburg Area Comprehensive Planning. 


Three municipalities will benefit from the resources: the Mercersburg Borough; Montgomery Township; and Peters Township. Each of the municipalities has approved a resolution to participate in the project to establish an actionable plan for key components of the community including: agriculture; sewer; water; transportation; housing; recreation; and others.

The project will deliver a comprehensive plan which, when adopted by the municipalities, will document the direction of services for approximately 10 years.

As a member of the community, you can make recommendations by engaging in the survey below:

Citizen Survey

Pop-up Event at Mercersburg Springfest

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The Mercersburg Springfest was the site of the Mercersburg Area Comprehensive Planning Pop-up event on May 11, 2024 from 1:00 PM until 3:00 PM.

Approximately 30 survey’s were completed. Project members engaged in many conversations about the comprehensive planning process during the event.

If you didn’t have a chance to engage, you may complete the survey below:

Citizen Survey