Comprehensive Plan

The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code recommends that counties review and, if required, update their comprehensive plan at least once every 10 years. Therefore, in 2004, the Juniata County Board of Commissioners approached the Mifflin County Board of Commissioners for assistance from the Planning and Development Department to develop a comprehensive plan for Juniata County.

This is extremely important given Juniata County’s geographic location in central Pennsylvania and the recent and ongoing highway improvements that contribute to the county’s accessibility and desirability.

The comprehensive plan is a policy document that will help guide the county over a 10-year period. The plan will also identify community planning strategies that local municipalities can utilize to initiate or strengthen their planning programs.

Key elements of the plan include public participation, community survey, infrastructure analysis, housing analysis, future land use, natural resources availability, agricultural preservation and protection, watershed management, and historic preservation. The plan will also recommend implementation strategies and identify funding sources. The plan will become the framework from which local municipalities can update or prepare their own plans. It is important to develop a common vision and an atmosphere of consistency throughout Juniata County and its 17 municipalities.

In 2005, the Mifflin County Planning and Development Department worked with the Juniata County Commissioners and the Juniata County Planning Department to secure funding and hire a consultant for the project. Funding for the project was secured in 2006 through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Land Use Planning and Technical Assistance Program. The Planning and Development Department assisted with developing a request for proposals, reviewing proposals, interviewing prospective consulting firms, and selecting the consulting firm to facilitate development of the plan. The Juniata County Board of Commissioners contracted with the consulting firms of RETTEW Associates Inc. and Shepstone Management.

In 2006, a memorandum of understanding was developed between Juniata and Mifflin Counties authorizing the Mifflin County Planning and Development Department to oversee the development of the Juniata County Comprehensive Plan.

Comprehensive Plan Committee

The Comprehensive Plan Committee’s purpose is to act as an advisory group representing the citizens of Juniata County in the development of the comprehensive plan for the future community development and revitalization. The Committee is to review, develop, and support the Comprehensive Plan and submit it to the county for adoption by the Juniata County Board of Commissioners. The comprehensive plan includes:

  • Background data, information, and mapping of existing conditions
  • Goals and Objectives
  • Future plan elements and mapping
  • Implementation strategies, responsible entities, and potential funding

Comprehensive Plan Committee Members

  • John F. Shirk, Chairman
  • Richard B. Crawford, Vice Chairman
  • Dr. Kenneth Albaugh
  • John B. Anstine, Jr.
  • Donald Bashore
  • Harry J. Becker, III
  • Curt Dreibelbis
  • Cynthia A. Iberg
  • Maureen Jordan
  • Don Kline
  • Michael W. Kramer
  • Robert Kratzer
  • Christopher B. Snyder
  • David Stetler
  • Kelley Stidfole
  • Glenn C. Supplee
  • Ron Taverno

Juniata County Comprehensive Plan

Adopted June 30, 2009

Each of the following links is a chapter or small portion of the Juniata County Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan is a large document of 303 pages that you can download in its entirety below.

If you think you have a slow Internet connection, we suggest viewing the chapters separately instead of downloading the entire plan.

Juniata County Comprehensive Plan

The Comprehensive Plan is a large document (33MB PDF) that may take some time to download. Have patience!