Juniata County has teamed up with Mifflin County on a joint Greenways, Open Space and Rural Recreation Plan. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has a program called the Community Conservation Partnerships Program that provides grant money for such projects. In the spring of 2006, the two counties were awarded with a grant to develop the plan. The Greenways Plan was adopted by Juniata County Commissioners under Resolution 2010-1 as an amendment to the Juniata County Comprehensive Plan on March 9th, 2010.
The plan will propose green connections to community destinations, target conservation of significant natural resources, explore park and recreation trends and needs, and recommend actions to advance parks, recreation, trails, and greenways in Juniata and Mifflin Counties.
The elements of the plan and the planning process include identifying the purpose of the work, establishing an inventory for existing data and related plans including natural resources and man-made resources, analyzing data and developing a proposed greenway network vision, mapping, developing an action plan, and preparation of the final plan. Public participation is also crucial for the project, as multiple meetings were held as well as surveys sent to random households. The plan will compile all the phases of the project to develop opportunities associated with greenways, trails and open spaces.
The Greenways, Open Space and Rural Recreation plan is a joint effort between the consultants hired for the project in Ann Yost, RLA of Yost Strodoski Mears, and Ann Toole of Toole Recreation Planning.
Study Committee
In order to assist the consultants on the project, a study committee was formed to help shape the Greenways, Open Space and Rural Recreation plan. The study committee is responsible for advising officials and leadership on greenways and recreation, assisting in furthering greenway and recreation planning efforts, understanding of all aspects of the plan and process, interpreting the plan to citizens, offering constructive ideas, suggestions and considerations, promoting needs and achieving results, interpreting the wishes and desires of the citizens, and stimulating public involvement in decision making.
Juniata County Committee Members:
- Floyd Ciccolini
- Martin Driebelbis
- Trish Hoffman
- Ken Mummah
- Chris Snyder
- Jeff Whitesel
Mifflin County Committee Members:
- John Czerniakowski
- Marie Mulvihill
- Brian Frey
- Cadie Pruss
- Mike Makufka
- Rick Williams
Juniata County Greenways Plan
- Greenways Index & Executive Summary
- Chapter 1 – Introduction & Chapter 2 – Profile
- Chapter 3 – Natural Resources
- Chapter 4 – Agricultural Resources
- Chapter 5 – Public Lands and Parks
- Chapter 6 – Greenways and Trails & Chapter 7 – Conservation
- Chapter 8 – Rural Recreation and Tourism & Chapter 9 – Planning, Management and Financing
- Chapter 10 – Planning for Greenways & Chapter 11 – Implementation
- Appendix A – PA Recreation Use of Land and Water Act
- Appendix B – Sample Easements
- Appendix C – Funding Sources
- Appendix D – Model Mandatory Dedication Ordinances