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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN


INTRODUCTION

| Purpose | Elements of the Comprehensive Plan | The Vision |

Purpose

The Pottsville Comprehensive Plan summarizes the City’s major policies on its future growth and conservation. The Plan provides rationale for future zoning revisions and can be used to help document needs as the City continues to seek intergovernmental grants. But most of all the Comprehensive Plan is about vision. The goals and recommendations in the Plan identify where the City should be headed in the next decade and the actions necessary to get there.

This Comprehensive Plan is an update of the City’s 1988 Comprehensive Plan. In preparing the new Plan, the City considered the following questions:

  • What are our community’s assets and constraints?
  • How do we build on our assets and overcome our constraints?
  • What about the community do we want to change and what do we want to save?
  • How can we encourage the changes we want and preserve what is most valuable? Top of Page

Elements of the Comprehensive Plan

The City of Pottsville Comprehensive Plan examines the following topics:

  • Population
  • Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization
  • Citywide Land Use
  • Economic Development
  • Central Business District Revitalization
  • Transportation
  • Community Facilities and Services

Pottsville has made major strides forward in each of these areas. This Plan aims to continue and extend the City’s progress. Top of Page

The Vision

Since 1997, the countywide VISION process has re-energized planning in Schuylkill County. The goal of VISION is reverse the County’s 50-year history of job loss and population decline. To date, over 350 local municipalities, government agencies, civic groups, private companies, churches and other groups have endorsed the mission of the program and pledged to help implement it.

The focus of VISION is economic development, education, infrastructure, government, quality of life and private sector leadership. Strategies for generating improvements in each of these areas have been developed. People have stepped forward to provide leadership and cooperative efforts are underway to turn the goals of VISION into reality. In April, 2000 the Schuylkill County Commissioners approved a $10 million bond issue for economic development, conservation projects and improvements to County public facilities, a major commitment to the future of Schuylkill County.

The City of Pottsville will continue to have a key role in carrying out VISIONS. In his 2000 State of the City Address, late Pottsville Mayor Terrence P. Reilly re-emphasized the City’s support for VISION and called for keeping Pottsville "an attractive community to live, work and invest". The Mayor urged the City to embrace new business opportunities, revitalize the downtown, capitalize on tourism and cooperate with neighboring municipalities to further local prosperity.

In this spirit, the new Comprehensive Plan envisions a Pottsville that:

  • Remains the government and activity center of Schuylkill County
  • Offers a vibrant and evolving downtown business district
  • Continues to be leader in offering attractive affordable housing
  • Is an employment center for both traditional and emerging industries
  • Delivers cost-effective, neighborhood-oriented municipal services
  • Aggressively promotes preservation, tourism, culture and recreation
  • Provides safe, efficient circulation and accessible parking
  • Retains a diverse and healthy tax base
  • Reaches out to cooperate wherever possible with Schuylkill County and nearby municipalities

Pottsville should capitalize on being the regional hub, a safe, attractive city with a unique blend of urban conveniences and small town appeal. Top of Page

| Introduction | Population | Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization |
| Citywide Land Use Plan | Economic Development | Central Business District Revitalization |
| Transportation | Community Facilities and Services | Action Program | Tables |