(Credit: Lower Gwynedd Township)
Township officials share an open survey on LG's Comprehensive Plan
Where do you see yourself in 20 years? No, it isn’t just a question your high school guidance counselor may have asked you. It is also a question that Lower Gwynedd Township is asking of its committees and community.
The Lower Gwynedd Township Comprehensive Plan and its “Steering Committee” has started the project to take a look at where the township hopes to be in 20 years. The work aims to create a “long-range plan that guides future development,” according to the township’s recent email.
“A comprehensive plan expresses a community’s goals and is designed to adapt to the changing needs of the community,” explained the July newsletter from the township.
To get the ball rolling, the committee began with a vision statement.
The vision statement for the township was designed to direct the project, noting the key factors that matter to the community. To do so, the committee turned to preliminary data research, the community survey, and the public opinion provided at Open House events.
“The vision statement is intended to broadly demonstrate what Lower Gwynedd Township is now, and what it hopes to be by 2045,” said the township’s July newsletter sent out to residents on Friday, July 19.
If you haven’t gotten to voice your opinion on the matter, fear not. The township has issued a short survey here. Residents can answer the questions, which request that your review the currently proposed vision statement, and then rate how strongly you agree or disagree with the points made.
Yet another chance to voice your opinions will also be held via a Fall Open House, though the date and time have yet to be determined at this time.
If you’re ready for a sneak peak of the vision statement, here’s what it stated. (The following is taken directly from the township’s survey page and is intended only to inform the community’s residents of its contents.)
“Lower Gwynedd is a thriving suburban community that blends the preservation of neighborhoods and green open space with an embrace for innovation and responsible growth. While much of the landscape has changed over the years since its rural agricultural past, Lower Gwynedd has become home to multiple educational institutions and medical research campuses that bring jobs, creativity, and vitality to the Township.
Lower Gwynedd respects the natural resources and character of the residential neighborhoods, and understands that land use, the environment, and residents’ quality of life are interconnected. Lower Gwynedd strives to unlock the potential to create redevelopment opportunities for the Bethlehem Pike corridor as an extension of Spring House, the commercial anchor of the Township, and strengthen the connections to its neighbor, Ambler Borough. The Township is fortunate to have two train stations located within its boundaries, providing residents with connections to Center City, Philadelphia, and to Doylestown.
Lower Gwynedd prioritizes actions that strengthen connections between the township, residents, community organizations, institutions, and the business community. Lower Gwynedd’s priorities are to preserve the peaceful neighborhoods while strengthening the existing commercial areas, promoting the continued growth of research and development at institutions and businesses, encouraging sustainable development practices, and protecting the valuable natural resources in the Township.
In 2045, Lower Gwynedd will be… a bucolic residential community, nestled in a green, natural landscape; an innovative, energetic, and engaged community that supports the lively mixed-use commercial corridors and the centers of learning and innovation; and a socially and environmentally diverse community that welcomes people of all ages and backgrounds.”
After reading the excerpt, Lower Gwynedd Township residents are asked if they:
with the vision statement.
Lastly, residents are asked a second question, allowing responders to answer an open-ended question: “What is your vision for the future of Lower Gwynedd Township?”
The survey, which is powered by SurveyMonkey, was emailed in the late-July newsletter. If you’d like to make your opinion matter, respond to the survey in your newsletter or stay tuned into Wissahickon Now for updates on a fall open house.
