AJ News

Mauri Rapp Abington Journal Correspondent

Members of the Scranton-Abingtons Planning Association on Nov. 16 continued to review public comments received regarding their 20-year comprehensive plan.

Many of the written comments reviewed on Monday requested the preservation of open space and incentives to encourage green commercial and residential building practices. SAPA Chairman Lee Jamison said that rising oil prices and the impending increase of energy costs would probably dictate the inclusion of renewable energy plans in building anyway. “I think renewable energy is going to be market driven,” he said. However, Jamison added that these types of decisions would ultimately be left up to each municipality’s elected officials. “The ultimate decision to adopt the plan or not adopt the plan, to offer incentives or not offer incentives, is the individual municipality’s,” he said. “There’s no Big Brother watching over them.”

SAPA Coordinator Denise Prowell also suggested on behalf of Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority CEO Dan Perry that each municipality become a Certified Local Government. “In addition to raising an overall consciousness about preservation, it provides bonus points when applying to PHMC (the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission) for preservation grants,” Perry stated. SAPA members agreed to include this recommendation in the plan’s Historic Preservation section.

The final draft of the plan is available at the offices of each of the 11 participating municipalities.