Montgomery County, PA

The future is certainly coming.  While it is not possible to control, the future can be shaped and directed.  The decisions of homebuyers, businesses, developers, and governments affect its shape.  Some decisions are influenced by demographic and national trends—such as the aging of the baby boomers—and cannot easily be influenced by the county or local municipalities. Other decisions—such as the location of a new shopping center or highway interchange—are directly influenced by the county and its 62 municipalities. 

Montgomery County is thriving with over 750,000 people and a half million jobs.  We have wonderful neighborhoods, good job opportunities, and a variety of recreational, cultural, and community amenities.  By 2025, the county is expected to grow by 107,000 people, 49,000 homes, and 77,000 jobs.  This market-driven growth will be difficult for local municipalities and the county to control.  If we continue to develop according to current trends, by 2025 we also will have more sprawl development, less open space, 50 to 75 percent more traffic, and 55,000 more acres of developed land. The good news is that the county and its municipalities can influence the character, location, and impact of this growth.

The Vision Plan, the cornerstone of the new county comprehensive plan, provides an alternative future.  The plan was developed with input from our communities and citizens through a survey and a series of workshops.  The result was the identification of four major issues—controlling sprawl, controlling traffic congestion, preserving open space and natural areas, and revitalizing older boroughs and downtowns.  The Vision Plan presents a future for the county that keeps the best qualities of today while accommodating expected market-driven growth and effectively tackling these issues. 

·  Vision Plan Summary

·  Vision Plan

Individual Chapters for Faster Downloading

·  Introduction and Chapter 1: Montgomery County at The Millennium 

·  Chapter 2:The County in 2025 - Our Current Direction and
  Chapter 3: A Vision of the County in 2025

·  Chapter 4: Goals and Actions

·  Chapter 5: Making It Happen and Appendix