Monday, December 1, 2008

County given high-profile role in protecting Appalachian Trail

Cumberland County has a key role under a new state law aimed at protecting the Appalachian Trial's wilderness experience by limiting how land near the trail is used.

The trail faces more challenges from development in Cumberland County than in most areas of the state, said Kirk Stoner, the county's planning director.

"We're unique. In a lot of parts of the state, [the trail] runs through wide areas of forest, often on public land," Stoner said. "When you look at our valley, there are areas of significant development with the trail running through it. It is some of the narrowest corridor of the trail in Pennsylvania."

The trail itself is protected from development through its status as a national park. But the law, passed in May as an amendment to the state's Appalachian Trial Act, requires the 58 municipalities that the trail passes through to enact zoning to protect the trail from nearby "inappropriate development."

Eleven counties are affected, but Cumberland will act as a conduit for some of the state grants that will help municipalities implement the law. Stoner said his office is also working with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and a consultant to help develop a "sort of how-to manual" on applying the law locally.

Cumberland County's efforts will be watched by planners in the 13 other states the trail runs through, said Karen Lutz of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy's Mid-Atlantic regional office in Boiling Springs. In addition, the guidelines developed by the county will be shared with municipalities statewide, she said.

"The commonwealth of Pennsylvania leads the way," Lutz said. "North Carolina has a similar act, but it does not offer as strong of protections."

How the protection called for under the law will be implemented remains to be seen. The law gives municipalities broad discretion to determine values that need to be protected and how to protect them. The state will provide technical and financial assistance through the grants.

"We have no rule-making authority," said Department of Community and Economic Development community planner Ed LeClear. "We are just trying to give municipalities some help."

That is where the guidelines being developed in Cumberland County come in.

Townships welcome the county's help, said Bill Cook, manager of Silver Spring Twp.

"Townships have limited resources. The county has a broader perspective and greater resources," Cook said.

Lutz hopes the state will extend the law's June 2009 deadline for implementation to give municipalities time to get the consultant's guidelines, which are expected to be ready in April.

"That [June deadline] is probably very optimistic," Lutz said. "It's a daunting task. As much as we would like the AT to be the number one priority on local officials' lists, the fact is, they are very busy and have their hands full."

As eager as the conservancy is to get additional protections in place, it does not want municipalities to have to rush to enact them.

"We want to get this right," Lutz said.