Trending
Perhaps Altoona could benefit soon -- and over the long term -- if the Altoona Planning Code were to be revised to make it easier for businesses to acquire approval for development projects.
Based on a Feb. 24 Mirror article, City Council members seem agreeable to considering revisions in response to perceptions -- correct or incorrect -- that it is hard to do business in the Mountain City.
But before city leaders open themselves up to considering specific changes, some serious brainstorming ought to be on the agenda. Some of what needs to be considered:
* What existing or projected specific circumstances or concerns prompted the various rules in the code?
* What specific goals or long-term visions were the rules intended to accommodate?
* How would any new changes that might be considered impact city residents and businesses now and going forward?
* How have other Pennsylvania cities dealt with such questions and planning issues, and what have their experiences been since their codes were revised? Are they comfortable with the changes that they made?
* Have any cities rejected changes to their original code and why?
* What changes did not produce anticipated results and why?
Times change and sometimes rules need to be modified to accommodate what is different now from, perhaps, 20, 40 or 50 years ago.
Two words -- "be careful" -- need to govern whatever is done on Altoona's planning code front. Don't succumb to shortsighted thinking.
Mayor Matt Pacifico has made a good suggestion -- that a planning code review should not begin until after the city hires a new community development director.
It is to be presumed that the person who fills that position will come equipped with numerous past-experiences resources to promote his or her ideas on how Altoona can be made better and move forward, not backward.
The new director should have the opportunity to "plug" his or her thinking into the review -- a healthy process to provide additional perspectives for council members to weigh.
Councilman Jesse Ickes was not wrong when he stated that the planning code ought to reflect "a common sense approach" to erase perceptions that the city is too difficult in its dealings with developers.
However, a common-sense approach must not open a window for "cutting corners" in a way that will undermine what past city leaders originally intended to achieve by compiling the code.
Again, the key words are "be careful."
A part of being careful ought to include meetings with various segments of the business community to compile their thoughts and suggestions -- and to listen to whatever complaints they might have.
In addition to dealing with the planning code topic, the meeting would provide the opportunity for the new director to meet a number of the community's business leaders and perhaps open a channel for positive communication, going forward.
Councilman Ron Beatty said making the business climate easier could include easing rules covering home renovations. Again, considering changes to rules currently on the books will require cautious steps.
Some communities end up having avoidable problems because of an unwillingness to delve into the prospect of change.
Judging from the latest discussion, it is fortunate Altoona might avoid being one of them.