Commission Members

Board Members

Planning Commission Documents

• 
  Application For Subdivision And Land Development
• 
  Middle Carbon County Comprehensive Plan
• 
  Middle Carbon County Comprehensive Plan Maps

About Us

A planning commission’s primary activity is planning, which according to the American Planning Association, “is a dynamic discipline that works to improve the welfare of people and their communities by creating more convenient, equitable, healthful, efficient, and attractive places for present and future generations. Planning enables civic leaders, businesses, and citizens to play a meaningful role in creating communities that enrich people’s lives. Good planning helps create communities that offer better choices for where and how people live. Planning helps communities to envision their future. It helps them find the right balance of new development and essential services, environmental protection, and innovative change.”

In Pennsylvania, planning commissions are primarily responsible for and charged with exercising a municipality’s legal right to develop a comprehensive plan that outlines its specific community planning objectives that may focus on environmental protection; agricultural, historical and cultural resource preservation; business retention, expansion and recruitment; urban redevelopment; housing opportunities; parks and recreation amenities; transportation and utility infrastructure; or other health, safety and public welfare needs and issues that are critical to the community’s overall wellbeing and prosperity.

Planning commissions are on the front line regarding the issues that matter most to many communities. Their leadership is crucial in developing recommendations for implementing change as well as promoting responsible and sustainable community planning practices.

A planning commission acts as an advisor to the governing body and its principal role is stipulated in the Municipalities Planning Code (MPC) which is the uniform planning and land use enabling law for all commonwealth municipalities. The planning commission’s duties and responsibilities are authorized by the MPC.

In practice, the planning commission’s time is largely devoted to reviewing applications submitted pursuant to the municipality’s zoning and subdivision & land development ordinances and providing recommendations for their approval to the governing body.

Next Meeting

Nov 17 2026

Planning Commission Meeting

Memorial Hall 115 E 10th Street

No event found!

Commission Members

Members

An appointment to a Zoning Hearing Board is an important yet complex responsibility which requires a thorough understanding of functions relating to the application and administration of the zoning ordinance.

The zoning hearing board is a quasi-judicial body that renders decisions on specific types of land use appeals and applications. Members of the zoning hearing board are appointed by the governing body. Although the zoning hearing board functions like a court, formal court procedures are not strictly required.

The primary purpose of the zoning hearing board is to help assure fair and equitable application and administration of the zoning ordinance. The board hears appeals from the zoning officer’s determinations and grants relief from the literal enforcement of the zoning ordinance in certain hardship situations by means of a variance. The zoning hearing board also hears applications for special use and challenges to the substantive validity of ordinances. The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (MPC) provides a specific set of rules that must be followed for applications submitted to the zoning hearing board.

The zoning hearing board has no legislative power; neither does the board have enforcement powers. The zoning hearing board schedules hearings on applications and appeals that come before it, takes evidence, and issues written decisions with findings of fact and conclusions of law. A board must limit its scope of activities to those permitted by the MPC and by the local zoning ordinance.

While the zoning hearing board is not responsible for the contents of the zoning ordinance, it plays a vital role in the overall effectiveness of the zoning ordinance. The zoning hearing board may detect weaknesses in the zoning ordinance, perhaps as a result of frequent and similar variance requests. When a flaw, weakness, or lack of clarity is noticed, it should be communicated to the zoning officer and planning commission for their consideration to amend the zoning ordinance accordingly.

Local officials and appointees should not take an appointment to the zoning hearing board lightly. It is an extremely responsible and demanding position, one that will play an important role in the growth and development of the community.

Next Meeting (Meetings are AS NEEDED)

Nov 06 2026

Zoning Office Hours

Memorial Hall 115 E 10th Street

No event found!

Board Members