Description of requirements for this commission

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The purpose of the Planning Commission is to guide and direct land use and development at the municipal level. This is primarily achieved through the following two ways: (1) development and implementation of the municipal comprehensive plan and (2) through the reviews of land development proposals and municipal projects. The Planning Commission is an independent advisory body. It makes recommendations concerning land use and development directly to the municipal governing body, which is then charged with making the final land development decisions. The Pennsylvania MPC is the enabling legislation that grants municipal governing bodies the ability to create a planning commission and planning department.

The Township’s Planning Commission is composed of seven members. The members are resident volunteers and are appointed by the Township Commissioners for a four-year term.  The Planning Commission generally meets once a month.

The Township Planning Commission is supported by staff from the Planning Division of the Township’s Building and Planning Department. One of the Department’s three divisions (the other two being Building and Economic Development), the Planning Division responsibilities include the processing of land development and subdivision applications and overseeing the development of subdivision and zoning code amendments, in addition to preparing long-term planning projects.

• Past Planning Commission Meeting Minutes
• Lower Merion Township's Subdivision & Land Development Process
• A comprehensive inventory and detailed analysis of land development between 2003 and 2008 is contained in the Comprehensive Plan’s Issues Report (Planning Commission Section, Page 72).