Growth is inevitable today, and if planned can work in harmony with conservation to protect our resources and quality of life.
Together with the county, municipalities, home builders, and the state, we are reaching across boundaries with the spirit of cooperation to plant the seed and foster smart growth in Berks County.
Importantly, the Berks Conservancy is not against development. In fact, we often work together with developers to encourage smart growth and help protect surrounding open space. We do not do this alone. It is important that residents understand their municipalities and work to balance thriving growth with natural beauty for the benefit of generations to come.
The Berks Conservancy subscribes to the Berks County Planning Commission’s Berks County Comprehensive Plan - Vision 2020 and will not actively pursue the protection of land identified as future growth. This communicates our commitment to a balance among development, preservation, and economics in Berks.
Smart Growth Alliance of Berks
The Smart Growth Alliance of Berks County is comprised of thirteen organizations who are committed to implementing Berks Vision 2020 and to fostering future development in accordance with smart growth principles through education and dialogue among the many stakeholders involved in land use planning and development. Current members of the Alliance include:
Berks Business Executives Forum
Berks County Ag Land Preservation Board
Berks County Association of Boroughs
Berks County Association of Township Officials
Berks County Community Foundation
Berks Conservancy
Berks County Planning Commission
Berks Economic Partnership
Center for Community Leadership of Berks County
City of Reading
County of Berks
Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Home Builders Association of Berks County
Penn State Cooperative Extension: Berks County
Reading-Berks Association of Realtors
Reading Downtown Improvement District
Berks Conservancy “Smart Growth” Principles
The purpose of this document is to provide a set of generalized “Smart Growth Principles” that can be used by a developer or builder in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Click here to view our Smart Growth Principles.
The Berks Conservancy recognizes the realities of both geography and economy as it impacts the environment. We offer these guiding principles to direct development in a Smart Growth manner, recognizing that in the real world, not all development will address all aspects of the principles but may still be considered Smart Growth. These principles will evolve as our understanding of market forces, the natural environment and transportation systems change. Over time we will fine-tune the principles to suit the particular circumstances we face in Berks County.
An endorsement of a development as Smart Growth may be granted when a committee of the Board of the Conservancy finds that the development is essentially consistent with the principles.
