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Preface
The last Comprehensive Plan for Lewisburg Borough was adopted in 1979. Much of what was written about in that plan remains relevant today, because the Borough was virtually fully developed in 1979. In other words, its land uses - discussion of which form the foundation of any comprehensive plan - remain much the same.

This does not mean that the Borough doesn’t face new challenges or that the old challenges have remained unchanged. In shaping these challenges, two factors in particular stand out: (1) the commercial and residential development of the townships (Kelly, Buffalo, and East Buffalo) that surround the Borough and (2) the increasing traffic throughout the region, most notably on Routes 15 and 45.

The former factor, the commercial and residential development of the townships, is so significant that it makes the writing of this comprehensive plan just for the Borough of Lewisburg very difficult. The prospects for Lewisburg are in many ways tied to the degree of cooperation with the townships. We would like to believe the same is true for them. Many residents of the townships, particularly newer ones, are not aware of the political subdivisions and think that they live in Lewisburg proper. Contributing to this sense of there being just one larger community is the fact that the school district, the Lewisburg Area School District, serves the Borough and the townships without distinction. Furthermore, although they may have chosen to live in the more suburban townships, many of these residents were attracted to the area by Lewisburg’s lively, historic, and attractive downtown and identify with it as the center of the larger community. In addition, many of Lewisburg’s facilities serve residents not just of the Borough, but also of the entire area. We therefore think that the Lewisburg area, encompassing the Borough, East Buffalo, and at least parts of Kelly, Union, and Buffalo townships, should begin to address problems and the future from an area-wide perspective.

However, because comprehensive regional planning is not yet a reality, this plan focuses primarily on the Borough. It is a document that was four years in the making. At the request of the Borough Council, the planning officer and the planning commission prepared an original draft. This draft was substantially rewritten by then Council President Stacy Hinck, Vice-President Barbara Krohn, Council member William Moore, and Borough Manager Nada Gray. The rewrite was subsequently submitted to the Planning Commission and the Union County Planning Department and their comments were incorporated. Special acknowledgement goes to planning commission members Natasha Cooper, Swan Stull, and Howard Woodring for their help in developing the plan and to former Union County Planning Director Fred Wilder for his thorough appraisal. Before final adoption, the plan was submitted to the various parties specified by the Municipal Planning Code and their comments have been incorporated as well. Two public hearings were also held.

The purpose of this comprehensive plan is twofold: (1) To provide current and future readers with a comprehensive overview of today’s Lewisburg, including relevant history, as well as a description of current problems or issues; and (2) To provide public officials with a working guide to policy decisions that should be made or actions that should be taken in the foreseeable future (i.e. 10 years).

The Plan is divided into two parts. Part I comprises sections that pertain to planning areas relevant to the Borough’s situation. Within each of these sections, there is a descriptive narrative followed by one or more action plans, which consist of a statement of goals and a list of recommended actions to achieve those goals. Part II of the Plan sets forth an Implementation Strategy. This Strategy, intended for easy reference by Borough and planning officials, primarily consists of a series of charts listing the recommendations in each action plan along with a time frame and identification of the parties responsible for carrying out each recommendation.

Of course, the writing of a comprehensive plan requires a vision or sense of an ideal. That vision of Lewisburg is presented below. It is a conservative plan, in the original sense of that word, because we, the residents of Lewisburg, are essentially pleased with and proud of our community. We do not seek dramatic changes. Rather, through this comprehensive plan we seek to fine-tune, that is, to address problems and outline improvements that will maximize the community and the quality of life we already have.

Lewisburg is a lively small college town with historic roots and we, its residents, want to maintain and enhance it as such. More specifically this means that we want to see Lewisburg’s downtown, comprised of stores, offices, and public spaces, remain as a vibrant community center for the entire area. We want Lewisburg’s residential areas to remain quiet, safe, and attractive, a location of choice for people of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, with varying incomes, and in various stages of life. We want Lewisburg’s past proudly represented and preserved in its historic buildings, museums, and traditions. And we want Lewisburg to continue to have a lively community life and for its citizens to have access to a range of educational, recreational, and cultural opportunities. In achieving these goals, we would like to believe that we can maintain, if not improve on, Lewisburg’s rating as the sixteenth best small town in the United States accorded it by Norman Crampton in the 1996 edition of his book, The 100 Best Small Towns in America.