Harris Township keeps growth boundary largely intact, directs planning commission to 'clean up' map

Harris Township supervisors on May 11 reviewed a regional comprehensive-plan update and signaled they will not pursue a broad expansion of the regional growth boundary now, instead directing staff and the planning commission to study small "cleanup" changes and density scenarios.

Pam Adams of the Senate Regional Planning Agency told the board the fact sheet in the packet projects roughly 200 new residents in the next 10 years and about 175 housing units needed over 20 years, while the township already has about 216 approved units and an estimated 145 units of vacant-parcel capacity—roughly 350 potential units overall. "You have capacity," Adams said, laying out the planning timeline aimed at draft documents later this year and possible adoption in early 2027.

Adams walked supervisors through three kinds of information: the forecast and capacity figures, what the public said at an open house (priorities included housing variety, affordability, safe walking and biking infrastructure, and environmental stewardship), and four candidate geographic areas the group recommends the planning commission evaluate further. Those four areas include small "housekeeping" adjustments inside the existing growth boundary and three larger properties that could be studied for sewer, slope, and suitability constraints.

Board members and residents repeatedly urged caution. Several supervisors and residents said the data show Harris can meet near-term housing needs without opening large new tracts. One supervisor summarized the board's view as "clean up but not growth" and urged the planning commission to prioritize infill, preserve farmland and water resources, and consider sewer constraints before recommending expansions. A resident cautioned that expanding the boundary could trigger rapid developer interest in prime open land.

The board did not adopt a map or ordinance change at the meeting. Instead, supervisors asked staff to prepare mapped cleanup options and for the planning commission to study suitability criteria—such as proximity to sewer, slope, soils, wellhead protection and traffic impacts—and return with recommended changes. Adams said the next step is to incorporate board input, present maps to the planning commission for further analysis, and return to the board with draft options.

The guidance given at the meeting leaves potential growth areas "in the bank" for future consideration but reflects an immediate preference for targeted cleanups and careful, incremental planning rather than wholesale expansion of the regional growth boundary.

What happens next: staff and the planning commission will analyze the four candidate areas with the board's suitability criteria and bring back maps and policy options; no final zoning or land-use changes were made on May 11.