montgomery county today
183
FIGURE 138:
PennDOT District 6 and PADEP Southeast Region Service Areas
State Role
Through its legislation and regulation, the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania plays a significant role in planning and
development. The state’s Municipalities Planning Code
governs local zoning, land development, and
comprehensive planning.
State departments and agencies also have a significant role,
including:
•
The Department of Environmental Protection issues
permits and enforces environmental regulations for
wetlands, sewage discharges, air quality, stream
crossings, etc.
•
The Department of Transportation controls many local
highways and interstate highways and issues driveway
occupancy permits for these roads.
•
The Turnpike Commission operates the turnpike system,
which has a significant presence in Montgomery County.
•
In addition to parks and forestry, the Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) enforces
protection of endangered and threatened species through
its Natural Diversity Index. Evansburg is the largest
state park in the county.
Other state departments and agencies also have an impact on
the county. For example, the Department of Community and
Economic Development (DCED) has grants and educational
programs for local municipalities; the state Historical and
Museum Commission lists historic properties; the
Department of Agriculture administers the farm preservation
program; the Department of Corrections runs a large prison,
Graterford, in the middle of the county and the Department
of Public Welfare runs Norristown State Hospital.
The PADEP building in Norristown is a green building with LEED certification.
Number of State Employees
4,800 employees
Amount of State-Owned Land
7,700 acres
FIGURE 137:
State Presence in Montgomery County
Lancaster
Berks
Lehigh
Bucks
Montgomery
Chester
Delaware
Philadelphia
76
476
95
276
295
76
Sources: Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
