Posted: | August 7, 2019 02:53 PM |
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From: | Representative Rosemary M. Brown |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Common Interest Ownership Communities (CIOCs) Data Transparency |
On July 2, 2009, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed HR 350 (PN 2100), which directed the Joint State Government Commission (JSGC) to study the impact of Common Interest Ownership Communities (CIOCs), commonly referred to as planned communities, on the Commonwealth and its local governments. The JSGC study, provided critical data, insight and recommendations. One key finding of the JSGC study was the lack of readily available and organized information on CIOCs across Pennsylvania. While it is estimated that 2.8 million PA residents are in a CIOC and that roughly 80 percent of new housing starts since 2000 are CIOCs, the actual number and location of these communities is, by large and far, unknown. Although all counties by law maintain basic data on CIOCs, there is no municipal, state or county government or agency which collects comprehensive CIOC data, making it impossible to properly track important information such as infrastructure age, various levels of taxation, how such communities affect and impact surrounding communities, or what costs are associated with certain state legislative amendments to Title 68. In response, the JSGC study urges a remedy to this massive data void: specifically, that the Municipalities Planning Code (MPC) be amended to require County Planning Commissions to include CIOC data in their currently-required annual report. The tracked information would include the CIOC name, physical locations, land area, lot size and number of units, presence of a mixed use development, infrastructure, including sanitary sewer, water and storm water systems, dedication of roadways including roads built to specification, common infrastructure and recreation facilities, and articles of incorporation or other non-profit organization registration information filed with the Department of State. In addition in our modern world, such information is also necessary to assist law enforcement for purposes of safety and security and communication within the communities and the public at large. Please join me in co-sponsoring this legislation which will provide beneficial, useful and comprehensive data for our communities and state. |
Introduced as HB1892