The draft of the 2026 Comprehensive Plan has been endorsed by the Salisbury Township Planning Commission.

The planning commission voted 6-0, with one abstention at the May 27 meeting, to recommend adoption of the draft of the comprehensive plan by the Salisbury Township board of commissioners.

Planner Holly Weiss made the motion, seconded by planning commission Vice Chairperson Jessica Klocek, to bring the motion to a vote.

Township commissioners are expected to have a first reading of the comprehensive plan, published in May, at its 7 p.m. June 25 township meeting in the municipal building, 2900 S. Pike Ave.

If no changes are made by commissioners, a public hearing on the comprehensive plan would be held at the 7 p.m. Aug. 13 commissioners’ meeting.

The Pennsylvania Municipal Planning Code requires municipalities to review their comprehensive plan every 10 years.

The Salisbury Township comprehensive plan is subtitled “Planning for a Safe, Healthy and Connected Future.” A copy of the 105-page plan is available on the township website.

Township officials emphasized to the eight residents and one media person at the meeting that the comprehensive plan is just that, a plan, and does not change township zoning ordinances or jurisdictions.

Any such changes would require township commissioners’ approval.

The steering committee for the comprehensive plan included John Barbaz and Frank Frankenfield of the planning commission, Salisbury Township Manager Cathy Gorman, retired Assistant Township Manager Sandy Nicolo, township Commissioner Heather Lipkin, Salisbury Township Community Development Director Kerry Rabold, Salisbury Township Chief of Police Donald Sabo and Salisbury Township Director of Public Works James Levernier.

Consultant for the comprehensive plan was Strategic Solutions, Pittsburgh.

“This lays out your proposed uses. Salisbury is not projected to have huge growth. You’re fairly built-out,” Attorney Jason Ulrich, partner, Gross McGinley LLP, solicitor firm for Salisbury Township, said before the vote.

“There are not wholesale changes,” Ulrich said of the comprehensive plan.

“For now, our [township] zoning and zoning map stands,” Rabold said, adding, “When we update our zoning, this [the comprehensive plan] is a guideline.”

“This is a plan of where we want see the township in 10 years,” Lipkin said, adding, “We have a plan. We’re not haphazardly making changes.”

“We put a lot of thought into it. It’s our township, too,” planning commission Chairperson Richard Schreiter said.

“Along the main corridors, we’re having mixed-use to diversify our tax base and take the burden off our taxpayers,” Lipkin said.

“There are a lot of good things in this plan that we can set in motion,” Weiss said.

The planning commission by a unanimous 7-0 vote retained Richard Schreiter as chairperson and Jessica Klocek as vice chairperson.

Planner Richard Hassick made the motion, seconded by Weiss, to bring the motion to a vote.

The 7 p.m. fourth Wednesday of the month planning commission meeting schedule was approved to continue for 2026.

The June Salisbury Township meeting schedule in the municipal building includes: 7 p.m. June 10, zoning hearing board; 7 p.m. June 11, board of commissioners; 7 p.m. June 17, environmental advisory council; 7 p.m. June 24, planning commission; 7 p.m. June 25, board of commissioners.