Senate Approves Schwank’s Resolution to Study Municipal Planning Code

Reading, PA - April 22, 2026 - The Pennsylvania Senate yesterday passed Senate Resolution 211, introduced by Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks), which directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a comprehensive study of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.

Pennsylvania's Municipalities Planning Code was enacted in 1968 and serves as the framework for governing land use planning, zoning, subdivision, and development decisions for municipalities and counties. The study conducted by the LBFC, a bipartisan, bicameral legislative service agency, is tasked with evaluating how the code is performing and recommending improvements.

"Pennsylvania's communities have changed considerably in the nearly 60 years since we established the land use law that our communities are still relying on," said Schwank. "This study will give us an honest, independent look at how the code is performing and where the commonwealth can do better in supporting municipalities as they plan for growth, housing, and economic development. We need to modernize our municipal planning code to meet today's challenges."

The Berks County Planning Commission worked with Schwank on this effort and supported the resolution. Ashley Showers, the Executive Director of the Berks County Planning Commission, stressed the need to make improvements to the planning code.

"The approval of Senate Resolution 211 marks a pivotal opportunity to modernize the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code," said Showers. "The Planning Commission looks forward to this comprehensive review and the insight it will bring, as its findings will directly influence our daily work-guiding how we support municipalities, review development proposals, and implement effective, forward-looking planning practices that better serve our communities."

The final vote in the Pennsylvania Senate was 46-2.

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