When Joe Staley first started as Pike County extension agent in 1957, the area had nothing in terms of planning. The county was 93 percent woods with no ordinances, laws or zoning. Poultry farming was the main employment, but agriculture was already declining. The Army Corps of Engineers was in the process of purchasing the best cropland, along the Delaware River, to be part of the Tocks Island dam project on the eastern border of the County. Land in that area was being bought because of its proximity to the proposed reservoir. Subdivisions were already being built and developers were pushing. Real estate people were saying, "We’re 90 miles from New York’s Lincoln Tunnel. We have low taxes and cheap land." With all these pressures bearing down, help was needed in land use planning.

Cooperative Extension initiated an educational program in 1959 to help people become aware of the population growth and its associated problems. An objective of this educational effort was to get local government officials and the public to realize the necessity for planning and to organize that effort. The initial program was a dinner meeting whereby local officials and interested citizens were invited to listen to a panel of four Extension specialists in the fields of public affairs, recreation, wildlife management and forestry point out very clearly the necessity and reasons for Pike County to start planning for the future.

People were beginning to accept the concept of "exurbia," which is development in areas miles beyond the typical suburban area. When I-80 and later I-84 opened, commuters moved here from Newark and New York City. Everyone could sense there would be significant change in the area, so Joe Staley instituted an annual series of Saturday workshops where people discussed topics related to planning. These topics were "Impact of Highways & Interchanges," "Importance of Soils in Community Development & Planning," "Subdivision Regulations & Zoning Ordinances" and "How Planning Can Be Implemented." With the local garden clubs preparing lunch, these workshops turned into elaborate community events that were well attended. Very quickly people came to regard Penn State as a resource.

In 1965, Cooperative Extension organized a County Planning Workshop that discussed topics such as "General Review of Planning," "The Need for Planning in Rural Areas" and "How Planning is Financed." To help meet rural development needs in Pike and similar counties, the college hired a planner, Stan Lembeck, who assisted in the County Planning Workshop. This workshop provided the catalyst for the formation of the first County Planning Commission in October 1965. The County Agent conducted the organization meeting.

In subsequent years, Cooperative Extension worked with the County and municipalities in organizing local planning commissions and other county, state and federal agencies in conducting workshops on Subdivision Regulations; Law Enforcement; Recreation, Growth & Change; Building Codes; Tocks Island Regional Advisory Council; and On-lot Septic Systems.

In 1986, Cooperative Extension, under the guidance of Community Development Agent Sandra Shearer, decided to make a needs assessment in the county and get people's reactions to draw up a list of concerns. This resulted in a community forum being held on a July evening with 80 people in attendance. The feedback received from that meeting showed that growth management was the county's main concern. Stan Lembeck came back and conducted a full-day workshop to examine whether the zoning of the 1960's fit today’s situation. Other concerns raised at the community forum was water quality and wastewater issues. Faculty specializing in water quality and waste management were contacted to assist the county in getting a handle on septic waste. Water Resource Specialist William Sharpe conducted clinics on water supply problems and water treatment for private systems and Agricultural Economist Charles Abdalla surveyed water suppliers to learn how water systems and sewers are organized in the county.

Pike County continued to grow and develop in the 1990's and the need for Extension community development programming once again existed. Cooperative Extension participated in two seminars focusing on the central sewage issue and how it affects Pike County. Over 100 persons attended each seminar. In 1996, a Walmart and K-Mart were proposed in eastern Pike County. Cooperative Extension participated in having Dr. Kenneth Stone, Iowa State University professor, speak in the county on the issue of the impacts of national chain retailers on the local business community. Dr. Stone had conducted numerous studies on the impacts of national chain retailers on small business.

Other Cooperative Extension programs were drinking water clinics, on-lot sewage seminars, local tax reform, grant-writing and non-profits seminars, land use planning and stormwater management workshops. In addition, Pike County Cooperative Extension has for the last several years been capable of downlinking satellite programs at our office. This has given Cooperative Extension the opportunity to increase our base of educational research and educational programs. Many of these satellite programs have come from many of our "sister" land grant colleges throughout the United States and gives us the chance to take advantage of programs we would not have access to. Currently, the Pike County Cooperative Extension has video programs available on loan.

By: Peter Wulfhorst, Pike County Community Development Agent