In 1993, Manheim Borough, Penn Township, and Rapho Township adopted the Manheim Central Region Comprehensive Plan. The plan was the result of at least two years of coordinated efforts to work together to set a direction for growth and development in the region for the next ten to twenty years. Because conditions change over time, the municipalities committed to update the plan every five years.

By 1998, it became apparent that several issues had arisen since the plan was compiled and adopted. These included the expansions of the Manheim Auto Auction, the need for the "Manheim Bypass", and the need to revitalize industrial development and redevelopment. Recognizing the ongoing regional cooperation that was evident in the Manheim Central Region, the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners agreed to fund an update to the existing plan. This document represents the efforts of Manheim Borough, Penn Township, Rapho Township, the Manheim Central School District, and the Lancaster County Planning Commission to update the existing plan.

This document is an update to the Manheim Central Region Comprehensive Plan adopted in 1993. The intent of this update is to provide an elaboration of the policies and actions set forth in Chapter XI, Implementation, of the existing plan. As such, this update is not intended to replace the existing comprehensive plan. Instead, it will provide a set of strategies that the region can use to further the policies adopted in 1993 and should be used as an addition to the plan.

A strategic planning process was used to update the plan because it allows an efficient means to obtain public participation, evaluate ongoing programs, and develop strategies that are achievable. Strategic planning is said to be entrepreneurial in the sense that the plan and process are specifically tailored to the desires expressed by the participants and not constrained by the less pertinent routines of traditional comprehensive planning. Part of the efficiency of a strategic plan is that it is a mix of quantitative and qualitative data and methods. Only the data relevant to specific issue areas is gathered as part of the process. Strategies are developed based both on the data and on the ideas generated by the participants in the process.

How was a strategic planning process used to update the plan? The region formed a steering committee to oversee development of the update. The steering committee reviewed reports on the status of the existing comprehensive plan and developed a list of prioritized issues. Public meetings were conducted to get a sense of what the public believed were the issues and strengths of the region. The planners then developed sets of strategies and actions based on these prior steps in the planning process. The strategies are intended to provide the means for action on key issues in the region and to further the policies adopted in 1993.