HONESDALE, PA — With a large portion of the regional economy based on tourism and the second-home market, last week’s annual report from the Wayne County Planning/GIS Department did not carry good news.

The annual report is often viewed as an almanac of local, county and state government activities in Wayne, including federal census data.

Department director Craig Rickard and assistant director Chris Barrett previewed the 2015 report before the county commissioners on February 25.

County planners review all applications for additions, subdivision and land development plans.

After mild improvement over the prior three years, last year’s number of 105 reviews sunk back to levels near the 2011 low point.

According to the report, “In 2015 the number of applications submitted to the Wayne County Department of Planning/GIS decreased. There were 19 fewer applications submitted… compared to 124 [in 2014.] The number of applications decreased every year between 2006 through 2011… increased in 2012 and 2013 but then decreased again the past two years. The average number of submitted applications over this 10-year period was 154 per year.”

Regarding subdivision development, 50 new lots were created. Rickard said Damascus, which represents 10% of the county’s total acreage, led with seven new lots. There were no new lots created in any of the boroughs.

As to the low numbers, Rickard said, “the 2008 crisis had a lot to do with it.”

Additionally, he said, “troubling things” included Wayne’s declining population, its increasingly aged population, a growing number of abandoned homes and the recent loss of several businesses, each of which had employed 100 or more jobs. “I don’t think we’ll ever get back to the [subdivision] activity we had in 2005 and 2006,” Rickard said.

However, he said the county’s “Wayne Tomorrow” project is “working to turn this around” through initiatives including efforts to increase broadband Internet coverage, training and education programs through regional colleges and providing business “incubator” offices for new startup businesses.

The commissioners credited Rickard for the thoroughness of the report.

Chairman Brian Smith called the report “a great job,” but he also expressed concern that the health and breadth of Wayne’s forests needed to be included. Smith noted that downstream Delaware River interests are concerned about deforestation, and are pressing for forest buffers along the river to protect the river’s water quality.

Noting the decreasing population, Smith said, “We don’t have deforestation.”

Commissioner Wendell Kay said deforestation in Wayne is a misconception. “What we have is re-forestation,” he said.

The current and past annual reports are available online at the planning department page of the county website at co.wayne.pa.us/.