Although less than a half square mile in size, the borough of Valencia has not been immune to the growth in Butler County over the past decade.

Next week, officials will likely vote to enact the first zoning ordinance in the borough’s 121-year history to address that growth. Council Vice President Shanon McKenna said the move is necessary to help ensure the needs of residents are being considered as commercial and residential development of the area continues.

Although the ordinances are the first of their kind for Valencia, the borough is not alone in taking steps to address rapid expansion in the area.

Earlier this year, Jackson Township officials made changes to the township’s zoning structure. The effort, which consisted of about two years of planning, aimed to attract local services, such as grocery stores and restaurants, to boost the economy and provide more varied options for residents.

Later this month, officials in Adams Township will meet to consider changes to slope requirements for new housing developments. The issue had been the center of much debate during recent planned residential development hearings.

Likewise, Middlesex Township leaders said they are in the process of reviewing the township’s ordinances in a general way to find potential changes.

This critique of ordinances by local governments should be applauded, and we encourage other area townships and boroughs to follow suit.

We also hope communities become more proactive in addressing issues.

Often a potential issue or change might not be noticed until it is the center of discussion or, in some cases, community debate. However, development has been brisk enough in recent years to give officials a general sense of what is working and what needs to be changed.

Similarly, residents in the county have not been shy about the issues they see being created by new developments and the direct impact these have on their daily lives. Public feedback should be a major focal point of any ordinance change, as it was in Valencia and Jackson Township.

However, in the same way local officials should be more proactive, so too should residents. Many times, when residents pack a meeting or public hearing, it is too late to make a change on the development at hand.

Now is the time for making changes that protect residents while also setting reasonable, but not prohibitive, guidelines for expansion. Having road maps in our communities to guide future development is crucial in keeping Butler County a desirable home for residents and business alike.