By Chris English
SCHOHARIE — A joint comprehensive plan update for the Town and Village of Schoharie got a thumbs up from the County Planning Commission at that board's Monday, March 3 meeting.
By a 6-0 vote, the county board recommended approval of the update _ which is more than 150 pages counting appendices and supporting material _ to the town and village boards. County Planning Commission members Ashley Boreali and Kathryn Saddlemire, both Town of Schoharie residents, abstained from the vote. Boreali was part of a steering committee that has worked extensively on the update to the original comprehensive plan from 1997.
Described as a "forward-thinking blueprint for the community's future," the update has sections on the history of the town and village and lays out goals and recommendations in many different areas, including preserving community character, promoting economic growth and enhancing housing opportunities.
"They did a wonderful job on this," county Planning Commission member Ted Werner said at the March 3 meeting. "They've established where they want to expand businesses and where they want to keep their housing."
His praise, however, did not come without some suggestions on how this comprehensive plan update and others around the county could be improved.
"They did a really good job, but in some cases it's not what they are saying but what they are missing," Werner continued. One area not touched on, he said, was how so many nonprofits not subject to property taxes are upping the tax burden for others.
"We should study these things (plan updates) and see what they are missing so we can give some general direction to the towns," Werner said. There followed a discussion among commission members on developing a set of guidelines county towns and villages can use in putting together comprehensive plan updates.
Boreali said work on the update included a "pretty hefty survey" that drew more than 500 responses. It included questions directed at younger residents designed to see what it would take to encourage them to stay in Schoharie.
"In hindsight, I guess we wish we had asked some of the questions differently," she said. "For the most part, everyone seemed happy with it (how the update turned out)."
In general, the update touched a lot on the need to balance growth with preserving the rural character of the town and village.
"The plan's vision for the future envisions Schoharie as a vibrant, welcoming community that honors its agricultural heritage and scenic beauty while supporting sustainable growth," the update stated. "The vision focuses on fostering modern infrastructure, promoting local businesses and farms, enhancing recreational opportunities and strengthening community engagement."
Among the many recommendations and goals outlined across a wide range of categories are expanding affordable and diverse housing options, including accessory dwelling units and mixed-use developments; improving services for youth, seniors and families; partnering with local organizations to host community events and promoting local culture; enhancing pedestrian and bike connections between the village, Central Bridge and the I-88 area; and implementing traffic calming measures to slow traffic speed, especially in the village.
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