Sullivan 2020 charts future for county, towns

County comprehensive plan says common goals are county wide

By FRITZ MAYER

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — In the year 2020, the full-time population of Sullivan County is expected to expand to 100,000 residents from its current level of 74,000. The federal government will then regard the county as an “urbanized area,” rather than a rural one. That will change the way the county receives funding for such things as mass transit and infrastructure. It will also change the look and the rural quality of the county in some places.

In anticipation of that growth, the Sullivan County Division of Planning and Community Development has been working on a document that will assist the county in shaping future development. In 2004, planning commissioner Dr. William Pammer embarked on a program to develop a comprehensive plan for the county called Sullivan 2020.

At the time, legislative chair Chris Cunningham named the county building blocks as “preservation of our open spaces, maintenance of the vitality of our agricultural community and making sure that the scenic beauty of Sullivan County remains an integral part of life for future generations.”

To check that out and give shape to the basic concepts, Pammer assembled a steering committee made up of 38 elected and non-elected representatives from the county’s 15 towns and six villages. The committee met monthly for nine months, as the planning department gathered input from the community through surveys and workshops. In December 2005, the plan unveiled to the public.

The plan highlights areas of concern that are common. These include matters of open space, housing, zoning and economic development.

While planning on a county level is prudent, the exercise has no enforcement teeth and the county comprehensive plan serves as a strictly voluntary document. Because New York is a home-rule state, most zoning and development issues are addressed at the town level.

But Pammer is helping on that front as well. The county legislature recently passed a measure, which allows the planning division to assist towns in updating or changing their comprehensive plans. Pammer said updating the plans not only helps towns manage growth, but it could also help towns get state grants. “The state government is much more receptive to a town that has a detailed comprehensive plan.”

Some towns are using private consultants to update their plans, while others don’t see a need to update their plans at this time. The River Reporter spoke with several river valley supervisors about growth and planning at the local level.

Lumberland

The Town of Lumberland is using the services of the county division of planning to help in the preparation of a new comprehensive plan. The last time the town enacted a full plan—formally called a master plan—was in 1976 the population was 340 residents. The town now has 2,100 residents.

According to Supervisor John LiGreci, the town will use the process to determine if there should be such infrastructure additions such as water utilities, and whether commercial development along Route 42 should be encouraged.

The town has sent surveys to every taxpayer asking questions about desired future development. LiGreci will use that information, as well as input gathered at focus group meetings, to help shape the new comprehensive plan.

The town board has imposed a moratorium on “cluster development,” which would allow the building of condominiums and town houses, until the comprehensive plan is completed.

Tusten

Supervisor Ben Johnson said the Town of Tusten is just beginning the process of developing a new comprehensive plan. The county planning division is assisting a committee of town officials and residents in preparing a survey, which Johnson hopes will be finished this month. He said it’s too early to tell if the process will lead to any zoning changes.

One of the issues Tusten will be addressing is the age of its population. While the town is expected to grow, the growth may be different than that experienced near the population centers of Liberty and Monticello. Tusten is expected to grow with the expansion of “empty nesters” and second homeowners, not the types of families that bring more students to the schools. Johnson said that through the process, residents might decide whether they want to adopt policies that attract more affordable housing and families with young children.

Cochecton

Supervisor Salvatore Indelicato said his town’s comprehensive plan was last updated in 1998, and the board doesn’t see the need to do it again just now. Also, the plan has been revised as needed. “We just made some adjustments to the zoning lines,” he said. Board members have also made changes to the zoning on Route 17B to allow for more types of commercial development. “The ink is still wet on that.”

The board is also looking at fees to see if they need changing. “As we see something, we correct it,” Indelicato said.

He said the growth in the town is mainly from second homeowners, but his board does not encourage one form of growth over another.

Right now, the board is dealing with a developer who would like to build 18 homes that would be hooked into the sewer district in Lake Huntington.

Fremont

In Fremont, Supervisor James Greier said his town is not updating the comprehensive plan at this time because the “the zoning laws are working fine at this point.” The town updated its zoning three years ago with a grant from the Upper Delaware Council.

In terms of controlling growth, the town recently completed a town-wide survey and mapping of its soil structure. That, said Greier, is an invaluable tool in dealing with developers. The town can take the developer to the soil map and quickly determine if the soil structure on a given parcel would support the proposed development.

Of growth in the town, Greier said, “We had 14 new homes last year and that’s a good amount for Fremont.”

Bethel

The Town of Bethel is using the services of planning consultant Tom Shepstone to help update the comprehensive plan. Supervisor Harold Russell hopes the plan will be finished within weeks. When it is, he is looking for the plan to provide the planning and zoning boards with “detailed information as to how to address plans and development projects that come before them.”

The board has imposed a moratorium on new building projects along much of Route 17B until the comprehensive plan is complete. The new plan will define the uses that are permitted along that route. It will also address issues such as lot size and set backs throughout the town.

The Town of Highland’s comprehensive plan was created in August 2002.

The Town of Delaware is currently working with consultant Tom Shepstone on an update of its plan.

To get a better idea of the scope of the Sullivan 2020 comprehensive plan, visit www.scgnet.us/sullivan2020/.