Review of Plans for the City of Albany
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REVIEW OF PLANS FOR THE CITY OF ALBANY Compiled in 2012 for Partners for Albany Stories (PASt), by Aine Leader-Nagy, researching consultant, for the development of an Interpretive Plan for Albany. Funding provided by the Hudson River Valley Greenway Communities Grant program Contents Albany 2030 Comprehensive Plan..........................................................................................2-39 Albany Sustainable Design Assistance Team (SDAT), A Sustainable Capital for the 21st Century (2007) ........................................................40-52 Capitalize Albany: Economic Development Strategy for New York’s Capital City (1996) .......................................................................................53-66 Management Plan for the Albany Urban Cultural Park (1987)..........................................67-118 Arbor Hill Neighborhood Plan (July, 2003)..........................................................................119-141 Capital South Plan: SEGway to the Future (2007) .............................................................142-147 Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Preservation and Management Plan (October 2006)...........................................................................148-187 Heritage Areas of New York State (February 2010)............................................................188-192 Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area Management Plan (2002)..........................193-205 New York State Convention Center: Key Information (2012)..........................................206-209 Albany Convention Center Authority New Concept Plan (2009).....................................210-211 Charts and outlines assess the following: Summary of each project, including focus on historic resources, if any Community Involvement, taking into consideration if there are aspects PASt should consider (good and bad) Methodology: How the project was organized Findings: Points of interest, questions and plan sections that might be most useful for PASt projects (Note that the Collaborative’s name was changed from PAS to PASt after the production of this report. Plan Name: Albany 2030 Comprehensive Plan (2010‐2011) Page 1 of 26 ALBANY 2030 Comprehensive Plan (2010‐2011) AUTHORS: The Comprehensive Plan was prepared for The City of Albany with assistance from: Mayor Gerald Jennings; the 2011 City of Albany Common Council; the Albany 2030 Board; Community Advisory Committee on Sustainability; the City of Albany Planning Staff; Consultant Teams for Albany 2030 and Climate Action Plan; the City of Albany Leadership Team. SUMMARY: The Albany 2030 Plan provides the overall framework to ensure that all of these plans, programs, and investments are aligned to support a common direction for Albany’s future.1 It is a guide for the management of change, the foundation and reference point for policy and decision‐making, and is essentially Albany’s “to‐do” list.2 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: The plan specifically thanks “the many community stakeholders, neighborhood groups, civic organizations, public agencies and businesses who contributed their ideas, opinions and resources to help make the Albany 2030 process and plan successful.”3 The principles of the Albany 2030 Public Participation Plan: open to all; community engagement; transparency; enthusiastic and vibrant; engaging underrepresented groups; fun.4 METHODOLOGY: Begun in 2009, the Albany 2030 process was designed to engage all members of the Albany community and regional partners in developing a vision for the city’s future. Over a two‐year period, the City solicited public input on existing issues within the city and the community’s aspirations for its short‐and long‐term futures. Guided by a Comprehensive Plan Board that consisted of a cross‐section of community representatives, the Albany 2030 process ensured that the comprehensive plan is a truly collaborative product that reflects innovative planning strategies fitted to Albany’s unique environment and the concerns and values of its community.5 This [Outreach Strategic] Plan began with a situation analysis that identified hard‐to‐reach populations and key messages that should be relayed throughout the Albany 2030 planning process. The team developed a series of strategies to be deployed over the course of two years that would effectively reach and engage each target population. The result was a diverse collection of digital tools, grassroots direct address methods, and creative promotion that reached a representative sample of the City of Albany population. The Albany 2030 team focused on three phases of public engagement: visioning, priority setting, and Plan review. The The structure of this chart is based on a matrix drafted for the Capital South Plan (2007). The content reflects the research interests of Partners for Albany Stories (PAS). Compiled by Aine Leader‐Nagy, researching consultant. 2012. Plan Name: Albany 2030 Comprehensive Plan (2010‐2011) Page 2 of 26 goal in each case was to engage a wide‐sweeping and diverse group of local stakeholders, soliciting input into the creation of the Albany 2030 plan, and then reviewing each element to verify that the community’s needs were being met.6 A Comprehensive Plan Board consisting of citizens, department heads, business owners, and stakeholders was appointed by Common Council to provide direction for development of the plan and to make recommendations regarding its adoption.7 MORE ABOUT THE PLAN Promotion and public support for this plan was conducted through traditional modes of communication, such as print materials etc, but also through social media and a vivid online presence. As such, some supplemental materials about the Plan and community reactions to the Plan can be tracked down through the albany2030.org website, the Albany 2030 flicker account, facebook page, or archived news stories/blogs. The use of these types of communication indicates an intention to continue to use these platforms to interact with the public as various projects progress. In fact, it would be counter‐productive not to have an active internet/ social media presence after building such an infrastructure because it would give the appearance of being stagnant or irrelevant to people searching for information about it online. It would be worthwhile to track the City’s use of this infrastructure in the future. VISION: Albany in 2030 has built on its history and diverse natural, cultural, institutional, and human resources to become a global model for sustainable revitalization and urban livability. The City promotes a balanced approach to economic opportunity, social equity, and environmental quality that is locally driven, encourages citizen involvement and investment, and benefits all residents.8 OTHER: The comprehensive plan was funded by: New York State Department of Sate Brownfield Opportunity Areas Program; New York State Department of State Quality Communities Program; New York State Department of State Local Waterfront Revitalization Program; Capitalize Albany Corporation; Hudson River Greenway; U.S. Department of Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant.9 The Capital Regional Planning Commission (CDRPC) assisted with the creation of the Albany 2030 Data Book. The Albany School District, the Albany Public Libraries, The College of Saint Rose, and Bishop Maginn High School provided facilities and technical/maintenance staff for public forums.10 The Albany 2030 Plan contains the following “Vision Components”: Safe, Livable Neighborhoods; Model Educational System; Vibrant Urban Center; Multi‐Modal Transportation Hub; Green City; Prosperous Economy. The plan has the following Appendices: Appendix A‐ Brownfield Evaluation and Opportunity The structure of this chart is based on a matrix drafted for the Capital South Plan (2007). The content reflects the research interests of Partners for Albany Stories (PAS). Compiled by Aine Leader‐Nagy, researching consultant. 2012. Plan Name: Albany 2030 Comprehensive Plan (2010‐2011) Page 3 of 26 Includes: Locations for Historic Uses & Activities 1928‐1986 Inventory (Map)11 [including, historic laundry cleaners, historic gas stations, historic auto services, historic metal working, historic printing services, historic lumber activities] Appendix B‐ Public Outreach Summarized Result; Appendix C‐ Relevant Related Planning Documents (see chart: Relevant Information from Appendices) Appendix D‐ Climate Action Plan; Appendix E‐ Albany 2030 Data Book Part 1: No specific references to history or culture Part 2: Limited discussion (see chart: Relevant Information from Appendices) Part 3: Includes section titled, 10.0 Historic and Cultural Resources: This section of the Data provides information on the historic properties and districts and cultural resources such as museums, performing arts, and arts sdistrict and programs.12 (see chart: Relevant Information from Appendices) ALBANY 2030 Comprehensive Plan (2010) Relevant Information from Appendices Topic Quote Revisit Previous Plans: Economic ‐ The most recent updates to the economic development strategy focused on development, neighborhood Development Plan (Capitalize revitalization, and education. The committees have recognized that quality‐of‐life issues play a significant role Albany) in attracting high‐tech industries and workers. In addition to prioritizing transformational development projects, the committees have worked to understand how to improve those quality‐of‐life issues that are vital to attracting the skilled, creative workforce needed