Introduction
TOWN OF ONEONTA 2014 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN INTRODUCTION This document is the recommended Comprehensive Plan for the Town of Oneonta as proposed by the ad hoc Comprehensive Planning Committee commissioned by the Town Board in August 2012. Historically, the comprehensive plans were approved in 1998, 1973 and 1965. During the past fifteen years since the plan was last updated the town has seen growth in different areas, changes in population, industry, and potential for commercial and industrial development, all of which will be discussed in further detail within this document. This Comprehensive Plan is designed to be a strategic plan for the vision of the community’s goals and aspirations in terms of development. According to Anderson, Larz (1995) Guidelines for Preparing Urban Plans Chicago: APA Planners Press "To be relevant, the planning process must identity and address not only contemporary issues of concern to residents, workers, property owners, and business people, but also the emerging issues that will be important in the future." The main purpose for this Comprehensive Plan is to guide the Town of Oneonta to govern with a visionary approach. As time passes, communities evolve, technologies change, industries advance, such as the utilization of horizontal hydraulic fracturing for natural gas by oil and gas companies. This activity brought many local residents to the Town Board voicing a variety of opinions. This issue, along with many others, such as, public safety, economic development, city/town merger, and the age of the previous Plan, prompted the Board to approve a town-wide survey including all registered voters, business and property owners.
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