COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR CITY OF NIAGARA FALLS, USA 2009 CITY OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK Mayor Paul A. Dyster, Chief Executive Officer Donna Owens, City Administrator Niagara Falls City Council Mr. Samuel Fruscione - City Council Chair Mr. Robert Anderson Jr - Council Member Mr. Steven Fournier - Council Member Mr. Chris Robins - Council Member Mr. Charles Walker - Council Member N IAGARA F ALLS COMPREHENSIVE P LAN CITY OF NIAGARA FALLS PLANNING BOARD 2008 MEMBERS Angelo D’Aloise, Chairperson Richard Smith, Vice-Chairperson Geraldine Donovan Harold (Hal) Faba Marjorie Gillies Mark Grozio Michael Lewis Timothy Polka Zebedee Turk CITY OF NIAGARA FALLS PLANNING STAFF Peter Kay, Director of Planning and Economic Development Thomas J. DeSantis, AICP, Senior Planner Joseph Collura, Economic Development Professional Derek Waltho, Planner II/HPS Alan Nusbaum, Environmental Assistant/GIS Coordinator Bonnie Smith, Recording Secretary N IAGARA F ALLS COMPREHENSIVE P LAN ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Niagara Falls Strategic and Comprehensive Plans are the result of the efforts of many individuals, members of the community who shared their thoughts and comments concerning the future of the city most intently throughout the period from 2001-04, including the Planning, Economic and Community Development, and Inspections. The ideas and thoughts expressed by those who have taken an active interest in the planning process resulted in an inspiring and compelling Strategic Master Plan, which was publicly released in the Fall of 2004 to great acclaim and broad community support. We would like to acknowledge and thank the following people for sharing their input through meetings and stakeholder interviews, participation in the Stakeholder Workshop, or simply by taking the time to engage the project team in a conversation about their ideas or activities. Our apologies in advance to those inadvertently missed as well as to all those who continued to contribute their time and thoughtful input into seeing this strategic vision adopted as official policy. Frank Amendola Sam Ferraro Gay Molnar Matteo Anello Beverly Foit-Albert Bob Morris Vincenzo V. Anello Tom Garlock Hal Morse Ron Anderluh Adriana Gazegian Jason Murgia Joe Anderson Margorie Gillies Bob Newman Meredith Andreucci James Glynn Kevin Ormsby Matteo Anello Stephen Godzisz Mike Parsnick Ralph Aversa Dean Gowan Dominic Penale Guy Bax Paul Gregory John H. Percy, Jr. Timothy Bax Paul Grenga Lizmarie Perez Jeanne Beals Paul Gromosiak Audrey Perry John Behan John Guisiana Kirk Perry Beth Benson Norma Higgs Tim Polka Angela Berti Richard Hastings Mike Quarcini F. Boltz Bill Hinkle Anthony Rendina Daniel Bristol David Hojnacki John Risio Joe Buffamonte Mike Hooper Mary Ann Rolland Randall Burkhart Bradshaw Hovey David Rosenwasser David Carter Diane Hughes Joe Ruffalo David Caldwell Fran Iusi Ed Rutkowski Nancy Chapin Nancy Joseph Fran Scarfone Betty Chetney Andy Giarrizzo Prof. Robert Shibley Joseph Collura Mary Joseph Lynda Schneekloth James Copia Sean Q. Kelly Chris Schoepflin Gary Coscia Don King Bonnie Smith Angelo D’Aloise Robert Krause Pam Smith Laurie Davis Larry Krizan Mark Tyka Thomas J. DeSantis Kathie Kudela Richard Usas Dorothy DeVantier Father Joseph Levesque Bill Vanacek Geraldine Donovan Greg Lewis Charles Walker John Drake Kathy Ligammari Derek Waltho Clara Dunn Stephanie Lopez Andy Webster Willie Dunn Keith Lucas Lee Whittaker Paul Dyster Gary Malner Joanne Willmott Mayor Irene Elia Tim McSweeney Michael Wilton Martha Farbo-Lincoln Claudia Miller Tom Yots John Fell Michael Mist Lori Zimpfer TABLE OF CONTENTS S ECTION PAGE PART I: SETTING THE STAGE FOR RENEWAL 1 1. I NTRODUCTION 1 1.1 The Purpose of the Comprehensive Plan 2 1.2 The Planning Process 4 2. SETTING THE STAGE FOR CHANGE: UNDERSTANDING CONTEMPORARY 5 CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES AND ECONOMIC DRIVERS 2.1 Understanding Contemporary Challenges 2.2 Opportunities and Key Economic Drivers 5 13 PART II: COMPREHENSIVE PLAN STRATEGIES 25 1. T HE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 25 2. T OWARD A NEW DIRECTION FOR THE FUTURE 2.1 Principles for City Renewal 27 2.2 A Comprehensive Roadmap for Positive Change 27 30 3. CORE CITY VISION 31 4. CORE CITY STRATEGIES 4.1 The Big Moves 34 4.1.1 Reconnect the City to its Waterfront 36 4.1.2 Create the Cultural District 36 4.1.3 Initiate Public Realm and Catalyst Projects in the Falls 43 Precinct 47 4.1.4 Transform the Niagara Street Precinct 4.1.5 Create a New Neighborhood in the Daly Boulevard Precinct 56 4.1.6 Preserve the Heritage of the Core City 58 4.1.7 Housing Renewal 60 4.2 Core City Precinct Strategies 63 4.2.1 Customhouse and North-Main Loft Precinct 68 4.2.2 Middle Main Street Precinct 68 4.2.3 Portage Precinct 72 4.2.4 Pine Avenue Precinct 74 4.2.5 Third Street Precinct 76 4.2.6 Park Place [Wright Park] Heritage District 80 4.2.7 Buffalo Avenue Heritage District 81 4.2.8 Casino Precinct 84 4.2.9 East Falls Street Redevelopment Area 87 88 N IAGARA F ALLS COMPREHENSIVE P LAN 5. ENHANCING THE T OURISM EXPERIENCE: ARRIVAL AND ORIENTATION 90 6. PRIORITY I NITIATIVES W ITHIN THE CORE CITY 6.1 Short-term Projects for Implementation 95 6.2 Long-term Projects for Implementation 95 95 7. G ENERAL CITYWIDE POLICIES 7.1 Land Use 96 7.2 Historic Resources 98 7.3 Built Environment 99 7.4 Environmental and Open Space Resources 100 7.5 Transportation 102 7.6 Economic Development and Tourism 106 7.7 Housing 110 7.8 Brownfield/Greyfield Development 113 7.9 Waterfront Redevelopment 115 116 PART III: I MPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK 119 1. BUILDING SUPPORT FOR POSITIVE CHANGE 1.1. Establish On-going Education and Awareness Program 119 1.2. Celebrate Major Initiatives and Achievements 119 1.3. Strong Leadership is Required 121 122 2. POLICIES, PROCEDURES AND T OOLS 2.1 Policy Changes 123 2.2 Procedural Changes 123 2.3 Tools 125 125 3. I NSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING 126 APPENDIX A: PRECEDENT PLANNING STUDIES AND DOCUMENTS APPENDIX B: FIGURES & G ENERAL PLANNING AREAS MAP N IAGARA F ALLS COMPREHENSIVE P LAN FOREWORD The original version of this document was completed in August 2004 by Urban Strategies Inc. for the City of Niagara Falls and originally entitled the Niagara Falls Strategic Master Plan (the "2004 Strategic Master Plan"). After its completion, it was determined that the 2004 Plan should serve as the basis for updating the City’s 1994 Comprehensive Plan. The 2004 Strategic Master Plan thus became the ‘draft Comprehensive Plan’ and has since served as the de facto primary policy framework for planning and development in the City. Since 2004, the municipal intent and strategic recommendations reflected in the 2004 Plan have been expressed simultaneously though the City's proposed adoption of comprehensive planning policies and comprehensive zoning changes. Also during this time, the “big move” strategic initiatives and recommendations have been further investigated, expanded upon, analyzed, and refined. The result of this further evolution of the 2004 Strategic Master Plan is this Comprehensive Plan, a richer, more detailed, and more relevant interpretation. In most aspects, this Comprehensive Plan document is comparable to the 2004 Strategic Master Plan and owes an enormous debt to Urban Strategies, Inc. and the many individuals who came together to make that award-winning plan possible, all of whom should continue to be regarded as the chief authors of this plan (see “Acknowledgements” page). The main difference between the earlier version of the document and this, the final 2008 version, is Section 7, “General Citywide Strategies.” Since completion of the 2004 Strategic Master Plan, , it was determined that the citywide policy discussion therein should be broadened (greater scope) and expanded upon (greater depth) in order to ensure a continuity of the strategic vision throughout each planning area of the city and across functional responsibility. The expanded discussion reflects input received from elected and appointed officials, academics, developers, economic and legal consultants, and the general public in close consultation with city staff. Additional changes to the original document include: revisions to Section 1.2, “The Planning Process,” to reflect the additional public workshop conducted as part of the effort to expand the citywide policies; refining the details of key initiatives; zoning code update process; provision of a conceptual planning areas map (Appendix B) and; a brief overview of previously completed plans and studies that have been consulted in the development of this plan (Appendix A). Accordingly, this 2008 Comprehensive Plan document is a continuation and culmination of significant planning activities undertaken both before, during, and subsequent to development of the 2004 Strategic Master Plan. This Comprehensive Plan is the blueprint for our future, engendering the principles and guidelines that will influence our city’s development in the coming years. This is not an ordinance; it is not a code book. It is a plan, intended to encourage thoughtful urban design and city building reflective of the community’s vision and leading to a city that we can all embrace and enjoy. N IAGARA F ALLS COMPREHENSIVE P LAN PART I: SETTING THE STAGE FOR RENEWAL 1. INTRODUCTION Over the past four decades, the City of Niagara Falls has suffered from economic and industrial decline, and serious employment and population loss. As well, a number of misguided renewal initiatives that removed residential and commercial stock in the heart of the city have fragmented the downtown core and the communities that traditionally supported it. Today, many urban neighborhoods are in decay, large areas of the city’s industrial corridors are abandoned, and many residents, community and business leaders have lost their sense of pride in their city. In fact, many former residents have chosen to move out of Niagara Falls. Many visitors are disappointed and clearly unimpressed by the quality of the urban environment and the tourism offering that is not what they would expect adjacent to a world-class natural heritage destination such as the Falls.