City of Watervliet, NY Comprehensive Plan
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City of Watervliet, NY Comprehensive Plan November 2010 Watervliet Comprehensive Plan Acknowledgements This Comprehensive Plan document is the end product of the effort of many individuals who worked cooperatively for the success of the City of Watervliet. The following people contributed many hours of concerted effort to the production of the plan. Their commitment, energy and enthusiasm made this plan possible. Council Members Honorable Mike Manning, Mayor Ellen Fogarty, Councilwoman Nick Foglia, Councilman Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee Members Paul Gentile John Broderick Matt Calacone Advisory Committee Chairman Resident Resident Planning Board Robert DeChiaro Dot Dugan Jeff Foster Resident Resident Resident Mark Gilchrist Mark Gleason Jay Halekyo Building Inspector City Manager Business Owner Patty Hogan Fran McKee‐DeCrescenzo Paul Murphy Resident Resident Former City Manager Nicholas J. Ostapkovich Carol Shufelt Lauren Smith Planning Board Resident Watervliet Arsenal Planning Board Members Nicholas J. Ostapkovich, Chairman James Bulmer James Chartrand Dave Dressel Paul Gentile James Hayes Bruce Hidley, alternate member City Staff Rosemary Nichols David Wheatley Planning Director Deputy City Clerk Funding New York State Office of Community Renewal CDBG ‐ Community Planning Grant 1 Watervliet Comprehensive Plan Table of Contents Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 3 Setting the Scene ..................................................................................................................................... 3 What is a Comprehensive Plan? ............................................................................................................. 3 Planning Process ..................................................................................................................................... 4 Community Profile .................................................................................................................................. 4 Community Profile ...................................................................................................................................... 7 Historical Background ............................................................................................................................ 7 Demographic Characteristics ............................................................................................................... 10 Housing .................................................................................................................................................. 18 The Local Economy ............................................................................................................................... 26 Real Estate Tax Base Analysis .............................................................................................................. 35 Map 1: Tax Exempt Land ................................................................................................................... 37 Land Use and Land Management ......................................................................................................... 43 Map 2: Land Use ................................................................................................................................. 44 Map 3: Zoning ..................................................................................................................................... 47 Transportation and Infrastructure ...................................................................................................... 51 Map 4: Roadways ............................................................................................................................... 52 Natural Environment ............................................................................................................................ 56 Map 5: Floodplain ............................................................................................................................... 60 Historic and Community Character ..................................................................................................... 64 Map 6: Historic Resources .................................................................................................................. 65 Government, Public Safety and Community Institutions ................................................................... 69 Map 7: Recreation and Community Services ..................................................................................... 75 Vision and Goals ........................................................................................................................................ 78 Action Plan ................................................................................................................................................. 80 Plan Implementation ........................................................................................................................... 81 Periodic Review .................................................................................................................................. 81 Action Plan.......................................................................................................................................... 81 2 Watervliet Comprehensive Plan Introduction Setting the Scene The City of Watervliet (2000 population 10,207) is located approximately 5 miles north of the City of Albany, the capital of New York State. The City of Watervliet has many of the amenities of a larger city while maintaining a small town atmosphere. As the City prepares its first Comprehensive Plan, it faces a complex mix of opportunities and challenges. Many of those opportunities stem from the City’s rich historic and architectural legacy and vibrant and diverse neighborhoods, all situated in a uniquely designed urban environment. The community is at a defined point of transformation and change in its social and economic history, especially with the development opportunities that have never existed before because of the privatization of 60 acres at the Watervliet Arsenal. At the same time, much of Watervliet’s legacy has been challenged by disinvestment and loss of population. City leaders wondered how the citizens of Watervliet can collectively build a future that takes full advantage of its historical legacy and current opportunities, a future that not only responds to immediate needs but also addresses the increasingly critical long‐term issues of environmental, housing, economic and social sustainability. The ultimate goal is for the City of Watervliet to become a sustainable city in the long term – a city that offers economic opportunities along with an excellent and equitable quality of life for its citizens, who in turn can share the community with each other and live in harmony with the natural environment. The development of this comprehensive plan will be key to creating this vision and realizing that future. What is a Comprehensive Plan? Under New York State law, municipalities are granted the authority and responsibility to prepare and adopt comprehensive plans. As defined in the state legislation, a comprehensive plan is a document that presents goals, objectives, guidelines and policies for the immediate and long‐range protection, enhancement, growth and community development. Also known as a master plan or land use plan, a comprehensive plan provides guidance to municipal leaders and helps to ensure that the needs of the community will be met. Other units of government are mandated to honor the City’s comprehensive plan in taking actions that may affect the City. The action items described in the plan are not requirements. Rather, they are recommendations designed to provide focus and direction as Watervliet moves ahead to reach its preferred future. It will be up to the local community to decide on an ongoing basis which initiatives should be implemented in which order and how they wish to proceed to implement those initiatives. City government will support, facilitate and remove barriers during the implementation process. Continued active citizen participation will be key to the ultimate success of this plan. Although any future land use regulation must be in accordance with the principles of the Comprehensive Plan, there is no legally binding requirement that the City implement each of the action items proposed in the plan. The City Council should carefully examine proposed land use strategies to minimize the implementation cost to residents and protect private property rights. 3 Watervliet Comprehensive Plan Planning Process The City of Watervliet has been developing the City’s first Comprehensive Plan over the past year with the assistance of River Street Planning & Development, LLC, who were engaged by the City to facilitate the planning process. The focus of the comprehensive planning effort is asset based, building on community strengths and existing programs and efforts to: Encourage growth and development while protecting important historic, environmental and community assets Stabilize the city’s neighborhoods and commercial districts Provide a broad set of policies and projects that will establish