Lake Erie Concord Grape Heritage Area Management Plan
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LLakea k e ErieE r i e COONCORDNCORD GRRAPEAPE BEELTLT HHeritageeritage AArearea MManagementanagement PPlanlan peter j. smith & company, inc. “This document was prepared for the New York State Department of State Division of Coastal Resources with funds provided under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund. “ AAcknowledgementscknowledgements The Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt Heritage Area Management Plan was completed with the guidance of various residents and stakeholders interested in the future development and preservation of the Heritage Area. A special thanks to the following participants: Concord Grape Belt Heritage Area Association Town of Westfield and Participating Communities Chautauqua County New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation New York State Department of State Helen Baran, Concord Grape Belt Heritage Area Association Martha Bills, Town of Westfield David Carr, Village of Westfield, NY Ken Cross, Town of Hanover, NY Patricia Lynch Christina, Town of Pomfret, NY Rick Dunst, Cornell Lake Erie Research and Extension Laboratory Andrew Dufresne, Concord Grape Belt Heritage Area Association Bob Green, Pennsylvania Representative Valeria Ivan, NYS Department of State Marcia Kees, NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Kurt Lindstrom, Village of Silver Creek, NY Beth Margolis, Liberty Vineyard and Winery Don McCord, Chautauqua County Dept. of Planning & Economic Development Andrew Nixon, Chautauqua County Visitor’s Bureau Bob Patterson, Town of Portland, NY John Rawlinson, Westfiled, NY Peter Ryan, Town of Ripley, NY Kathy Tampio, Town of Hanover, NY John Walker, Town of Sheridan, NY *Select Photographs provided by Andrew Dufresne Prepared By: peter j. smith & company, inc. August 2010 CContentsontents 1. Introduction 2 List of Tables and Figures Project Background 3 Table 1: Intrinsic Resource Category 9 Purpose of the Management Plan 4 Table 2: Intrinsic Resource Quality 10 Planning Context 4 Table 3: Quality of Scenic Resources 10 Public Input 5 Table 4: Selected Grape Industry Statistics 23 Our Resources 8 Table 5: Traveler Activities 26 Regional Context 12 Table 6: Agritourism Travel 27 Table 7: Management Plan Options 57 2. Character Areas 14 Key Actions & Recommendations 63 Implementation Matrices: Destinations 65 Implementation Matrices: Recreation 66 3. Vision of the Future 18 Implementation Matrices: Intrepretation & Education 67 Implementation Matrices: Circulation 68 Goals & Objectives 20 Figure 1: Context Plans 13 4. Economic Analysis 22 Figure 2: Character Areas 17 The Grape Economy 22 Figure 3: Opportunity Plan - Dectinations 43 Tourism Potential 24 Figure 4: Opportunity Plan - Recreation 47 Market Profiles 25 Figure 5: Opportunity Plan - Interpretation & Education 49 Marketing 28 Figure 6: Opportunity Plan - Circulation 53 Conclusion 35 Appendices 5. Opportunities 36 Summary of Background Documents / Planning Context Maps of Intrinsic Resources and Scenic Resources Introduction 36 Summary of Public Input Concord Grape Belt Opportunities Plan 37 Funding Opportunities 6. Implementation 54 Excerpts from “Concept Design of Interpretative Exhibits” . Management Plan 54 Key Actions & Recommendations 58 Implementation of Key Actions & Recommendations 63 Implementation Matrices 64 Heritage Area Management Plan Concord Grape The Lake Erie Belt Heritage Area Association CConcordoncord GGraperape BeltBelt As the management entity of the Heritage Area, the Concord Grape Belt Heritage Area Association’s mission statement articulates the purpose and principles of the Association and LLocatedocated inin CChautauquahautauqua focuses all efforts to work in concert County, New York and with this Statement. The Mission Statement is as follows: EErierie County,County, PPennsylvania,ennsylvania, *Image Provided by the Fenton History Center The Mission of the Concord Grape the Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt covers Belt Heritage Area Association is to 330,0000,000 vvineyardineyard aacrescres aandnd iiss tthehe largestlargest preserve, revitalize, support and promote the area’s unique grape 1 aandnd oldestoldest ConcordConcord grapegrape growinggrowing regionregion inin production, products and related industries encouraging sustainability tthehe world.world. and economic vitality based on the agricultural, cultural, and natural heritage of the area to enhance TThehe HHeritageeritage AArearea isis thethe NewNew YorkYork portionportion quality of life for all residents. ooff thethe ConcordConcord GrapeGrape BBelt.elt. This Heritage Area Management Plan for the Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt Heritage Area follows the direction of the Mission Statement. peter j. smith & company, inc. 1 1. Introduction This Plan embraces the unique characteristics of the Concord Grape Belt HHeritageeritage AArearea ttoo createcreate a memorablememorable GrapeGrape BeltBelt eexperiencexperience alongalong LakeLake EErierie andand thethe AlleganyAllegany PlateauPlateau Escarpment.Escarpment. Just as this region became famous for grape growing and processing by drawing on its distinct conditions, these same favorable conditions can help establish a grape- 2 themed destination. As Everett Rockmore stated in his 1950s film 2 on grape processing, “Here then is a happy combination, ideal fruit growing conditions, experienced growers and quick access to the major markets.” Once again, the area can use this combination of assets for heritage preservation and economic development; the Heritage Area Management Plan is a tool to accomplish this goal. *Image Provided by the Fenton History Center Heritage Area Management Plan Project Background The New York State (NYS) Heritage Area Program has its roots in the Urban Cultural Park Program which was initiated in 1982. The program name was changed by the NYS Legislature from Urban Cultural Park Program to Heritage Area Program in 1994 to embrace regions and rural areas. The mission of the program, then, as now, is preservation and interpretation of areas with unique heritage for their use for recreation and economic development. The momentum for heritage area designation comes from the communities and regions who seek this designation in order to preserve and interpret their way of life and culture, share it with others and use it to generate economic vitality. The Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt is one of 20 designated heritage areas across New York. It is unique because it is the first agriculturally based heritage area designation. In 2006 the Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt Heritage Area was designated as a New York State Heritage Area under Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation law. The Heritage Area System is defined by the OPRHP as a state-local partnership established to preserve and develop areas that have special significance to New York State. The purpose of the system is to develop, preserve and promote the state’s cultural and natural resources as an expression of our state’s heritage.1 As part of the Heritage Area designation, the Concord Grape Belt is required to develop a comprehensive management plan; this Plan fulfills this requirement to establish the permanent designation of the area. The management entity for the Heritage Area is the Concord Grape Belt Heritage Area Association. 3 Incorporated in 2005, the Association has been a driving force behind the initiative to preserve the grape growing tradition and bring economic development to the region. While working to preserve and promote the area, the Association has engaged in a variety of marketing, education and development efforts including the development of a Concord Grape Belt Discovery Center and the completion and publication of the “Economic Impact of the Grape Juice and Winery Sectors of the Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt” study. Together the Concord Grape Belt Heritage Area, participating municipalities and Chautauqua County are working to complete the Heritage Area Management Plan. This partnership forms the steering committee for the project, representing the residents and the various involved entities of the Heritage Area. With the completion of the Management Plan, the Heritage Area continues to move forward in the development, preservation and promotion of the Concord Grape Belt. 1 Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Heritage Development Resource Guide. November 2007, p. 11. peter j. smith & company, inc. Purpose of the Management Plan Planning Context The Concord Grape Belt is the first agriculturally inspired Heritage The following local planning initiatives are incorporated into the Area in the state. For more than 150 years, producing and Heritage Area Management Plan by reference. A summary of processing grapes has long been a way of life in the region. each of these plans is located in the Appendix. Recognizing the need to secure the future of the industry, and the Chautauqua County Farmland Protection Plan(2000) communities which depend on it, the Concord Grape Belt Heritage Linking Community Revitalization and Environmental Restoration in Area Association initiated the designation of the Heritage Area and the Great Lakes Region (2001) the preparation of the Management Plan. Agriculture and Farmland Protection Programs – Local Stakeholder Views New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets (2003) Offering visitors a diverse and unique interpretive experience, the Westfield Connections – The Westfield Community Planning and soon-to-be-constructed Grape Discovery Center in Westfield, NY, Design Initiative (2003) is a catalyst for realizing