The Town of Maryland 2019 Comprehensive Plan Modified January 19, 2019 1 Acknowledgements Harold Palmer, Supervisor, Town of Maryland Danny Lapin, Environmental Planner, Otsego County Conservation Association Shane Digan, Intern, Otsego County Conservation Association Maryland Town Board Harold Palmer, Supervisor, Town of Maryland Christopher Di Donna, Councilman, Town of Maryland Reneé Gaston, Councilwoman, Town of Maryland Scott Gaston, Councilman, Town of Maryland Brian Bookhout, Councilman, Town of Maryland Town of Maryland Department Heads Paul Neske, Zoning Enforcement Officer/Fire Chief Pete Andrews, Former Water Superintendent Tim Walke, Highway Superintendent John Arnold, Town Assessor/Planning Board Chairman Otsego County Board of Representatives Peter Oberacker, Otsego County Representative District 6 Town of Maryland Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee Steve Barton, Chairman Eleanor Stromberg, Member Jason Knapp, Member Barbara Dulkis, Member Gary DuBois, Member Ted Stuka, Member Connie Lull, Member In memory of Scott Roland, member. Schenevus Central School Deb Anderson’s Class 2 Table of Contents Section 1.0: Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................. 6 Section 1.1: Vision Statement ................................................................................................................................................................ 6 Section 1.2: What is a Comprehensive Plan? ........................................................................................................................................ 7 Section 1.2.1: Relationship between Zoning-Enabling Laws and the Comprehensive Plan ............................................................. 7 Section 1.2.2: What a Comprehensive Plan is Not ........................................................................................................................... 7 Section 1.2.3: What Does a Comprehensive Plan Do? .................................................................................................................... 7 Section 1.2.4: Why Update the Comprehensive Plan? ..................................................................................................................... 8 Section 1.3: Plan Context ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Section 1.3.1: Location ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Section 1.3.2: History........................................................................................................................................................................ 9 Section 1.4: Background of Maryland’s Comprehensive Plan ............................................................................................................ 10 Section 1.4.1: 1993 Comprehensive Plan ...................................................................................................................................... 10 Section 1.4.2: 2008 Comprehensive Plan Update .......................................................................................................................... 10 Section 1.5: The 2018-19 Comprehensive Planning Process in a Nutshell ........................................................................................ 11 Section 1.5.1: Public engagement related to the Comprehensive Plan Update ............................................................................. 11 Section 1.5.2: Complementary Efforts ............................................................................................................................................ 14 Section 1.5.3: Comprehensive Plan Open Houses......................................................................................................................... 15 Section 1.5.4: Review of Regional and Statewide Initiatives and Recommendations .................................................................... 16 Section 2.0: Community Resources ......................................................................................................................................................... 17 Section 2.1: Location .......................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Section 2.2: Local Government ........................................................................................................................................................... 17 Section 2.3: Approach to Data Analysis .............................................................................................................................................. 18 Section 2.3.1: Population ................................................................................................................................................................ 18 Section 2.3.2: Age Distribution ....................................................................................................................................................... 19 Section 2.3.3: Households and Families ........................................................................................................................................ 20 Section 2.3.4: Educational Attainment ............................................................................................................................................ 21 Section 2.3.5: Employment ............................................................................................................................................................. 23 Section 2.3.6: Employment by Industry .......................................................................................................................................... 25 Section 2.3.7: Commuting Characteristics ...................................................................................................................................... 26 Section 2.3.8: Income ..................................................................................................................................................................... 27 Section 2.3.9: Household Income Distribution ................................................................................................................................ 29 Section 2.3.10: Poverty................................................................................................................................................................... 30 Section 2.3.11: Housing.................................................................................................................................................................. 30 Section 2.4: Existing Land-Use in the Town of Maryland .................................................................................................................... 33 Section 2.4.1: Land-Use Patterns ................................................................................................................................................... 34 Section 2.4.2: Zoning Regulations in the Town of Maryland ........................................................................................................... 36 3 Section 2.5: Natural Resources in the Town of Maryland ................................................................................................................... 38 Section 2.5.1: Topography.............................................................................................................................................................. 38 Section 2.5.2: Water Resources ..................................................................................................................................................... 40 Section 2.5.3: Soils ......................................................................................................................................................................... 43 Section 2.5.4: Agricultural Resources ............................................................................................................................................. 46 Section 2.5.5: Surficial Geology ...................................................................................................................................................... 51 Section 2.6: Community Resources in the Town of Maryland ............................................................................................................. 53 Section 2.6.1: Transportation ........................................................................................................................................................... 53 Section 2.6.2: Fire and Emergency Services ................................................................................................................................... 54 Section 2.6.3: Education ................................................................................................................................................................. 56 Section 2.6.4: Cultural and Historic Resources 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