Town of Cornwall Comprehensive Development Plan Update 2011 With the Assistance of Garling Associates Community Planners 301 Main Street Goshen, New York (845) 294‐5835 Adopted by the Town of Cornwall Town Board March 13, 2012 Town of Cornwall Comprehensive Plan Update Adopted March 13, 2012 Town Board Kevin Quigley, Supervisor Mary Beth Greene Krafft, Deputy Supervisor Randy Clark Alexander Mazzocca Elizabeth J. Longinott Comprehensive Plan Committee J. Kerry McGuinness, Chairman Lorraine Bennett Mark Cote Doug Land James McGee Counsel: Stephen J. Gaba, Esq. Town Attorney 2 Town of Cornwall Comprehensive Plan Update Adopted March 13, 2012 Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 7 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PURPOSE AND AUTHORITY ................................ 7 WHY UPDATE NOW? ........................................................................................ 7 ORGANIZATION OF THE PLAN ....................................................................... 8 2.0 CORNWALL TODAY: SUMMARY OF EXISTING CONDITIONS ...................... 8 2.1 Population ......................................................................................................... 9 2.2 Housing/Household Characteristics ................................................................... 16 2.3 Affordable Housing ............................................................................................. 21 3.0 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE .................................................................. 28 3.1 Planning Issues .................................................................................................. 28 3.2 Review of Goals and Objectives from 2005 Comprehensive Plan ..................... 28 4.0 MAIN STREET/DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION PLAN ................................... 29 4.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 29 4.2 Existing Conditions ............................................................................................. 30 4.2.1 Existing Zoning ................................................................................................... 30 4.2.2 Existing Land Use .............................................................................................. 32 4.2.3 Parking and Traffic Issues .................................................................................. 35 4.3 Aesthetic Issues ................................................................................................. 38 4.4 Historic Character ............................................................................................... 39 4.5 Architectural Review ........................................................................................... 42 4.6 Economic Development Tools ............................................................................ 43 4.7 Historic District Planning .................................................................................... 43 4.8 Goals of the Main Street/Downtown Revitalization Plan .................................... 44 4.9 Recommendations of Previous Studies ............................................................. 44 4.10 Implementation of the Main Street/Downtown Revitalization Plan ..................... 46 5.0 LAND USE AND HOUSING PLAN ..................................................................... 47 5.1 Land Uses in Town ............................................................................................. 48 5.2 Existing Zoning ................................................................................................... 50 5.3 Water and Sewer Services ................................................................................. 51 5.4 Roadways ........................................................................................................... 53 5.5 Traffic Accident Locations .................................................................................. 54 5.6 Aesthetic Resources .......................................................................................... 55 5.7 Review of Residential Area Zoning .................................................................... 56 5.7.1 MCR – Mountain and Conservation Residence District ..................................... 56 5.7.2 ARR – Agricultural Rural Residence District ...................................................... 57 5.7.3 SLR – Suburban Low Density Residence District .............................................. 57 5.7.4 SR-1 – Suburban Residence District .................................................................. 57 5.7.5 SR-2 – Suburban Residence District .................................................................. 58 5.7.6 PRD – Planned Residence Districts ................................................................... 58 3 Town of Cornwall Comprehensive Plan Update Adopted March 13, 2012 5.8 Review of Commercial Districts .......................................................................... 58 5.8.1 GC – General Commercial District ..................................................................... 58 5.8.2 LS – Local Shopping District ............................................................................. 59 5.8.3 HC – Highway Commercial District .................................................................... 59 5.8.4 Planned Industrial Office (PIO) and Planned Commercial Development (PCD) Areas .................................................................................................................. 59 5.9 Overlay Districts ................................................................................................. 60 5.10 Economic Development ..................................................................................... 60 5.11 Goals of the Land Use and Housing Plan .......................................................... 61 5.12 Implementation of the Land Use and Housing Plan .......................................... 61 6.0 ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION ............................................................... 63 6.1 Open Space and Conservation .......................................................................... 63 6.2 Agricultural Lands .............................................................................................. 65 6.3 Local Environmental Regulations ....................................................................... 65 6.4 Tree Preservation ............................................................................................... 65 6.5 Wildlife Habitat ................................................................................................... 66 6.6 Ridge and Slope Preservation ............................................................................ 67 6.7 Stream Protection ............................................................................................... 67 6.8 Goals of Environmental Protection Plan ............................................................. 68 6.9 Implementation of the Plan for Environmental Protection .................................. 68 7.0 PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS & MUNICIPAL FACILITIES .............................. 69 7.1 Town Parkland and Recreation Facilities ........................................................... 70 7.2 Town Municipal Facilities ................................................................................... 70 7.3 Bicycle and Pedestrian Corridors ....................................................................... 70 7.4 Goals for Public Accommodations & Municipal Facilities ................................... 70 7.5 Implementation of Plan for Public Accommodations & Municipal Facilities ....... 71 8.0 CONSISTENCY WITH REGIONAL PLANS ....................................................... 72 9.0 PLAN IMPLEMENTATION ................................................................................. 73 9.1 Summary of Recommendations ......................................................................... 73 9.1.1 Goals of Main Street/Downtown Revitalization Plan .......................................... 73 9.1.1.1 Objectives of Main Street/Downtown Revitalization Plan ................................ 73 9.1.2 Goals of Land Use and Housing Plan ................................................................ 75 9.1.2.1 Objectives of Land Use and Housing Plan ...................................................... 75 9.1.3 Goals of Environmental Protection Plan ............................................................. 77 9.1.3.1 Implementation of the Plan for Environmental Protection ................................ 77 9.1.4 Goals for Public Accommodations and Municipal Facilities ............................... 78 9.1.4.1 Implementation of Plan for Public Accommodations and Municipal Facilities . 78 9.2 Official Town Map ............................................................................................... 80 9.3 Updating the Plan ............................................................................................... 80 4 Town of Cornwall Comprehensive Plan Update Adopted March 13, 2012 List of Tables, Exhibits, and Figures Table 2.1 Town of Cornwall (excluding Village) and Orange County Population Trends, 1970-2010 .................................................................................... 9 Table 2.2 Town of Cornwall and Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson Population Trends, 1970-2010 .................................................................................