TOWN AND VILLAGE OF ATHENS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN VOLUME II INVENTORY AND PROFILE FINAL ADOPTED SEPTEMBER, 2007 © 2007 Community Planning & Environmental Associates Laberge Group Laberge Group Project Number 25060 Table of Contents Table of Contents ................................................................................................................. i History of Athens ................................................................................................................ 1 Community Outreach Process............................................................................................. 4 Athens Community Comprehensive Plan Committee (ACCPC) ................................... 4 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats (SWOT) ........................................ 5 Public Meetings and Workshops .................................................................................. 13 Visioning Workshop ................................................................................................. 13 Open House ............................................................................................................... 19 Community Image Survey Summary........................................................................ 23 Community Survey ....................................................................................................... 27 Summary of Survey Results...................................................................................... 28 Stakeholder Interviews.............................................................................................. 32 Previous Planning Efforts in the Town & Village ........................................................... 33 Village of Athens Local Waterfront Revitalization Program ....................................... 33 Overview of the LWRP Recommendations .............................................................. 33 Athens Waterfront Restoration Feasibility Study ..................................................... 35 Proposed Barge Removal Project ............................................................................. 35 Athens Fourth Street Boat Launch Project ............................................................... 36 Hudson River Improvement Fund Grant .................................................................. 37 Town and Village of Athens Municipal Community Center: Evaluation of Existing Municipal Offices and Feasibility Study of Future Government Space ................... 37 Village Main Street Plan ........................................................................................... 38 County Planning Efforts ............................................................................................... 38 Greene County Economic Development Plan .......................................................... 38 Greene County Habitat Management Plan ............................................................... 41 Town and Village of Athens Comprehensive Plan, Volume II Page i Table of Contents Demographic Profile ......................................................................................................... 42 Population ..................................................................................................................... 42 Age Distribution............................................................................................................ 44 Household Composition................................................................................................ 46 Household Income ........................................................................................................ 48 Educational Attainment ................................................................................................ 51 Housing Resources............................................................................................................ 53 Housing Inventory ........................................................................................................ 53 Projected Housing Growth ............................................................................................ 58 Housing Value .............................................................................................................. 59 Recent Home Sales ....................................................................................................... 60 Housing Affordability ................................................................................................... 60 Housing Rental Index ............................................................................................... 60 Ownership Units Affordability Ratio........................................................................ 61 Housing Needs and Assistance Programs ..................................................................... 62 New York State Department of Housing & Community Renewal ........................... 62 Local Housing Programs........................................................................................... 63 Municipal & Community Resources ................................................................................ 64 Municipal Properties ..................................................................................................... 64 Athens Community Center ....................................................................................... 64 Other Municipal Properties ....................................................................................... 65 Public Access Recreation Land .................................................................................... 65 Community Parks...................................................................................................... 65 Natural Open Spaces / Preserves .............................................................................. 67 Roadway Maintenance and Repair ............................................................................... 68 Village Department of Public Works ........................................................................ 68 Town of Athens Highway Department ..................................................................... 69 Greene County Highway Department ....................................................................... 69 Town and Village of Athens Comprehensive Plan, Volume II Page ii Table of Contents Water, Sewer and Sanitation ......................................................................................... 70 Public Water Supply ................................................................................................. 70 Public Sewer System................................................................................................. 71 Solid Waste Disposal ................................................................................................ 71 Utilities .......................................................................................................................... 72 Electric & Gas ........................................................................................................... 72 Telephone, Cable & Internet Access. ....................................................................... 72 Emergency Services ...................................................................................................... 73 Police Services .......................................................................................................... 73 Fire Districts & Departments .................................................................................... 73 Catskill Ambulance Services .................................................................................... 74 Greene County Emergency Medical Services, Inc. .................................................. 75 Educational Resources .................................................................................................. 75 Coxsackie-Athens Central School District ............................................................... 76 Catskill Central School District ................................................................................ 77 Questar BOCES ........................................................................................................ 79 Columbia-Greene Community College .................................................................... 80 Economic & Industrial Development ............................................................................... 81 Economic Analysis ....................................................................................................... 81 Employment Trends .................................................................................................. 81 Occupational Trends ................................................................................................. 84 Commuter Patterns.................................................................................................... 86 Life Style Segmentation Analysis ............................................................................. 87 Retail Sales and Consumer Spending ....................................................................... 89 Business Analysis ..................................................................................................... 95 Economic Sectors.......................................................................................................... 98 Tourism 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