Village of Fleischmanns Comprehensive Plan Village of Fleischmanns, New York Prepared by the Village of Fleischmanns Comprehensive Plan Committee With Planit Main Street, Inc. DECEMBER 14, 2009 Village of Fleischmanns Comprehensive Plan Acknowledgements Village Board Planning Board Zoning Board Hon. David Morell, Mayor Jeff Slavin, Chairman Faith Cherry, Chairperson Todd Pascarella, Deputy Mayor Larry Reilly, Member Craig Cherry, Member Malcolm Becker, Trustee Bill Innella, Member Bill Birns, Member Martin Morales, Trustee R. Patel, Member Fred Woller, Trustee Bud Sife, Member Comprehensive Plan Committee Fred Woller Larry Reilly Harriet L. Grossman Paula DeSimone Marilee Asher Sindy Becker David Morell Tom Evans, Senior Planner - Delaware County Department of Planning Kent Manuel, Senior Planner - Delaware County Department of Planning Consultants PLANIT MAIN STREET, INC. Alan J. Sorensen, AICP – Author All photos and illustrations unless noted otherwise © Planit Main Street, Inc., all rights reserved. This publication is produced for the sole use of the Village of Fleischmanns and may not be made available to other parties without the written permission of Planit Main Street, Inc. Village of Fleischmanns, New York i Village of Fleischmanns Comprehensive Plan Acknowledgements Continued Village Staff Members Patrick Davis, CEO Lorraine DeMarfio - Clerk /Treasurer Leyland Johnson III - Village Crew Laborer Michael Myers - Water Superintendent Malcolm Becker - Highway Superintendent Geographic Information Systems Mapping Staff members from the Delaware County Planning Department prepared the geographic Information Systems (GIS) maps. Funding The Catskill Watershed Corporation's Local Technical Assistance Program provided funding, in part, for the creation of this Comprehensive Plan and the Delaware County Department of Planning - under the direction of Nicole Franzece, Planning Director - provided technical support in the development of this Comprehensive Plan. The Village of Fleischmanns wishes to acknowledge the generous contribution from these agencies. Aerial Photos Planit Main Street, Inc. Village of Fleischmanns, New York ii Village of Fleischmanns Comprehensive Plan Vision Statement “In our Vision for the Village of Fleischmanns in the future, our historic community character is preserved, business community revitalized and quality of life enhanced. In the coming years, we carefully manage development and redevelopment to protect the integrity of our village, its historic districts, Main Street business district, cultural & civic institutions, public parks, and our natural resources; preserve historic buildings, open space and the integrity of our historic residential neighborhoods; enhance the convenience of pedestrian access to services and facilities within our walkable community and employment opportunities for our residents; provide sustainable public infrastructure and services to meet growing community needs in a cost-effective manner; recreational opportunities for all age groups; and set quality design standards to ensure that new growth and redevelopment enriches our community aesthetics and is in harmony with the existing fabric of the Village of Fleischmanns.” Village of Fleischmanns, New York iii Village of Fleischmanns Comprehensive Plan Table of Contents Village of Fleischmanns Comprehensive Plan EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Chapter 1 - Introduction…...………………....…………………………....………………………… 1 Chapter 2 - Historical & Regional Context……….………………………………………………… 3 Chapter 3 - Public Participation…………….……….…………...…….…….……………………... 8 Chapter 4 - Population & Housing…………..……….……………………………………………… 20 Chapter 5 - Natural Resources……………………………………………………..………………… 28 Chapter 6 - Transportation……………………..……………………….…………………………… 43 Chapter 7 - Cultural, Recreational & Historic Resources……………..…………..……………… 58 Chapter 8 - Community Facilities…………………………………….……………………………… 72 Chapter 9 - Main Street Revitalization…………………………….……………...………………….. 80 Chapter 10- Economic & Housing Policy ……………………….……………...……………………. 89 Chapter 11 - Land Use & Zoning……………………….………..….……………………….………… 97 Chapter 12 - Plan Implementation……………………….…………………………………………… 111 APPENDICES Lighting Design, New Urbanism Concepts and Definitions Maps: Steep Slopes …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 29 Wetlands……………………………………………….……………………………………………................................................................. 31 Floodplains………………………………………………………………………………………………………………............................….. 31 General Soils..…………………………………………………………………………………………………………............................… 34 Roadway Classification….....….……………………………………………………………………..………………………………………... 45 Off-street Parking (Pedestrian-Trail Opportunities) .......................................................................................................................................... 51 Traffic Calming and Off-street Parking Opportunities…..……………………………………………………………………..…………….. 53 Historic Districts……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 60 Parks & Open Space….…………………………………………………………………………….…………………………………………. 68 Land Use…….…………………………………..…………………………………………….……………………………………………… 98 Zoning ………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………….……………………… 102 Village of Fleischmanns, New York iv Village of Fleischmanns EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Village Board formed a Comprehensive VISION STATEMENT Plan Committee in November 2008 to lead the effort to prepare a new Comprehensive Plan for “In our Vision for the Village of Fleischmanns in the future, our historic community character the Village of Fleischmanns, New York. The is preserved, business community revitalized new Comprehensive Plan is intended to build and quality of life enhanced. In the coming upon recent planning efforts including 1) The years, we carefully manage development and Village of Fleischmanns' Downtown Assessment redevelopment to protect the integrity of our and 2) Strategy for Revitalizing Fleischmanns. village, its historic districts, Main Street Unlike the previous studies that focused on business district, cultural & civic institutions, narrow segments of the community, the new public parks, and our natural resources; Comprehensive Plan is intended to provide a preserve historic buildings, open space and the broad vision of the community's future. integrity of our historic residential neighborhoods; enhance the convenience of The new Comprehensive Plan forms the basis for pedestrian access to services and facilities within our walkable community and future land use regulations and subsequent employment opportunities for our residents; zoning or subdivision revisions that may be provide sustainable public infrastructure and necessary to implement the recommendations services to meet growing community needs in a contained within this Plan. It is also intended to cost-effective manner; recreational help guide other Village policies related to opportunities for all age groups; and set quality recreation, open space preservation, housing, design standards to ensure that new growth and historic preservation and business development. redevelopment enriches our community This Plan is also intended to respond to aesthetics and is in harmony with the existing fabric of Fleischmanns.” challenges facing the Village today and during the next five to ten years. Comprehensive Plan Committee The Committee created specific future land use Public participation in the development of the policies intended to achieve the broad goal of Plan was encouraged through a variety of public preserving the character of the Village including informational meetings, visioning sessions, its traditional neighborhoods, Main Street, historic districts and overall quality of life. Above (top to bottom): Skene Memorial public hearings and regular Committee meetings. Library circa 1901; Victorian home on Wagner Details of the public participation process and These policies are discussed in the context of Avenue within Fleischmanns' Historic District findings are included in Chapter 3.0 - Public specific goals and recommendations that are known as "Weeping Willow" circa late 1800's; discussed in greater detail below. The process of and view of Fleischmanns’ Village Hall. The Participation. Through public outreach and Village of Fleischmanns has a rich history that discussion, the Comprehensive Plan Committee implementing these goals is discussed in Chapter is reflected in its historic building stock and developed a “Vision Statement” that follows. 12 - Implementation. institutional buildings. Village of Fleischmanns, New York E-1 Village of Fleischmanns Introduction 1.0 INTRODUCTION This Comprehensive Plan will help to guide land • Maintaining the use policies within the Village. Three distinct pedestrian- The Village of Fleischmanns was incorporated in phases were involved in the development of the friendly feel and 1913 when the community was a bustling Comprehensive Plan: 1) preparation of baseline expanding summer resort destination along the Ulster & data including population, housing, natural sidewalk Delaware Railroad. Since the 1950's, it has - like resources, community facilities, open space, and network. many Catskill communities - experienced a infrastructure, etc., 2) identification of issues steady decline in its summer tourism industry facing Fleischmanns based upon baseline data, a and with it losses in other business activities. review of existing land use regulations, monthly Fleischmanns' has struggled to redefine itself as Comprehensive Plan Committee