Click Here for Catskill Mountain 'Regional Issues' (Catskill Center recent position papers, public comments, & letters)

The Center’s Regional Planning Program fosters partnerships, strategies and actions that build healthy communities and support a regional vision. Building on the success of our long-standing Community Planning Program, the Regional Planning Program encourages communities to work inter-municipally as teams, build on shared strengths and resources, and promote themselves collectively.

Among the services we provide and the activities we promote are:

Corridor Management and Scenic Byway Planning

The scenic corridors traversing Catskill communities are closely linked to the region’s economy. These thoroughfares express the region’s special qualities, help interpret our recreational and cultural resources and create an impression on visitors. Catskill Center planners work with communities to develop strategies that protect and promote these corridors.

Formation of the Central Catskills Collaborative
Esopus-Delaware Corridor Revitalization Strategy (press release)
Route 28 Central Catskills Scenic Byway Nomination
(1.3Mb pdf - will open in new browser window)
Mountain Cloves Scenic Byway - Draft Corridor Management Plan (4.0Mb pdf - will open in new browser window)

Land Use Training and Technical Assistance

Planning boards and zoning boards of appeal frequently make important decisions affecting the quality of life in their communities. In 2007, New York State passed a law requiring that each member of these local boards receives four hours of training per year. The Center’s regional planner is available to work with county planning agencies and other partners to provide land use training to communities. Programs may be tailored to individual municipalities working on specific issues. The regional planner also provides technical assistance via phone and email on a wide range of land use and local government topics.

General Training Programs include:
Planning Board Powers and Duties
Zoning Board of Appeals Overview and Procedures
Subdivision Review
Conservation Subdivision
Site Plan Review and Special Use Permit
Design Guidelines

Recent Specialized Programs:
Scenic Byways in the Catskills
Connecting Main Street with Outdoor Recreation
The Corridor Redevelopment Approach in the Catskills
Zoning for Rural Communities

Grant Writing and Funding Workshops

Planning staff provides grant writing services for inter-community and regional projects. The Center also periodically hosts funding and training workshops in the Back Gallery of the Erpf House, our headquarters in Arkville.

Community Planning Assistance

Individual community projects are anchors for larger regional cooperation and serve as important models for other communities. Planning staff recently completed two specialized plans for individual communities:

Village of Middleburgh, Farmers’ Market Action Strategy (1.7 Mb pdf will open in new browser window)
Town of Prattsville, Parks Master Plan (990 Kb pdf will open in new browser window)

Past Projects:
Rock Hill Workshop Results (151 Kb pdf will open in new browser window)
A Vision for the Kauneonga Lake Downtown Corridor (740 Kb pdf)
Hurleyville Downtown Revitalization Strategy (425 Kb pdf)
Margaretville Revitalization & Recreational Use Plan (3 Mb pdf)
Mt Utsayantha Redevelopment Project Fact Sheet (155 Kb pdf) | Website: www.utsayantha.com

What’s New?

In partnership with the Catskill Center’s Education team, planners are broadening the offerings of our Catskills-based curricula to include a new course for high school seniors: Planning and Local Government in the Watershed. Funded by the Catskill Watershed Corporation, this project enables students to partially fulfill their participation-in-government requirements while learning about the unique challenges and opportunities associated with living in the New York City Watershed. The course encourages greater participation in local government and engages students to consider the future of their communities through comprehensive planning, project review, and participation at public meetings.









 
 

© Copyright - The Catskill Center for Conservation and Development, Inc.  ·  A private, not-for-profit, membership-supported organization founded in
1969 to help build healthy ecosystems and vibrant communities within the 6,000 square-mile Catskill Mountain region of New York State.

PO Box 504 · Route 28
Arkville, NY 12406
(845) 586-2611

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