Regional Development Analysis
Municipal Best Practices in the Region
According to the latest Census report, between 1980 and 2000, the population in the Genesee/Finger Lake Region grew from approximately 1.12 million to 1.2 million - an increase of about 6.6%. Projections show that the region’s population increase over the next 20 years will be even slower than during the last two decades (G/FLRPC, 1997).
On the other hand, a regional land use study (G/FLRPC, 2002) using satellite imagery shows a significantly higher increase in developed land over the last fifteen years. Developed land is considered land covered with residential buildings, roads, parking lots, drive ways, commercial developments, and industrial facilities. Our nine-county region covers an area of 4834 square miles. The area of developed land within the region has increased from approximately 50 square miles in 1985 to 88 square miles in 1999 - an increase of about 77%.
A regional map of municipal zoning districts along with the list of generalized zoning classifications illustrates zoning patterns that have evolved over recent decades. The map shows that within many municipalities and across local boundaries non-compatible zoning districts exist side by side. But residential and industrial zones on adjacent parcels, for example, may cause public health problems. Moreover, municipalities without any zoning regulations have no means to prevent negative impacts on their communities. If land development in our region continues at the current rate, zoning district compatibility could become a greater concern for many municipalities.
In an attempt to assist local officials and citizens across New York State in implementing efficient land development policies, Governor Pataki created the Quality Communities Task Force in 2000. It developed comprehensive planning strategies that promote economic development, environmental protection, and quality of life. Its final 2001 report recommends, among others, the adoption of the following principles:
• promote agriculture and farmland protection
• conserve open space and other critical environmental resources
• encourage more livable neighborhoods
• strengthen intergovernmental partnerships
The best practices that follow show examples of how individual municipalities around our region try to implement Quality Community principles. Those best practices represent tools to achieve land-use efficiency, preserve farmland and open space, and minimize perils to public health and private property. They are proposed for adoption by other municipalities throughout the Genesee/Finger Lakes Region:
Practice 1 Adopt a Comprehensive Plan to set goals for the most rational and efficient way to use land and enact Zoning Ordinances, Subdivision Ordinances, and other land-use regulations to implement those goals (for example: Town of Pembroke and Village of Corfu, Genesee Co.)
Practice 2 Cooperate with local governments across municipal boundaries by agreeing on development goals and unifying zoning provisions (for example: Town and Village of Livonia, Livingston Co.)
Practice 3 Separate such non-compatible zoning districts as residential and industrial zones within and without municipal boundaries as much as possible (for example: Town and Village of Williamson, Wayne Co.)
Practice 4 Limit non-farming uses by establishing Agricultural Districts (for example: Town of Tyre, Seneca Co.)
Practice 5 Protect the economic viability of farming by enacting Right-to-Farm laws (for example: Town of Gorham, Ontario Co.)
Practice 6 Preserve farmland and open space and concentrate development on better suited land by encouraging Purchase/Transfer of Development Rights mechanisms (for example: Town of Macedon, Wayne Co.)
Practice 7 Preserve farmland and contiguous open space by lowering minimum acreage requirements for single-family homes as much as possible (for example: Town of Farmington, Ontario Co.)
Practice 8 Preserve farmland and open space by clustering residential development (for example: Village of Penn Yan, Yates Co.)
Practice 9 Protect open space by encouraging easements (for example: Town of Macedon, Wayne Co.)
Practice 10 Create such municipal amenities as town parks or playgrounds by encouraging incentive zoning (for example: Village of Fairport, Monroe Co.)
Practice 11 Improve aesthetic value and decrease run-off by imposing open space requirements for new development in terms of lot coverage (for example: Town of Sweden, Monroe Co.)
Practice 12 Decrease run-off by encouraging joint use of parking space (for example: Town of Farmington, Ontario Co.) and drive-ways (for example: Town of Victor, Ontario Co.)
Practice 13 Decrease run-off by including all impervious surfaces (rooftops, parking lots, and driveways) in lot coverage restrictions (for example: Village of Waterloo, Seneca Co.)
Practice 14 Decrease run-off by determining the maximum allowed run-off coefficient (for example: Town and Village of Livonia, Livingston Co.)
Practice 15 Preserve as many natural features as possible to minimize erosion and sedimentation by enacting restrictions on, for example, vegetative removal and natural watercourse diversion (for example: Town of Ridgeway, Orleans Co.)
Practice 16 Protect such environmentally sensitive areas as wetlands, steep slopes, wood lots, and floodplains by creating overlay districts with additional development restrictions (for example: Town of Irondequoit, Monroe Co.).
Practice 17 Limit development in areas of poor soil permeability that does not allow for maximum efficiency of on-site sewage systems (for example: Town of Fayette, Seneca Co.)
Practice 18 Cooperate with local governments across municipal boundaries by creating combined water and sewer districts (for example: Conesus Lake Water District, Livingston Co.)
50
West Main Street, Suite 8107
Rochester, New York 14614
tel:
585.454.0190
fax: 585.454.0191
Last Modified: May 02, 2007