Request for Applications: NYS Homes and Community Renewal Grants

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Request for Applications: NYS Homes and Community Renewal Grants

NYS Homes and Community Renewal has launched a new funding opportunity available through the state’s recently created Vacant Rental Improvement Program (V-RIP). Grants up to $5 million are available to local governments and nonprofits to administer the program in areas across the state (outside of NYC).

The program will provide grants up to $75,000 per unit for property owners to rehabilitate vacant units into long-term rentals for low- and moderate-income tenants.

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Queen City Hub Revisited

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The City of Buffalo Office of Strategic Planning recently engaged on a strategic planning initiative. The city will review the progress made and utilize data to refresh the strategies necessary to achieve the vision of the city’s 2003 Queen City Hub Plan in light of the hidden challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, the team has prepared a survey to gather data from several different perspectives about the state of downtown.

If you’d like to learn more, please check out: https://www.buffalony.gov/1707/Queen-City-Hub-Revisited-2024-Downtown-A

Call for proposals! NY Upstate Chapter Conference

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The New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA), Southern Tier APA Section is proud to announce that the 2024 Annual Chapter Conference will be held in Ithaca, New York at the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center, from Wednesday, October 9 through Friday, October 11.  The Planning Committee is now seeking proposals for presentations from those willing to share their talents to make this year’s program memorable.

The conference theme “Planning for Protopia: Designing with Empathy in Upstate New York” will bring together urban planners, designers, and community stakeholders to envision and create a future for Upstate New York that is prosperous, equitable, and sustainable. This year's conference emphasizes the importance of designing with empathy – understanding and incorporating the lived experiences and needs of diverse residents into the planning process. This Conference is an opportunity for planners and allied professionals, planning students, and community advocates to learn and share successful strategies for revitalization in their communities and the Upstate region.

The 2024 Conference Planning Committee is developing a conference program to bring various planning, design and other allied professionals together to learn from each other, as well as acquire new skills. We are seeking presentations that present cutting edge skills and/or highlight current issues relevant to planners throughout Upstate New York. We are also developing ideas for mobile workshops and ways to encourage involvement of graduate students and citizen planners. Sessions are also sought on Law, Ethics, Equity, and Sustainability & Resilience that would fulfill the 1.0 hours (each) of AICP Certification Maintenance (CM).

If you have a presentation that you would like to share at the conference, please submit your session proposal by 4:30 pm on July 22, 2024 through this short online form .

If you have questions about sessions, submittal requirements or related topics, please contact Ray Burger at rburger@dryden.ny.us or 607-844-8888 ext 213. Questions about the conference can also be directed to the Southern Tier Section Director, Greg Hutnik at planner@danby.ny.gov.

Call for Nominations is now open

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Call for Nominations!

Serving as an elected leader in APA offers a tremendous opportunity to sharpen your skills, expand your networks, and work directly to strengthen the impact of the organization. The portal for candidate self-nominations will be open through May 30th at https://apa.directnominations.net and includes all the groups and positions up for election this year. Learn more at https://www.planning.org/elections/

Chapter Administrator, expressions of interest sought

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The New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association is seeking expressions of interest from qualified firms or individuals able to provide the services of Chapter Administrator. The Chapter Administrator provides services as a consultant in accordance with a Scope of Services and is not an employee of the Chapter or the American Planning Association. The term of the agreement for the engagement is typically 12 months. The Chapter is accepting expressions of interest through May 24, 2024. A full request for proposals is expected to be released by May 31, 2024.

Prior scopes of service have included the following tasks:

  • Coordinate of communications among Executive Board, Sections and the general membership as directed, primarily through electronic forms of communication and often occurs weekly.

  • Assist with the Annual Conference and a spring chapter event, including soliciting and managing sponsorships, and promoting both events.

  • Assist the Professional Development Officer to register and promote upcoming Certification Maintenance and other development opportunities.

  • Manage chapter communications, including email updates (via MailChimp or similar), postings to the web site (CMS-based), and monitoring the Chapter email account (via Google Workspace).

  • Solicit sponsorships for the website, annual conference, and any other opportunity by email and possibly phone follow-ups.

  • Act as a liaison to partner organizations on behalf of the Chapter in order to facilitate more effective communication between the Chapter and our allied professional organizations, including AIA, ASLA, and the New York Planning Federation (NYPF).

  • Perform additional tasks not included in the scope and assigned by the Executive Board as agreed upon and documented in a written task order on an hourly or other fee basis.

You may submit an expression of interest to the Chapter President via email at president@nyupstateplanning.org. Please provide the following:

  • Name of the firm or individual expressing interest.

  • A summary of key qualifications and experience working with membership-based organizations.

  • Annotated resumes of key staff assigned to provide Chapter Administrator support.

  • A fee proposal based on approximately 250 hours of work per year in consideration of the scope above.

  • Contact information for additional questions or follow-up.

UAlbany GPSA visits Albany Rural Cemetery, sees ARCE app

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The UAlbany GPSA hosted a successful tour of the Albany Rural Cemetery on April 24th. The tour showcased the Albany Rural Cemetery Explorer App (ARCE), which combines history and mapping for self-guided tours and will soon be available for free download.

Members of the Bender Foundation joined UAlbany students and faculty. The University’s Geography and Planning department, led by Dr. Rui Li, has generously contributed to the app's development. Friends of the ARC supported us invaluably during the tour.

Registration is now open for Parks & Trails New York’s inaugural Greenways Advocacy Summit

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Join us for a pivotal moment in the future of New York’s greenways! Registration is now open for Parks & Trails New York’s inaugural Greenways Advocacy Summit, to take place on Monday, May 20 at the Egg Performing Arts Center in Albany. This event will be the premier gathering of statewide advocates dedicated to expanding New York’s network of multi-use trails.

The morning program will feature a lineup of a dozen trail experts, showcasing innovative initiatives and leading policy advancements in greenway development. In the afternoon, we'll engage in legislative meetings in the Capitol to secure support for the Greenway Trails for a Green Future bill package as well as funding in next year’s state budget for trail development.

Space is limited, so register today to secure your spot! Don’t miss out on the opportunity to help our greenways have a powerful voice in Albany.

For more details and to register, visit our website. For questions, email me at dcarey@ptny.org.

Your participation is crucial to the future of New York’s greenway network. Join us to be a key player in this vital movement!

NY Upstate Chapter endorses Federal land banking bill

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The New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association joined with the American Planning Association and more than 30 other organizations to endorse the bi-partisan Neighborhood Revitalization and Land Banking Act in the US Senate. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced the bill that would further assist land banks across the U.S. with efforts to remediate blight and stimulate economic growth.

“Since New York State joined the land banking effort in 2012, land banks have become essential resources here and across the country,” said Sean Maguire, AICP CEcD, Chapter President. “We’re further encouraged that this bill, when paired with the efforts of New York State’s leaders in Albany, will continue to bring resources to help land banks advance a new model for redevelopment in all communities, and especially those communities negatively impacted by practices of discrimination and disinvestment.”

Read Sen. Casey’s announcement here.

Chapter President Sean Maguire appointed to APA Governance Committee

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The American Planning Association has announced that Chapter President Sean Maguire has been appointed by the American Planning Association Board of Directors to its Governance Committee. Maguire will serve as a member of the committee starting January 1, 2024 and through December 31, 2024. The Governance Committee is charged with reviewing the Association’s Bylaws and governing policies and making recommendations to the Board of Directors.

Sean Maguire, AICP CEcD

“I’m honored to be invited to serve our association in this important role,” said Sean Maguire. “Recently, the APA published proposed changes to the Bylaws that are quite important to our members. I was pleased to join the New York Metro Chapter President on a letter asking for more time to consider these changes. I look forward to being involved in what is certain to be a very active discussion in the year ahead. I thank the APA President Angela Brooks and the APA Board of Directors for trusting me with this important responsibility and look forward to working with many of my colleagues in 2024.”

“As APA works towards achieving our strategic goals, we will again need the time and talent of many volunteers who graciously agree to serve,” said APA President Angela D. Brooks, FAICP.

Upstate APA Conference Winners September 15, 2023

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The New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA) has announced the recipients of the 2023 Professional Awards.  Thirteen projects have been selected and were recognized at the 2023 Chapter Conference, held in Syracuse on September 15, 2023. These projects were deemed to represent excellence in planning throughout Upstate New York. 

Awards were made in seven categories, three of which were the works of students at either the University at Albany or University at Buffalo.

Best Practice

  • City of Watertown Zoning Ordinance Update

  • Plan Onondaga

  • Smart Growth in the Steel City: Utilizing Form-Based Zoning to Foster Resiliency, Sustainability, and Placemaking in Lackawanna, NY

  • Town of Ballston Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) and Green Energy Program

Comprehensive Plan

  • Town of Dryden Comprehensive Plan

  • Mitigating Vacancy in Arbor Hill & West Hill: An Asset-Based Approach

Grassroots Initiative

  • Re-Envision Albany

Great Places in Upstate NY

  • Cattaraugus Creek Access Amphitheaters

Implementation

  • Elevating Erie

Public Outreach

  • Erie County Community Climate Action Plan

  • Citizen Planning School

Distinguished Leadership 

  • Mayor Megan Grenier

  • Stephen Iachetta

Details about each award winner can be found in the section below. 

ABOUT THE AWARDEES 

City of Watertown Zoning Ordinance Update

Following a comprehensive plan update, the City of Watertown began implementation by updating their 1950s-era zoning ordinance. The code was transformed into a form-based code that included parking maximums, allowances for urban agriculture, and support for multi-modal transportation. The update was informed by extensive public comment and is helping to energize Watertown’s neighborhoods, waterfront, and downtown. 

Plan ONondaga

Plan Onondaga defines a vision and goals for community success that includes the shared needs, goals, and challenges of the County and its municipalities, and facilitates a pathway to implement positive growth and change. Five themes give structure to the Plan including: strong centers, housing and neighborhoods, community mobility, greenways and blueways, and agriculture. Extensive public participation was a cornerstone of this Project, which was adopted in July 2023. With the adoption of PLAN ONondaga, the County has a framework for making investments in local planning and capital projects that work toward the county vision.

Smart Growth in the Steel City: Utilizing Form-Based Zoning to Foster Resiliency, Sustainability, and Placemaking in Lackawanna, NY

This project examined the City of Lackawanna’s existing zoning code and presented an alternative solution - the Lackawanna Regenerative Code (LRC). The LRC is a form-based code inspired by contemporary trends in land use regulation that can ultimately restore opportunity and growth within the city by utilizing smart growth principles and the transect theory to encourage walkable mixed-use development. This is a student project. 

Town of Ballston Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) and Green Energy Program

Following a comprehensive plan update, the Town began implementation by developing a purchase of development (PDR) and green energy program. The Town is located within one of the fastest growing counties in NYS and is experiencing significant residential and commercial development pressure. The program is a voluntary incentive program that allows for greater residential density or greater commercial square footage for new development or redevelopment projects when PDR credits are purchased by the applicant. The program is intended to promote the protection of important agricultural and open spaces, and to encourage green energy initiatives. 

Town of Dryden Comprehensive Plan

Dryden2045 presents an inclusive vision focused on addressing sustainability and climate change and developing new mixed-use walkable development patterns within the Town. The plan recommends innovative solutions, such as accessory dwelling units, affordable housing, increased and improved recreational amenities, improved stormwater management systems, and other measures that improve the quality of life and work towards net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. Public engagement was a top priority of the comprehensive plan, and despite the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, the process successfully facilitated a diverse and engaged level of participation. The end result is a truly comprehensive plan that provides a clear roadmap for upcoming decision-making. 

Mitigating Vacancy in Arbor Hill & West Hill: An Asset-Based Approach

The project highlights potential strategies for preventing and mitigating vacancy in the Arbor Hill, West Hill, and Sheridan Hollow neighborhoods of Albany, New York. The project team applied the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) model and prioritized an equity and social justice centered approach to repurpose vacant lots and structures. Implementation has begun with project partners taking subsequent steps to secure funding and vacant land for redevelopment. This is a student project. 

Re-Envision Albany

Re-Envision Albany is the result of a largely volunteer-based collaborative advocating for a more vibrant, just, and sustainable state capital.Re-Envision Albany has created broad support for a reconnected Albany, leading to multiple letters, over one hundred signatories, national recognition, and contributing toward the approval of a $5 million study to reexamine interstate 787. The result of progress made by Re-Envision Albany demonstrates that groups of volunteers can assemble compelling visions that spark interest and lead to progress in addressing the immediate needs of today, remedying the damage of the past, and build toward a more just, sustainable, and community-oriented future.

Cattaraugus Creek Access Amphitheaters

To realize its potential to contribute to economic and job development through eco-tourism and outdoor recreation, Gowanda developed two amphitheaters on Cattaraugus Creek. The Zoar Valley Gateway Amphitheater is strategically located at several well-known fishing spots and “Grand Finale'' whitewater rapids. The more intimate Creekside Amphitheater is in the heart of downtown. These amenities are well-loved by residents and attract new and returning visitors. Development of the amphitheaters was a crucial step in restoring community pride, participation, and confidence by creating unique destinations that reflect the community and its character. 

Elevating Erie

This project aimed to revitalize the Erie Boulevard East Corridor, which served as the historical route of the Erie Canal between the Town of DeWitt and the City of Syracuse. 

The project began with an international ideas competition, generating numerous submissions and public engagement. Through collaborations between the two communities and state programs, a strategy was developed to involve the public in re-envisioning the corridor. The project's effectiveness led to New York State allocating over $20 million for the implementation of the Empire State Trail along Erie Boulevard - the largest single Empire State Trail allocation. 

The completion of the Erie Boulevard East portion of the Empire State Trail in 2020 has already resulted in increased tourism and positive impacts on local businesses. 

Erie County Community Climate Action Plan

Erie County has worked over the past two years to draft an equity-centered Community Climate Action Plan. The planning process was overseen by the Department of Environment and Planning with guidance from the Community Climate Change Task Force. More than 100 volunteers from almost 70 stakeholder organizations participated in Working Groups to create the draft Plan. Each Working Group was co-led by a volunteer and a County staff member. Public outreach during the planning process was robust and diverse, resulting in almost 10,000 people signing up for email updates and hundreds of public comments being received before the draft Plan was released. 

Citizen Planning School

Community members, known as Champions, apply and present a project idea that aligns with one of the five overarching goals of One Region Forward. Students from disciplines across the University at Buffalo work alongside former Champions of the program or other professionals in the field, known as Community Coaches, to provide technical assistance for the various projects brought forth by current Champions. 

Champions then share their ideas at an Idea Summit. Each Champion can walk away better equipped to act on the ideas they have, forming an understanding of assets and allies and  who they can collaborate with to achieve a common goal in strengthening the region.

Mayor Megan Grenier

During her twelve years as the first female Mayor of Menands, and six prior years as a Village Trustee, Mayor Megan Grenier has guided the Village in coordinating, funding, adopting, and implementing several public planning and zoning initiatives, These efforts culminated in the completion of the first-ever Comprehensive Plan in the history of the Village in 2020, followed by the adoption of major revisions to the zoning, site plan review, and form-based codes.

Mayor Meg is one of those leaders who has balanced the day-to-day demands of being a village mayor, while guiding a long-term vision for her community that is shared by her constituents. Her work has placed her community is a strong position to face the challenges of the future.

Stephen Iachetta

Steve Iachetta retired at the end of 2022 after a 38+ year career in planning, 31 of which were with the Albany County Airport Authority as an Airport Planner. At the Airport, Steve oversaw the Albany International Airport Capital Improvement Plan, and managed grants related to the new terminal development and airport safety and security improvement projects. His planning interests included work in sustainability and historic preservation planning, areas that he continues to support in retirement. 

Steve was heavily involved with the NY Upstate Chapter of APA, serving as Capital District Section President for six years during which time he mentored, engaged with and encouraged young planners to participate in the organization. His influence on a generation of young planners continues to be felt today.

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Upstate New York Planners Recognize Award-Winning Projects

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ALBANY, N.Y. – The New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA) has announced the recipients of the 2021 Professional Awards.  Seven projects have been selected and will be recognized at the 2022 Chapter Conference due to the pandemic that forced the Chapter to hold a virtual conference in 2021.  These projects were deemed to have at least met the criteria of the award and illustrates great planning in Upstate New York.

“Each year, the New York Upstate Chapter has the wonderful challenge of reviewing applications from our colleagues and communities and learning more about what is happening around the state," said Sean Maguire, Chapter Vice President and Chapter Awards Chair.  “We are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2021 Professional Awards highlighting the best in planning across Upstate New York creating great communities for all.”

 Awards were made in two of the categories available – Best Practice and Comprehensive Planning.  One project in each category were the work of students at either the University at Albany or University at Buffalo.

 Best Practice

  • Amherst Farmland Protection and Agricultural Development Plan

  • Revitalization and Redevelopment Design Plan for Sewall’s Island and Factory Square

  • Lark Street Improvement Study

  • LivCo Wayfinding Strategy

  • Erie Grown

  • Delaware County Hazard Mitigation Plan Update Mitigation and Adaptation Opportunities (Student Project, University at Albany)

 Comprehensive Planning

  • Willert Park Courts - A.D. Price Homes: A Study of People and Placemaking (Student Project, University at Buffalo)

Details about each award winner can be found in the section below. 

ABOUT THE AWARDEES

Amherst Farmland Protection and Agricultural Development Plan.  For a farmland protection plan to be effective in Amherst it needed to address the current development pressure pushing north into the historically agricultural district in Town. A strategy had to include a separate section that shows agricultural lands as not only a physical asset to the community but also an important contributor to the local economy. Identifying agriculture as an economic asset as well as a natural asset adds another layer of value to these lands. Thus a hybrid model for the farmland protection plan was formed: a farmland protection component with an economic analysis of its contributions to the Town’s economy.  Contact:  Kimberly Amplement, (716) 631-7103

Revitalization and Redevelopment Design Plan for Sewall’s Island and Factory Square.  The City of Watertown community and economy has centered around the Black River for generations. The Revitalization and Redevelopment Design Plan for Sewall’s Island and Factory Square took an underutilized riverfront site and created a vision for a new district that celebrates and embraces the history and natural setting in a new and creative way for future generations. The plan echoes similar situations facing many communities throughout New York that are trying to revitalize and evolve from the remnants of their industrial past. The plan’s approach establishes a framework of key elements that guide future development, including natural environment, the historic built features of the area that should remain, transportation, and contextual land uses. This framework was shared and vetted with stakeholders and the public to uncover possibilities, gain input, and provide a detailed look into the planning process.  The final vision for Sewall’s Island and Factory Square is a mixed-use district that is anchored by multiple new public spaces and parks, all of which interact with the Black River and its rapids. The plan emphasizes the importance of public space and its power to incentivize private development. Historic structures are repurposed to celebrate the history of the area, establish character, and ensure the district is uniquely Watertown.  Contact:  Sean Hare, (585)739-7652

Lark Street Improvement Study.  The Lark Street Improvement Study examines the feasibility of a variety of different streetscape improvements along Lark Street in downtown Albany to enhance the public realm, improve walkability and safety, create a unique sense of place, and catalyze economic development. Informed by extensive public outreach, existing plans, data collection and analysis, and a temporary demonstration project, this Study identified feasible and transformative streetscape improvements and provided the City with an implementation strategy, including cost estimates and phasing, programmatic, and policy recommendations. Funding has already been secured for design and construction of the first phase of proposed improvements.  Contact:  Elizabeth Podowski King, (518) 556-3630.

LivCo Wayfinding Strategy.  Livingston County identified the need to undertake a County-wide wayfinding study to improve vehicular and pedestrian navigation, support economic development and visually connect the nine villages and destinations throughout the County with uniform and consistent signage. Incorporating feedback from a robust public engagement strategy and building off of numerous County and Regional initiatives, this study lays the groundwork for an informative, functional and identifiable wayfinding system.  Detailed cost estimates and implementation strategies were identified for each of the nine Villages to plan for future capital improvement programming and grant opportunities. In addition to wayfinding, this study provides recommendations and general streetscape design guidelines to help create inviting, comfortable and navigable environments in each of the nine Villages.  Contact:  Samantha Aldrich, (716) 710-3934.

Erie Grown.  The Erie Grown (EG) website is an initiative of the Erie County Office of Agriculture to promote locally grown and in-season agricultural products and agritourism,222 and to improve the viability of farming. EG includes a site locator map, allowing users to view farm and farm-related businesses in one comprehensive map, and a produce finder, allowing users to search by type of produce and locate growers to purchase from. Additionally, Erie County Office of Agriculture staff maintain a blog spotlighting various producers and agritourism events. A companion to EG is the Erie Grown Passport (EGP). The EGP further incentivizes local purchasing by encouraging participants to visit local producers for a chance to win agriculture-related prizes. The overarching goal of EG and the EGP is to bolster the agricultural economy and local food system, and to demystify buying local by creating an intuitive platform that benefits both producers and consumers. To date, 145 producers (i.e.: farms, farmers markets, wineries, cideries) have enrolled in EG and the website has over 50,000 views. Of repeat website visitors that have taken a user survey, 75% have indicated that EG has helped them purchase goods from a local producer.  Contact:  Sarah Gatti, (716) 858-6014.

Delaware County Hazard Mitigation Plan Update Mitigation and Adaptation Opportunities.  The graduate planning studio at SUNY Albany assisted Delaware County, NY in the compilation of a Hazard Mitigation and Adaptation Opportunities Plan in the fall 2020 semester. The plan helps to establish hazard mitigation priorities with respect to housing and green infrastructure and provides a foundation for informed mitigation planning and decision making. The studio report also assisted the AVAIL lab at SUNY Albany in preparing a Hazard Mitigation Plan Update for Delaware County. The focus of the student research was prepared in consultation with the Delaware County’s Planning Department and Soil and Water Conservation District under the supervision of Dr. Jared Enriquez and Dr. Catherine Lawson at SUNY Albany. Student material was considered for draft hazard mitigation plan updates for flood-prone communities in Upstate NY.  Contact:  Jared Enriquez, (210) 849-5938.

Willert Park Courts - A.D. Price Homes: A Study of People and Placemaking.  A studio consisting of graduate students in Urban Planning, Historic Preservation, and Real Estate Development evaluated Willert Park Courts and questioned the underpinning ideas associated with historic preservation - questioning traditional approaches is both innovative and original. This is a project that has a direct impact on "people in place." The intent of the student work was to provide a context to better understand the planning process and, for those “who have historically been left out of the planning process,” a resource that documents the history of Willert Park and the significant cultural resources, while providing design concepts that acknowledge the significance of the buildings and landscape design, while providing a place, a home, for people that is not just a great place to live, but is consistent with regulatory guidelines. The students working on this project had the opportunity to interact with other disciplines – historic preservation, urban planning, real estate development. This project provided the planning student to have a real world experience in a complex, and controversial historic preservation and public housing issue. The student was engaged as a planner. The document produced has influenced the design.  Contact:  Daniel B. Hess, (716) 829-5326.