Comprehensive Plan inches closer to adoption

NORTH EAST — As it moves closer to a final version of the 2019 Comprehensive Plan, the Comprehensive Plan Update Committee reviewed public comment at its recent meeting on Thursday, June 6.

The committee met at North East Town Hall to assess comments and concerns raised at a public hearing on Saturday, May 18, as well as the written comments submitted over the last few weeks. 

The committee talked about the plan’s zoning section and how mining might play into the plan in terms of economic development and its impact on the local viewshed.

“I don’t think it’s a use we want to promote in this town,” North East Planning Board member Bill Kish commented.

Reminding the committee that mining operations were previously allowed in the community, Millerton resident DeLora Brooks recalled, “When I first came here, I was amazed by the kind of damage mining had done to the environment. The amount of scarring that was done… I don’t know how they’re going to remediate it.”

Moving on to a comment about industrial projects, Planning Consultant Nan Stolzenburg asked the committee if it wanted to include a section about accommodating industrial projects in appropriate locations. North East Planning Board Chairman Dale Culver said the committee should encourage economic development. 

North East Historical Society President Ed Downey agreed that it’d be wise to incorporate projects in the appropriate locations and environments while village business owner Mimi Ramos said it was important to include the encouragement of such projects in order to keep the door open for economic development. 

During the committee’s discussion about the inclusion of new native trees and compiling an inventory of trees in the community, Kish said it should examine trees that might not survive as a result of the changing climate. The committee agreed with Stolzenburg’s suggestion that it also identify native trees that are resilient to climate change.

In addition to incorporating a reference to global warming in the plan to enhance future grant opportunities, the committee wants to consider which community projects would allow for future growth. 

Culver said, “We’ve created strategies and roadmaps for growth and change… All those things, to me, speak of growth.” 

Focusing on housing as the evening’s final subject, the committee invited North East Community Center Co-Founder Sam Busselle to come forward and reiterate his comments from the public hearing regarding local housing issues.

Reaching the end of the group’s assessment, Stolzenburg said that as long as committee  members feel comfortable with how the comments have been addressed, it’s up to them to review the revised plan and make sure it’s presented exactly as intended. Before sending the final version of the plan to the Town and Village Boards in July, Stolzenburg she’ll send a revised version of the documents for comments. According to  Chairwoman Edith Greenwood, the committee may or may not have a final meeting depending on the number of comments that are returned.