Land Use Focus Group 2016 Group Members Lucine Kauffman, County Planning Board (Chairperson) Marianne Clattenburg, County Legislature Greg Tessmann, Genesee County SWCD Kathy Jasinski, Town of Batavia Planning Board Derik Kane, Genesee County Planning Dept. Kevin Andrews, Genesee County Real Property Maureen Torrey Marshall, Torrey Farms Steve Hyde, GCEDC Sheila Hess, CC Environment & Planning Jim Seiler, WNY Crop Management Mark Masse, GCEDC Lynne Bezon, Reliant Real Estate Bev Mancuso, Cornell Cooperative Extension AFPB Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board CSA Community Supported Agriculture DEC NY Dept. of Environmental Conservation GAM Genesee Association of Municipalities GCC Genesee County Community College GCEDC Genesee County Economic Development Center MCWA Monroe County Water Authority NYSERDA New York State Energy Research and Development Authority SEQR State Environmental Quality Review SWCD Soil and Water Conservation District GIS Geographic Information Systems PUD Planned Unit Development Acronyms 2015 Results Land Use Monitoring Report Comprehensive Plan updates are underway in the Town of LeRoy, Town and Village of Bergen, Town of Byron, Town and Village of Elba, Town and Village of Oakfield, Town of Alabama, Town of Batavia, and City of Batavia Batavia City Council adopted the Brownfield Opportunity Area Plan. The City received several proposals for the revitalization of the Della Penna/ Ellicott Station site. Green Genesee / Smart Genesee Project finalizing draft plan for Phase I of project. Potential future phases, which would permit each municipality the opportunity to calibrate/ ground truth the ecological roadmap, rely on another grant being secured. The Agricultural Districts consolidation process, which was started in 2006, was completed this year The Planning Department held fifteen training opportunities for municipal board members. City of Batavia continues to develop an abandoned/vacant house database. City of Batavias Redevelopment Inhibited Property Exemption law passed. A gap financing tool for redevelopment of abandoned properties is now in place. As part of this years CFA awards Genesee County received: $15k for Harvester feasibility study, $500k for Newberry building revitalization, $20k for Village of Bergen Downtown Revitalization study, $20k for Village of LeRoy Waterfront and Downtown Revitalization strategy Soil and Water conducted 150 water quality tests in The projects funded as part of the Upstate Revitalization Initiative Best Plan award are: -Genesee Biogas received $750,000 for pretreatment project. -LeRoy Food and Technology Park received $420,000 for land acquisition and infrastructure development -Agri-Business Park received $500,000 for expansion of water and sewer lines, and a sewer pump station a -Town of Alabama received $1.5m for water line extension for STAMP project As part of this years CFA awards the Village of Bergen received $30k for wastewater treatment engineering study The project to create Agriculture- Farmland protection plan for Towns of Oakfield and Alabama ($25k each); and update the county-wide protection plan ($50K) is currently underway. # of acres added in the past 10 years (through Ag district Reviews and Annual Enrollments): 4, # of acres in Ag Districts: 202,740 % of land in Ag Districts: 65.5% Soil and Water completed 87 Agricultural Assessments, assisted with 300 tree and shrub conservation requests, and 100 requests under the fish restocking program Soil and Water was awarded $23,500 from an Ag & Markets for implementation / analysis of Cornells soil health tests on 15 specific Genesee Co. Farms SustainabilityAgriculture Livable Communities Infrastructure Continue to Identify critical natural resources to ensure protection Green Genesee/ Smart Genesee Ecological roadmap needs to be calibrated for each local municipality. Additional funding necessary to undertake this next phase Municipalities need to be educated on potential tools available to address the unoccupied and underutilized facilities throughout area Study needed to identify all the unoccupied and underutilized facilities throughout area Poor walkability of some development, maintenance, and connectivity of existing pedestrian network Potential need for updated Housing Needs assessment. Issue lies in who would be responsible for cost of the plan. Outdated zoning laws and comprehensive plans Few examples of effective Liner Building and cluster development projects being conducted locally Issue over usage, and frequency of messages changing on digital sign boards exists. Water Agreements expiring in Sales Tax distribution and finalization of Phase II tied into the ongoing negotiations between the City of Batavia, County, and MCWA Need to monitor the possible impacts of commercial Wind farming occurring within the county Several municipalities requesting new sewer districts be created. Vulnerable prime farmland conversion, aging infrastructures and agriculture (positive) public relations and awareness issues remain constant. Deteriorated bridge and road conditions hamper agricultural operations Need to continue to educate the public and local municipalities on Agricultural Districts, Farmland Protection plans, Right-to- Farm Laws, and the economic importance of agriculture to the local economy Need to monitor possible impact of commercial Solar farms within county Sustainability 2016 Issues Land Use Monitoring Report SustainabilityAgriculture Livable Communities Infrastructure Need to identify funding opportunities to support issues and priorities listed within this report. Revise Agricultural District Program to streamline and better capture actual Agricultural and farmland usage Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming (GLOW) region exploring opportunity of forming a multi-county Land Bank. Implementation of the Regional Sustainability Plan Implementation of the Black and Oatka Creek Watershed Management Plans Implementation of green infrastructure development Divers Lake, and surrounding property, looking to be enrolled into WNY Land conservation district. This would lead to possible usage as parkland with liability of use shifted away from property owner. Update Smart Growth Development Plan which targets development and redevelopment to specific areas Ensure building codes and zoning laws are enforced in a timely and consistent manner Encourage the use of innovative land use strategies and tools (i.e. Form-based Codes, PUD, Community Directed Development, planning for millennials) Continue sharing municipal code/zoning officers as well as other shared services arrangements Potential creation of Solar and Wind Farms throughout the county. Town of Batavia is currently considering proposal for a solar farm located on three separate sites. Inclusion of walking trails needed at Industrial Parks Use of green infrastructure at new and existing Industrial Parks Need to continue to expand and enhance GIS use throughout the County Continue to work with Soil and Water Conservation District to implement best management practices on farms and address drainage and runoff issues Encourage municipalities to create and implement a Farmland Protection Plan Host training opportunities and continue educating local boards on Agricultural Districts, Farmland Protection plans, Right-to-Farm Laws, and the economic importance of agriculture to the local economy. Additionally, must educate public on grant opportunities to address these issues County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan Update Importance of Agriculture being the paramount driving force in our quality and economic well- being of rural life and local communities should not emphasized 2016 Priorities Land Use Monitoring Report SustainabilityAgriculture Livable Communities Infrastructure