NORWICH – The city’s Planning Commission held a third public hearing Monday night – focusing on transportation and infrastructure – as it continues its review and update of the 2003 Comprehensive Plan.
Planning and Community Development Specialist Todd Dreyer’s hour-long presentation addressed a number of achievements and significant events that have occurred since the plan’s major revision in 2003, as well as the issues, opportunities and challenges the city will face moving forward.
In 2005 and 2006, the city experienced several significant flood events, according to the 2011 update and rough draft of the comprehensive plan. Citing flood damage, the New York, Susquehanna & Western Railroad announced an embargo of its Utica branch which, at the time, passed through both the city and county. In 2008, NYS&W formally applied to the Surface Transportation Board for a discontinuance of service, said Dreyer, who called the railway corridor a “significant aspect of transportation” and “a big part of the city’s past.”
It’s important, he added, for some sort of decision to be made – in regards to the rail line – in the next two to three years, as its future would have a profound impact on the city and county’s industrial development options.
Currently, the city, county and Commerce Chenango are attempting to address the issue of freight rail service along the line, said Dreyer.
“The railroad issue is one that’s going to come to a head in the next few years,” he added. “The tracks have an economic value to NYS&W for their scrap value and that’s something they were thinking about, but it’s not a situation we want to be in.”
In addition, the city is currently working with the state legislature to have State Route 23 designated for capital upkeep by the state, according to Dreyer.
“With regard to Route 23, the city is looking for state to take over capital improvements, as they have on Route 12,” stated Dreyer. “We’d like to see them to do the same for Route 23.”
Whether the state will cooperate with the proposal is unknown at this time, he added.
According to Dreyer, the city’s sidewalks – in 2003 – were in poor condition, and there was no strategy in place for their improvement or replacement. Since 2007, however, the city has conducted a yearly residential sidewalk replacement program.
“There is a cost to homeowners, but it’s substantially less than it would be,” said Dreyer of the program, which has benefited over 100 residential properties in the past three to four years. “We have about 20 people participating this summer and we’re currently taking down names for those interested in the sidewalk program.”
Despite the implementation of the program, however, many sidewalks throughout the city remain in poor condition, he added.
On a positive note, Dreyer reported that four of the city’s five municipal parking lots had been resurfaced in the last four years; the city’s Business Improvement District completed its Streetscape improvements and the East and West Park renovations are underway; wireless Internet service is now available throughout much of the city; significant upgrades have been implemented at the city’s Wastewater Treatment facility and – in the spring of 2011 – the city announced plans for the construction of a new water filtration facility in the Town of Norwich, at the northern end of Thompson Road.
No definitive changes will be made to the Comprehensive Plan as of yet and – once its revision is complete – a draft of the plan will be reviewed by the Planning Commission prior to its presentation to the city’s Common Council in the fall of 2011 or early 2012, said Dreyer.
“It’s better for us to update the plan now and, typically, a Comprehensive Plan should be revised every 8 to 10 years,” he added.
Future public hearings will address other areas in need of revision, including community services; economic development; natural resources and the environment; historic preservation and regional issues.
For more information on the 2003 Comprehensive Plan visit www.norwichnewyork.net.