Smart Growth in the Adirondack and Catskill Parks
DEC has made a special effort to support smart growth planning activity within the Adirondack and Catskill parks. Smart growth is a renewal of land use patterns that once came naturally in the parks. Hamlets and villages developed as close knit forest communities, clustered around strong commercial centers, surrounded by vast wilderness. These communities were home to working people in the local mining and forestry industries and doubled as service centers for tourists, who were drawn to the regions' pristine natural beauty.
In the 21st century, park communities retain their heritage, a strong sense of place and a powerful connection with nature. The challenges of economic loss and development pressure can threaten the sustainability and unique character of these communities. Located within a patchwork of public and private lands, park communities are presented with challenges and opportunities that can greatly benefit from smart growth.
NYS Smart Growth
Since 2007, the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) has contained a line of funding dedicated to supporting smart growth in New York State via a series of competitive grants to municipalities and not-for-profit partner organizations. DEC is responsible for distributing a limited portion of these funds toward smart growth within the Adirondack and Catskill Parks. The Department of State (DOS), which has traditionally been responsible for local government planning and development-related assistance, will receive the remainder of these funds for distribution statewide.
Adirondack Park Community Smart Growth Program
Program Summary
Smart growth can provide the right balance between development and preservation for Adirondack communities. The Adirondack Park Community Smart Growth Program supports planning projects that foster sustainable development, environmental protection and community livability. This can include visioning and long term plans to project-specific strategic planning. The program offers grant funding for counties, towns and villages that need financial or technical assistance to plan successfully for the future.
Funding
Funding for this program is provided from the EPF.
Current Status
DEC is currently awaiting approval for the second of three expected rounds of Adirondack grants. This approval is necessary due to the economic crisis and related State Agency Spending Controls announced by the State in November 2008. Depending on this approval, a tentative application deadline is estimated for late summer of 2009. Applicants will be encouraged to submit projects that lead to lower energy use and improved energy efficiency.
Application Materials
Application materials will be provided via this web page upon approval of additional funding.
Match Requirement
No match required
Program Eligibility Requirements/Restrictions
Applicants must be a county, town, or village located wholly or partially within the Adirondack Park. Projects may involve partnership with not-for-profit organizations. Projects submitted must be located wholly within the Adirondack Park and must be consistent with the Smart Growth principles outlined in the grant program Request for Applications.
Examples of eligible project activities include:
- Community participation techniques
- Community inventory and analysis
- Development or revision of a comprehensive plan
- Development or revision of local laws
- Project-specific feasibility, design, or market planning
- Capacity-building activities
Subject matter examples of plans to improve community resources include but are not limited to:
- Energy efficiency assessment, local energy management capacity
- Efficient transportation systems
- Main streets in villages, hamlets and town centers, including streetscapes, bicycle and pedestrian access, adaptive reuse, and mixed uses
- Community housing
- Waterfront access and facilities
- Environmental resource protection, including watersheds, habitat, wetland protection, clean-up of contaminated sites, and response to climate change
- Recreation sites and public access improvements, including parks, trails, greenways or blueways
- Scenic resource protection and improvement including viewsheds and scenic byways
- Protection and management of open space, farmland and working forests
- Tourism and marketing, with a focus on resource-, recreation-, ecological- and heritage-based tourism
- Educational opportunities, including historic and cultural resources, festivals and interpretive systems
Previous Grant Awards
The first round of funding was awarded via the 2007 Adirondack Park Community Smart Growth Grant Program
Central Catskill Park/Mountains Smart Growth Program
Program Summary
The Central Catskill Park/Mountains Smart Growth Program supports the implementation of capital projects that apply smart growth principles along the Route 28 corridor, a primary corridor of the Catskill region. The State, through other programs such as the Department of State's Watershed Planning and Implementation grants, has previously provided funding for comprehensive plans, strategic investment plans, revision of land use regulations, stormwater management plans, and qualified capital improvement projects. This program builds on these and other efforts by offering opportunities for eligible applicants to further enhance historic hamlets within the program area. These hamlets, located within or proximate to the Park, complement the region's protected natural and historic resources, and give the area its special sense of place. The Program seeks to enhance the connection of residents and visitors to the area's exceptional natural resources.
Current Status
DEC is currently awaiting approval to announce the award of grant recipients via the 2008 Central Catskill Park/Mountains Smart Growth Grant Program. This approval is necessary due to the economic crisis and related State Agency Spending Controls announced by the State in November 2008. Additional funding is not planned for 2009.
Funding
Funding for this program is provided from the EPF.
Match Requirement
No match required.
Program Eligibility Requirements/Restrictions
Please refer to the 2008 Central Catskill Park/Mountains Smart Growth Grant Program.
More about Smart Growth in the Adirondack and Catskill Parks:
- Exemplary Projects - Examples of Smart Growth projects that advance economic development, compatible with environmental considerations
- 2007 Adirondack Park Community Smart Growth Grant Program - In October 2007, New York State announced the availability of $1 million from the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) for smart growth planning within the context of the Adirondack Park.
