Warren County Launches Comprehensive Plan
The Warren County Board of Supervisors has approved a major comprehensive planning process to guide the development of the county into the future. The process will include establishing a vision, goals, and strategies through a robust public engagement plan to ensure community priorities.
Local residents will discuss ideas for their communities during public outreach sessions.
“The new comprehensive plan comes at an important time in Warren County history,” said Ethan Gaddy, assistant county planner. “We have tremendous assets in the character of the county, in its charming rural towns and environmental quality. We are poised for growth by leveraging the assets we have as we set our course for the future, while maintaining what’s important to us.”
“We intend to undertake a stakeholder-driven and inclusive planning process to develop a comprehensive plan that will guide the county for generations,” he added. “The comprehensive plan should be forward-looking, inclusive, and people-oriented.”
Gaddy said the plan also will take into account the assets of the surrounding area.
“We see a growing economy in Saratoga County led by Global Foundries to our south, and by the revitalizing city of Glens Falls, the growing town of Queensbury, and the expanse of the Adirondack Park to our north,” he said. “The comprehensive plan brings an opportunity to capitalize on those assets as well as our own.”
The planning process will be managed and coordinated by the Warren County Department of Planning and Community Development.
The plan will address a holistic range of topics, including but not limited to economic and workforce development; housing; transportation, quality of life, tourism, broadband, government efficiency, recreation, climate adaptation, environmental stewardship; public health; and open space protection.
“Warren County is taking an important step in guiding its future with the decision to undertake a new comprehensive planning process,” said Wayne LaMothe, county planner and director. “This undertaking has two main goals: to create a vision for Warren County as a whole, and to guide future development and investment within the county. The comprehensive plan will provide a framework for decision making at the county level, which in turn will prioritize countywide capital improvements and provide guidance on resource allocation.”
“We strive to develop stakeholder-driven vision and public-supported action plan,” Gaddy said. “We see this as a chance to show county government at its best, through an open and engaging process, through genuine dialogue.”
Connecting Glens Falls and Lake George, the 9.4 mile Warren County Bikeway is a popular recreation asset.
The Board of Supervisors has allocated $200,000 to hire a consultant to conduct the comprehensive planning process, which is expected to take about 18 months. Staff members in the planning department are preparing a request for proposals in anticipation of selecting a consultant later this spring.
The consultant will ensure that the planning process is inclusive and representative of community priorities, and engages residents, developers, landowners, business owners, appointed and elected officials, and other pertinent stakeholders, LaMothe said.
The approach and techniques involved in community engagement are expected to include six specific tasks:
1. Establish a steering committee, consisting of county officials, a diverse group of residents, community leaders and stakeholders, and business owners.
2. Assess existing conditions and develop a county profile, setting a baseline for Warren County’s physical and socioeconomic assets.
3. Conduct an economic analysis and identify strategies, programs, and projects to improve the local economy.
4. Establish an approach to planning that ensures social justice, incorporating race and social equity goals and policies throughout the comprehensive plan and the public engagement process.
5. Incorporate sustainability elements consistent with the New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation’s requirements for the Climate Smart Communities Program.
6. Identify a countywide vision; guiding principles, goals and objectives; challenges; and needs that inform specific short, medium, and long-term goals.
Lamothe said other priorities will include identifying stakeholder groups; formulating a plan for conducting public meetings that ensure input from communities and groups normally not reached in planning processes; and providing a general marketing plan and strategy to ensure communication with the public, stakeholders, and appointed and elected officials to promote engagement in the process through a variety of communications opportunities.
“A new comprehensive planning process is a great opportunity to launch a new chapter in the development of Warren County as an attractive place to live, work, and enjoy the natural beauty of the Adirondacks,” LaMothe said. “We look forward to working with the many people who will be our partners in this important undertaking.”