Background:
AlbanySprawl has become a critical issue for many areas in the Capital District. “Smart Growth” initiatives are designed to limit sprawl and promote quality communities by emphasizing redevelopment, pedestrian friendliness, historic landmark preservation, and protection of open space. The Statewide Empire Zone program originally aimed at revitalizing inner cities also provides opportunities to effectively manage resources, to capitalize on existing infrastructure, and to limit sprawl. Solution:
The League urges the counties and municipalities to:
- Encourage regional and county planning, greater inter-municipal coordination and intergovernmental cooperation to address issues and problems that are regional in scope (e.g. hold an annual regional planning summit among the county leaders and the mayors of Albany, Schenectady and Troy.)
- Pursue regional/county/local planning that focuses on Smart Growth and sustainable development principles.
- Take advantage of available state funding (e.g. use state funding for local planning as available through the Hudson River Greenway Commission and the State Coastal Management Program).
- Support establishment of Empire Economic Zones in cities rather than in suburban areas. The proposed Luther Forest Technology Park, if approved, would be an example of a wrong use of the Empire Zone subsidies because it would stimulate unprecedented growth in the middle of a suburban county.
- Establish adequate land use controls before extending major new water lines to rural areas, to avoid promoting sprawl.
What you can do: