A public informational meeting on the Town of Batavia’s updated Comprehensive Plan is scheduled for 7 p.m. next Wednesday (Dec. 7) at the Town Hall on West Main Street Road.
Residents, business owners and landowners are invited to attend the two-hour session, which will focus on the Town’s vision of a “regional, rural and resilient” community.
The Comprehensive Plan is a document meant to guide Town decisions over the next 15 to 20 years relating to land use and zoning, natural resource conservation, business and economic development, transportation and other infrastructure, agriculture and farmland, and community services.
The Comprehensive Plan will update the Town’s current plan, which was adopted in 2009. It incorporates key findings and recommendations from several plans and studies that have been completed over the past several years.
These include plans for agriculture and farmland, transportation, recreation and economic development. The Comprehensive Plan will also help to implement the goals and policies of Green Genesee/ Smart Genesee, which identified key natural assets and presents strategies to leverage these resources for conservation, recreation, economic development and quality of life.
In addition to maps, statistics and analysis of existing conditions and trends, the Plan includes a Land Use Plan that shows appropriate locations for agricultural, residential, commercial, industrial, conservation, recreation and mixed-use development, and projected build-out over the next 15 years.
The Plan sets goals and recommends actions that the Town can take to:
-- encourage a balance of development types and mixed uses in appropriate areas;
-- conserve natural resources and limit flood damage;
-- retain high-quality farmland and support the agricultural economy;
-- enhance recreational opportunities for residents;
-- continue to grow the tax base with commercial and industrial development, while supporting existing businesses;
-- enhance residential quality of life and accommodate a mix of housing types to meet the needs of people who work in and near the Town, as well as seniors and families;
-- improve transportation connections and extend transportation facilities to meet community needs;
-- manage development and Town expenditures in a fiscally responsible manner.
Those interested can “drop in” any time to learn about the Plan and ask questions of Town representatives and consultants. The formal presentation will begin at 7:30 p.m.
