Photos for the Comp Plan

I forgot to ask -- do you have photos, or could you take digital photos, of Hurley locations we discuss in the comprehensive plan? Do you know someone you could ask? (for love, no money) Things we could use -

• Examples of Hurley's history
• Rural character and environment
• Route 28 Overlay deterioration
• Samples of current housing stock and developments
• Safety issues
• Transportation/roadway illustrations
• Home businesses
• Logging
• Unused light industrial district buildings
• Parks/ball parks/recreation areas
• Cornfields and bluffs
• Reservoir
• Scenic roadways and view corridors
• Storm water run-off and flooding problems
• Smoke from open burning
• Senior citizen gathering or individual portraits - with permission
• Schools
• Main Street
• Maverick
• Design Standards at work - maybe Hurley Ridge Market
• Tourism destinations
• Traffic hotspots

Got the idea?

Send pictures or inquiries to me at wahtera@adhoccopy.com

Thanks,

Ruth Wahtera

Traffic, Transportation, Road Network

Any comments on transportation? The County is currently studying 209 but their preliminary feeling is that it is adequate for the next 20 years, with the possible addition of left turn lanes. Route 28? A collector/connector system needed between Van Dale and 375? A connector road between Lucas and 209? Another bridge across the Esopus somewhere between Wynkoop and Marbletown - recommended in the 1969 plan. Other?

Design Standards - applied to what, by whom?

Dennis described communities developing design standards for commercial development, streetscapes, residential developments. The Open Space Plan recommends design standards for scenic roads (eg fences, signs) and view corridors. Hurley currently has no design standards. What do you think?

Town Center - Where is it?

Dennis Doyle has raised the question - Does Hurley need a town center? We've been discussing a connector road between 209 and Lucas Ave. One was proposed in the 1969 Comprehensive Plan. It could be developed with a town center in mind. What would we want located there, if we had one?

Smart Growth - Where?

We know that Hurley will grow over the next two decades. Where do we want that growth to occur? In the early '90's, the town adopted zoning changes with the expectation that growth would occur in the R-1 and R-2 areas. (Primarily the eastern portion of West Hurley and most of Old Hurley. Can anyone post a zoning map?) Does that still work?

Housing Affordability

Post your thoughts about housing affordability here--

• Would you like to see affordable housing integrated into any/every new development?
• What groups would you like to see have priority on the available units? Hurley residents? Elderly and disabled? Town employees? Civil servents? Young families?
• What percent of the median should we be targeting?

Comprehensive Plan Issues

Dennis Doyle raised a lot of issues last night. We'd like your feedback. I'll start message threads on each of the topics so we can keep the discussion about each focused. To summarize some of his points for those of you who weren't there -

• Change will happen, so shape it however you can.
• Ulster County will grow by 40,000 - 80,000 by 2030. Hurley will probably absorb about 1800 of that growth.
• In 1998 a household at 100% of the median income in Ulster County could afford 63.5% of the homes on the market. In 2004, that dropped to only 28.2% of the homes. (The median income in Hurley in the 2000 census was $51,055)
• Local communities have more control over how that growth occurs than any other level of government, if you use the tools available
• The more specific (he used the term precise) a comprehensive plan is, the more useful in controlling or shaping that growth. And, the more controversial.
• Think long term but focus action steps on the immediate
• Hurley, by state mandate, must accommodate a fair share of below market housing. We need to establish a way to do that. We can determine how and who gets priority.
• Design standards are a useful way to ensure the on-going 'character of the community.'

Those were some of the things I took away from the presentation. How about you?

IMPORTANT PUBLIC MEETING 7 pm Thurs, May 18 Hurley Town Hall

All Hurley residents are invited to attend this meeting sponsored by the Hurley Conservation Advisory Council (C.A.C.) to learn how the proposed Groundwater Protection Plan for Old Hurley will help preserve the quality and quantity of our town's water supply. We hope to see you there. Your Conservation Advisory Council

Join us for this meeting - Predicting and Planning for Hurley's Future

Monday, May 22, 2006 7:30 pm Town Hall

The Town of Hurley Comprehensive Plan Committee has arranged for the staff from the Ulster County Planning Department to discuss the challenges that confront Hurley and the County as we grow into the next decade and beyond. • Population Growth • Planned Development Options • Employment and Business Opportunities • Water and Air Quality • Managing Traffic • Real Estate Values and Aging in Place Join us on Monday, May 22nd when the Ulster County Planning Department presents their projections to the Hurley Town Board and the Comprehensive Plan Committee. This meeting sets the stage for reviewing and adopting the Comprehensive Plan. We expect to publish the plan in June. Then the adoption process starts. The Committee will hold public hearings and send the draft to the County Planning Board for review and comments. Then we forward the plan to the Town Board. They must hold their own public hearing before taking action. On the 22nd - regular Town Board business from 7-7:30 pm. The balance of the meeting will focus on the future. We hope to see you there.