I complained a while ago about the disappearing Route 13/366 Corridor Study. I see today that a Route 13/366 Corridor Study that looks very different from what we saw at the public meeting has finally gone up on the Tompkins County Planning Department site. I'll be reviewing it this weekend before writing it up in more detailed, but I'm already a little concerned by the first few paragraphs:
Tompkins County has crafted an inspiring vision for the community. The recently adopted Comprehensive Plan outlines "Principles, Policies, and Actions" to lead the community to an exciting future. The Plan focuses on a thriving economy for both the urban and rural areas, preservation of the agricultural and forest resources, and growth centered on existing population centers and "new villages" or nodal centers created through local community plans. The principles included in the Plan are consistent with the 2002 Tompkins County Vital Communities Initiative developed to assist local municipalities in achieving their local vision.
The Town & Village of Dryden and Hamlet of Varna have also independently completed Comprehensive Plans that are consistent with the Tompkins County Plan and Vital Communities Initiative. The plans provided specific focus on the Route 13 and Route 366 corridors with concerns related to congestion, speeding, as well the opportunity for new development near existing nodal development.
The NYS Route 13/366 Corridor Management Plan (CMP) offers a perfect "next step" in the evolution of creating the vision. Keys to the success of the CMP are to clearly define nodal development points that accommodate the increase in development while safely and efficiently moving commuters into and out of Cornell, the City of Ithaca, Village of Dryden, Hamlet of Varna, and to Cortland. (Italics mine.)
Did you get that? The County Comprehensive Plan is an "inspiring vision for the community... focuses on a thriving economy", and this new 13/366 plan is "a perfect "next step" in the evolution of creating the vision." The work that the Town and Village of Dryden, as well as the Hamlet of Varna, put in, are simply "Plans that are consistent with the Tompkins County Plan."
Who writes this stuff? And who are they trying to make happy?
Posted by simon at September 21, 2007 12:03 PM in nodal development , planning and zoning , roads, traffic, and transit