by Bea Peterson
The Hudson River Valley Greenway has announced that it has awarded the Village of Hoosick Falls a $9,500 matching grant which is being used to update the Village’s municipal zoning code. Village Mayor David Borge had already announced this at the June Board meeting. [private]The Village’s current zoning code dates to 1977 and does not match the vision and goals of the community today as the Village strives to maintain its rural character and prevent commercial and residential disinvestment. “We were lucky that the Zoning committee applied for this Grant. It helps considerably,” said Borge. The Grant pays for almost a third of the entire Zoning Code update.
Hudson River Valley Greenway Acting Director Mark Castiglione said, “A well-crafted zoning code is important in helping communities achieve their goals for both development and preservation. The Greenway is pleased to be able to support community planning, both at the local and regional level.”
Borge added, “On behalf of the Village of Hoosick Falls, I want to thank the Hudson River Valley Greenway Council for their support by approving a grant for $9,500 to assist with a total updating of Village zoning laws and regulations. This effort, when coupled with the development of an economic revitalization strategy, will prepare the foundation for a stronger more vibrant greater Hoosick community. The vision of the Hudson River Valley Greenway Council is its strength, and I support their ongoing efforts.”
The Village of Hoosick Falls zoning code update will be informed in part by the intermunicipal marketing plan developed between the Town of Hoosick and the Village of Hoosick Falls. The two communities recognize the role a good zoning ordinance can play in making the Town and Village attractive to both new businesses and residents alike. The Hudson River Valley Greenway is committed to the state-wide tradition of local home rule in land use decision making and seeks to encourage such mutually beneficial regional cooperation within this framework whenever possible.
The Hudson River Valley Greenway is a unique state sponsored program established by the Greenway Act of 1991. More than eighty per cent of eligible municipalities within the Greenway area have joined the Greenway. The program is designed to encourage communities to develop projects and initiatives related to the criteria of natural and cultural resource protection, regional and local planning, economic development, public access to the Hudson River (as well as other regional and local resources) and heritage and environmental education. It provides technical assistance and small grants for planning, water trail and land-based trails and other projects that reinforce the Greenway Criteria. In keeping with the New York tradition of home rule, the Greenway program has no regulatory authority, and participation by municipalities in Greenway programs and projects is entirely voluntary. The Greenway also manages the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area.
Applications for the next round of Greenway grants are due August 29. For more information, visit the Greenway website.[/private]