Village of Dryden Comprehensive Plan
After a public hearing, at its September 21, 2006 municipal Board meeting, the Village of Dryden formally adopted its Comprehensive Plan. Prior to the adoption, the Village Planning Board wanted more time to review the Zoning Scenario Map which is included in the Plan. A few changes were made to the map. This information was forwarded to the Tompkins County Planning Department for their review.
The most recent updates are listed following:
Page 4 - Insert dates of meetings; one date still missing
Page 16 - Ag and Farmland Protection; required as per Village's attorney
Page 17 - Per Steering Committee: "soften" negative language regarding housing conditions
Page 18 - Per Steering Committee: Page reference to Consolidated Plan
Page 31 - Per input from public and agreed upon by Steering Committee: handicap access recommendation for downtown
Page 33 - Per above: handicap access Activity
Page 84 - Activity 2 of zoning scenario has been re-worded
Page 87 - Public participation: meeting dates
The updated document can be viewed in PDF format by clicking here. Please note that this is a large document and may take several minutes to download. In order to reduce the download time, maps and drawings are not included in the PDF version. They can be viewed at the Village Hall during regular office hours.
November 21 - Public Hearing
On November 21, 2005, the Dryden Steering Committee held a public hearing to discuss the contents of the Dryden Comprehensive Plan. A majority of the Steering Committee members were in attendance, as were a handful of Dryden residents. A few minor additions/corrections to the document were noted. It was also noted that the Tompkins County Planning Department's comments on the document had not been received yet and these comments might result in changes. This would be up to the members of the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee voted to recommend the document to the Village Board.
The comments of the Tompkins County Planning Board were received shortly after the November 21 meeting and were mainly very supportive of the Village's Plan. In anticipation of a public hearing scheduled for January 19, 2006, Thoma completed the minor additions/corrections to the Plan, made Steering Committee members aware of the changes, and sent the Village updated pages for its hard copy of the Plan. Thoma updated the Comprehensive Plan document on its website.
Steering Committee Completes Goals and Objectives
After working on its Comprehensive Plan for almost a year, the Dryden Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee met in May and June of this year to discuss the goals and activities of the Plan. Meetings were facilitated by Bernie Thoma, Senior Consultant, and Ann Hotchkin and Wes Pettee, Program Managers, of Thoma Development Consultants.
Goals and activities were presented by Thoma to the Committee based on the input gathered from previous Steering Committee meetings, public hearings, input from a Business Focus Group, and data gathered as a result of three separate mail surveys. Steering Committee members added, deleted, combined, and refined goals and activities as they deemed necessary.
Goals and Activities sections were included under each major heading of the Comprehensive Plan, as well as an easy to read and focused Action Plan for everyday reference. They serve as the basis for potential projects the Village could undertake in the future.
Upcoming Meeting Schedule
No future Steering Committee meeting has been announced at this time. In the very near future, Thoma will be meeting with a focus group of downtown businesspersons, completing research, and background information. It is anticipated that the next Steering Committee meeting will focus on all the information gathered, as described below, in addition to the results of residents and business surveys. All this information will assist the Steering Committee in setting goals for the Comprehensive Plan.
Business Focus Group Meeting - January 26, 2005
A Business Focus Group appointed by the Mayor convened on January 26, 2005 to discuss a number of issues related to the business climate in the Village of Dryden. The meeting was facilitated by Ann Hotchkin and Wes Pettee of Thoma Development Consultants.
The group was given a summary of the results of a recent Residents Survey related only to the topic of “business” in the Village. The additional residents survey data will be presented in the Comprehensive Plan. For purposes of this focus group, the following survey information was shared with attendees:
I. WHAT DID THE DRYDEN RESIDENTS HAVE TO SAY?
SURVEY: 273 Surveys were mail; 126 were returned: 46% response rate
SELECTED SURVEY RESULTS
- Q. Which best describes Dryden since you moved here? Dryden is a more desirable place to live (31%); Dryden has not changed (32%); and Dryden is a less desirable place to live (14%).
- 45% of respondents purchase goods or services in Dryden every day; an additional 41% of respondents purchase goods or services once a week.
- 49% of respondents buy their groceries most often in Dryden.
- 23% of residents have lived in Dryden 11-20 years and an additional 23% has lived in Dryden for over 30 years.
WHAT BUSINESSES OR SERVICES DO DRYDEN RESIDENTS WANT? (NOTE: Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of times mentioned)
- More retail - (clothing, Family Dollar Store, antiques, gifts, dairy store, paint, electronics, crafts, shoes) (13)
- Restaurant - (ethnic, Olive Garden, seafood, more upscale) (13)
- Video Store (6)
- Book store/coffee shop (7)
- Bowling alley (4)
- Recreation for youth - (skating rink, skate park, youth center, swimming pool, pre-school playground, baseball complex) (12)
- Medical - (emergency services, testing, specialists, choices, facilities) (9)
- Movie theater (4)
- Another grocery store/larger chain (10)
The Business Focus Group was also given the results of a recent survey of business owners who operate in the Village (this included not-for-profit and other agencies such as churches, the library, Town government, etc).
II. WHAT DID THE BUSINESS OWNERS HAVE TO SAY?
DOWNTOWN DRYDEN'S GREATEST STRENGTHS:
- Route 13 and Dryden's easy access are its greatest assets
- The Village's appearance is great, especially with respect to the new road, clock, and streetlights
- The Village has a friendly, small town atmosphere
- The Village has a variety of services, including banks, dentists, drug and grocery stores, and variety of services
- Most businesses are in walking distance of each other
- Dryden has owner-operated small businesses
- Dryden has loyal customers
DOWNTOWN DRYDEN'S GREATEST WEAKNESSES
- Parking is Dryden's greatest problem
- There is too much traffic and a poor traffic flow on Route 13
- There is not enough diversity and not enough business development opportunities in the Village
- The post office has many problems related to design/safety and service to its customers
The Business Focus Group also noted the following issues which pose problems to the business community. They were given 10 stickers and asked to place no more than 2 stickers next to the issues they believed were most important. The number in parentheses indicates the tally for each issue.
- Encouraging people to stop and patronize Dryden businesses (5)
- Post Office: design and service (5)
- Parking/Security (4)
- Traffic flow, noise on Route 13 (3)
- Better Dryden business name recognition: need for a business brochure; need for “wayfinder” signs or an informational kiosk in the Village (3)
- Lack of a business organization (2)
- Business owners need to “step up to the plate” (2)
- Easier accessibility to the fronts and backs of businesses (2)
- The “disconnect” between West Main and North Streets (2)
- Signage/Attractiveness of the downtown area facades (1)
- Encourage employees not to park in spaces in the front of buildings (1)
- Slumlords (1)
- Transients (1)
- More guidance in site plan design for developers (0)
- Too many government regulations (0)
- There is no local “one-stop-shop” for new start up businesses (0)
- Business owners need to better advertise their inventory (0)
Focus Group members were also asked to name projects that would help improve the business climate in Dryden. These were ranked in the same manner as the business problems. These projects follow:
- Develop a business brochure (5)
- Pressure the post office to improve (4)
- Work at advertisements/work with County Chamber of Commerce for assistance (4)
- Develop a Dryden business organization (4)
- Village to effectively communicate and work with businesses re: sign regulations, land use regulations, site plan guidelines (3)
- Improve downtown relations with the entire business community (3)
- Revise the Village's land use regulations (2)
- Work with the DOT on traffic issues (1)
- Develop projects to “connect” West Main Street to North Street (1)
- Improve internet communications (0)
There was also a lengthy discussion on what constitutes the “downtown” area of the Village of Dryden. Since there is a difference in the “sense of place” one derives from West Main Street and its older historic buildings versus North Street with its more modern buildings which are set back and have parking lots in the front, the Business Focus Group members were asked their opinion on how these two areas should develop over the next 20 years.
The Group determined that the “downtown” should extend from the westernmost boundary of the Village along West Main Street and continue through the four corners going east to James Street. The southern “terminus” should be Union Street and the northern boundary should be Route 38. From a future planning perspective, if acceptable to the Steering Committee in its Comprehensive Plan goals and objectives, there would be a concerted effort on the part of the Village, through zoning, to have the Village's North Main Street move towards a “sense of place” which would be similar to West Main Street. Future development would call for building façades that blend with the historic feel of West Main Street, signage would retain a more historic look and feel, and public amenities, such as lighting sidewalks, and other appurtenances would be the same for both areas. Building setbacks would also be discussed.
The Focus Group felt that these physical improvements would also help to strengthen the business community in the Village.
The recommendations put forth by the Business Focus Group will be presented to the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee when it meets to discuss Comprehensive Plan Goals and Objectives.
Community Survey
A community survey was mailed to residents in October 2004. If you are a Village resident, and would like a copy of the survey form, you can download it here, or contact the Village Office. Completed surveys may be returned to Thoma Development Consultants, or dropped off at the Village Office.
November 10th Steering Committee Meeting
Steering Committee members met with Ann Hotchkin and Wes Pettee to finalize the vision statement for the Village of Dryden Comprehensive Plan. Three separate groups prepared three separate vision statements. The groups then merged the statements until they were satisfied with the final product. The vision statement for the Village follows:
THE VILLAGE OF DRYDEN, ENRICHED BY ITS PAST, WILL HAVE A HEALTHY “SMALL TOWN” ATMOSPHERE WHERE ATTRACTIVE RESIDENCES AND VIBRANT BUSINESSES CO-EXIST. THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR DIVERSE AND INVOLVED POPULATION IS SUSTAINED BY A SOUND INFRASTRUCTURE OF ROADS, SYSTEMS, AND SERVICES. TO ACHIEVE THIS QUALITY OF LIFE, AND TO PRESERVE AND ENHANCE OUR COMMUNITY, WE WILL HAVE REASONABLE AND ENFORCEABLE POLICIES.
Planning Board Meeting - November 4th
Wes Pettee, Thoma Program Manager and Planner, met with the Village's Planning Board to initially discuss some of their planning concerns. Top priorities are zoning and code enforcement.
In a subsequent telephone conversation, Ann Hotchkin, Program Manager, discussed code enforcement in the Village with Henry Slater, Code Enforcement Officer.
Information gathered from the meeting and the telephone conversation will form the basis for further investigation into zoning and code enforcement issues.
October 27th Steering Committee Meeting
The meeting was presided over by Ann Hotchkin, Program Manager, and Wes Pettee, Planner/Program Manager, of Thoma. Steering Committee members were divided into three groups. Each group compared the photographs that were taken as part of an assignment and pasted “positive” images of the Village of Dryden on one poster board and “negative” images of Dryden on another. Positive images included the library, downtown, the school, attractive businesses, beautiful trees with Fall foliage, well-kept homes, places of worship, fire department, police department, signs representing community organizations, essential services such as the post office and grocery store, trails, Main Street, etc. Negative images included poorly kept residences (owner occupied and income property), abandoned buildings, poorly designed properties, the junkyard, truck traffic, etc. Group members were then asked to list positive and negative attributes of places depicted in the photos. These attributes are listed following:
Positive Attributes
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Great architecture |
Positive values: churches |
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Negative Attributes
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Poor design |
Vacant structures |
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The purpose of the exercise was to have Steering Committee members define what was most important to the overall character of the Village, what assets were important to preserve, and what negative influences needed to be changed. A review of negative and positive attributes helped to further define how someone felt about certain assets or liabilities.
A listing of the assets and liabilities of the community, as defined during the October 13 meeting, were listed on large sheets of paper that were attached to a wall in the meeting room. Each group member was given 16 stickers and asked to place them next to the assets they believed were the most essential to Dryden (8 stickers) and then next to the liabilities in Dryden that they felt needed to change (8 stickers). No more than two stickers could be placed on any one item.
The results follow (number next to item denotes how many votes the item received; the higher the number, the greater its importance):
Assets
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Police department (9) |
Four corners/green (2) |
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Liabilities
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Code violations (11) |
Youth: lack of jobs; too much spare time (3) |
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October 13th Steering Committee Meeting
Ann Hotchkin of Thoma reminded the group that the residents' survey is ready for mailing. Approximately 1 in 3 residents has been randomly selected to receive the mail survey. Anyone else wishing to answer a survey can pick one up in the Village Offices or print a survey form from the Thoma website. The surveys should be ready the week of October 18.
The Mayor provided Thoma with the names of approximately 8 individuals who will serve on a Downtown (Main Street) focus group. This group is comprised of Steering Committee members, businesspersons, and Downtown residents.
The Steering Committee elected Reba Taylor, Mayor, as the Chairman of the Steering Committee.
Steering Committee members were each given a disposable camera and were given an assignment to take pictures of buildings, places, etc. in the Village which make them proud, convey the spirit of the Village, and/or portray a positive image. They were also asked to take photographs of places that do not portray a positive image of the Village. The Village Police Chief mentioned that it is legal to take photographs while standing on the sidewalk.
September 2nd Kick-Off Meeting
Bernie Thoma, Senior Consultant, and Ann Hotchkin, Program Manager, conducted a power point presentation on the process, development, and adoption of a Comprehensive Plan. There was also information provided on the work to be done by sub-consultants, K. Teter Consulting.
A discussion was had on the Village's decision to appoint a Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee and to have the Committee guide the Comprehensive Plan process.
A draft Citizen Participation Plan was provided as a handout. This Plan provides information on how the Village of Dryden citizenry will be involved in the Comprehensive Plan process and how they will be kept informed of the progress of the Plan's development, including public meetings, print media, and websites.
SWOT Analysis
A SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) Analysis of the Village was conducted with the Steering Committee. It was recognized that an issue/attribute could be both a strength and weakness. For example, increased traffic might generate sales for area businesses while, at the same time, it could make navigating the Village more difficult. The results of the SWOT process are shown below.
Strengths
- Four corners/Green space Main Street
- Municipal water/sewer
- Streetlights
- Linear Park
- Police/Fire Departments
- Centralized location
- Community spirit
- Youth programs
- Library
- School system
- DPW: good sidewalks, streets: pedestrian friendly
- Friendly neighborhood feeling Village design: services by foot
- Community events
- Railroad walk to Freeville
- Zoning
- Available essential services
- Busses/Public transportation
- Local universities
- Local Restaurants
Weaknesses
- Too much traffic
- Transients
- Busses as conduit for crime
- Haphazard growth
- Slumlords
- Sewer plant weaknesses
- Lack of housing choices: seniors, others
- Single family housing conversion to multi-family
- Code violations/Need for enforcement
- Unfinished projects: linear park
- Youth: lack of jobs/Too much spare time
- Threats to water supply
Opportunities
- Developable land in Village
- Preservation land for wildlife (wetlands)
- Completion of sidewalks
- Water and sewer upgrades for future development opportunities
- Land annexation
- Business attraction
- Beautification, especially municipally-owned lands
Threats
- Water pollution
- Water drainage
- Dwindling volunteerism: fire/ambulance
- Over-regulation (Example: DEC)
- Over-development
- Route 13 by-pass
- Higher taxes
- Inability to meet Village budget
- Lack of commercial development
- Regional development