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Sustainable Tourism And Economic Development In Westchester County New York |
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| Diana M. Saltel, AICP, MCIP | |||
| Session: Monday April 17, 2000 1:00 - 2:15 p.m. | Author Info | ||
The award winning planning process employed by Westchester County to prepare a long-range sustainable tourism and economic development plan for Historic River Towns of Westchester (HRTW), a 11 community consortium of Hudson Riverfront communities, is explained. The multi-step planning process includes the preparation of a Tourism and Economic Development Plan, Hudson River Waterfront Plan, Building Livable Downtown Plan and the current work by the Planning Department of exploring strategies for Growing Smarter Together. The unique aspects of the process that have lead to its becoming a model for future plans to be prepared in the County and Hudson River Valley region are highlighted.
Lessons can be learned from the County of Westchester Department of Planning’s experience working together with Historic River Towns of Westchester (HRTW). A consortium of eleven municipalities that line the west shore of the Hudson River from Peekskill to Yonkers, HRTW was established in 1994 by an intermunicipal agreement to conduct joint tourism and marketing activities along with Historic Hudson Valley, a not-for-profit organization that operates historic sites in Westchester. The recessional impact of the recent closure of a riverfront General Motors plant motivated the mayors and supervisors of HRTW to join together to investigate new opportunities for economic development. Tourism was thought to be a viable option because of the wealth of historic and cultural sites in the area. The national value of these resources was reinforced by Congress’s designation in 1996 of the Hudson River Valley as a National Heritage Area. Frustrated in seeing their Hudson Riverfront Main Streets continuing to decline, HRTW approached the County Planning Department in 1996 to request technical support. Since that time, the County has been working closely with HRTW on a variety of initiatives geared towards sustainable tourism and economic development, including the development of a long-range Smart Growth plan for the region.
OVERVIEW
Bottom-Up Three Tier Regional Planning
A unique aspect of the HRTW sustainable tourism and economic development planning process is that a bottom-up process is being undertaken within a three-tier planning context (see Figure 1). From the outset, the County and HRTW recognized the benefit of working in partnership with the Hudson River Valley Greenway. Established in 1994, this New York State agency was created to provide a framework for voluntary cooperation within a 13 county region stretching form Albany to New York City. The Greenway legislation outlines a process for obtaining coordination among local governments that includes the development of county Compact Plans. Working within this three tier context, the County initiated a community driven planning process that seeks to fulfill the following three major goals:
An important element of this three tier planning process is that the objectives for these goals are all complementary. The major mission of HRTW is to promote economic development through tourism, riverfront renewal and downtown revitalization that is compatible with the natural and historical environment of the region. Patterns advocates strengthening centers, improving the function of corridors, and preserving Westchester’s significant open spaces. The overall goal of the Hudson River Valley Greenway is to develop a Compact Plan for the valley that encourages natural and cultural resource protection, economic development, regional planning, enhanced public access to the Hudson River, public education, and a process for voluntary cooperation among local municipalities.
Why the HRTW Planning Process Is A Model
The success of the HRTW planning process has resulted in it becoming a model for other subregional plans to be prepared by the County to implement Patterns and as a prototype for other counties in the Hudson River Valley preparing regional Greenway Compact Plans. The innovative aspects of the process include:
COMPLETED STEPS AND CURRENT INITIATIVES
Stage I (1997): The HRTW Tourism and Economic Development Plan
The first stage by the County Planning Department completed in April 1997 included the preparation of a Tourism and Economic Development Plan (see Figure 2). Working closely with the communities, a comprehensive inventory was gathered about historic and cultural sites, downtown amenities, parks, open spaces, trailways, Hudson River access, views and vistas, and how all these potential resources are linked and related to the local and regional economy, and population base. The primary purpose of this review was to discover the opportunities and constraints to future tourism and economic development activity. An added benefit is that regional identity among the 11 municipalities was reinforced and the communities’ pride of place greatly enhanced.
In order to foster a regional vision for the future, the County hosted, with HRTW and Greenway, a series of "community conversations’ in early April 1997 that brought neighboring communities together. The aim of these workshops was to explore the critical planning issues facing the region and mutually discover possible solutions and strategies for the future. A six-principle planning framework was introduced to help facilitate this process. Workshop participants were asked to think about access, preservation, development/redevelopment, regional identity, cooperation/coordination and balance. Through an examination of these six principles, consensus was achieved about "What" is important to the region and "How" the HRTW planning objectives can be fulfilled.
A significant accomplishment of the first stage in the planning process was the presentation of the Tourism and Economic Development Plan at the first annual HRTW regional planning conference. Over 2,000 copies of the Plan were mailed to HRTW residents and to key leaders within the greater Hudson River Valley region inviting them to the May 1997 event. This half-day conference, co-sponsored by Greenway, provided the communities with the opportunity to share ideas and determine the next steps to guide the region.
Stage II (1998): A Plan for the Hudson River Waterfront: Present and Future
One of the most important resources to tourism and economic development in the region is the Hudson River. The 49 miles of Hudson River shore in Westchester is meaningful to the HRTW communities because it is a source of recreational and educational activities, is key to the realization of significant transportation objectives and also represents future opportunities for community revitalization, economic development and water-borne tourism. President Clinton confirmed the significance of the river to the nation in July 1998 by the designation of the Hudson as one of the first American Heritage Rivers.
At the request of HRTW, the County proceeded with a Hudson River Waterfront: Present and Future Plan. (see Figure 3). As with the resources inventory, a broad perspective was utilized and a comprehensive range of issues explored including existing land uses, key waterfront destinations, boating and ferry access, esplanades and trailways, current and proposed development activities, local long-range planning objectives, and future development and redevelopment opportunities.
The communities were invited in May 1998 to revisit the HRTW six-principal planning framework in a series of workshop meetings, which was followed by the convening of the second annual HRTW conference. With the aid of detailed waterfront maps, participants explored new access opportunities over the Metro-North tracks, preservation of waterfront views, development of new boat launch sites, the creation of a functionally linked waterfront, and strengthening linkages between the waterfront and downtowns. Over 200 people participated in an all-day conference to explore "Waterfront Planning in the Post-Industrial Age". This conference, co-sponsored by Greenway, Ginsburg Development, Citibank and the New York Metro Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA), was an important first in the county because it brought government officials and professional planners together with representatives from the private sector and financial institutions to devise an action plan for the future Hudson River waterfront.
Stage III (1999): A Plan for Building Livable Downtowns
The third stage in the HRTW planning process was the undertaking of a plan for Building Livable Downtown (see Figure 4). A study of HRTW Main Streets was deemed essential to the preparation of a long-range sustainable tourism and economic development plan for a number of reasons. The downtown figured prominently in the community visioning process about how to strengthen future tourism and economic development activity. The HRTW Main Street plays a vital role in local community life and was identified as one of the most important resources that access and preservation strategies should be directed towards. Activities designed to enhance the links between the HRTW downtown and the waterfront were prioritized by the communities for future action.
The emphasis in this plan on transportation improvement strategies and mixed-use opportunities was particularly relevant given that the major constraints to future tourism and economic development include traffic congestion, parking problems, poor signage and shortage of lodging places. Traffic calming techniques were explored along with signage and streetscape improvements, parking needs and how to make HRTW downtowns bicycle and pedestrian friendly. A variety of mixed-use opportunities were explored including living over the store, building bed & breakfasts, transit oriented design and the need for diversity of uses that offer both day and night time activities for a range of visitors.
Following through on the successful format utilized in stages I and II, a series of workshops, each investigating in detail a different planning strategy to promote downtown vitality, were convened in April and May 1999. The first workshop demonstrated available tools and techniques to help resolve traffic and pedestrian conflicts, followed by a workshop on how to start a Bed & Breakfast and one to improve historic buildings through adaptive reuse. At each workshop, the participants were also asked to re-examine the HRTW six-principle planning framework in relation to downtown livability. Recommendations about improving access to Main Street, building for mixed-uses and balancing downtown sustainability with tourism were offered and recorded in the Building Livable Downtowns plan. The third annual HRTW planning conference held in June 1999 and co-sponsored by Greenway, Ginsburg Development, Citibank and the New York Metro Chapter of APA included a capacity crowd gathered to share ideas about the future HRTW region.
Stage IV (2000): Growing Smarter Together: A Greenprint for the Future HRTW Compact Region
The County Planning Department is currently working together with HRTW and Greenway on the fourth and final step in the planning process directed towards sustainable tourism and economic development. The major objective of the Growing Smarter Together project will be to examine the issues of heritage tourism, riverfront renewal and downtown revitalization within the context of Smart Growth. Three workshops, each dealing with a different HRTW mission topic, will be convened. Participants will be invited to explore "What is" and "What is Not" Smart Growth, share local examples of Smart Growth and prioritize projects for a Smarter Future. The results of these workshops will be included in the Growing Smarter Together: A Greenprint for the Future HRTW Compact Region compendium (see Figure 5) and presented at the fourth annual HRTW regional planning conference planned for Fall 2000.
PUBLIC ENDORSEMENT OF A THREE TIER PLAN
The bottom-up planning process utilized throughout the HRTW planning process will be followed through to the adoption stage. Each HRTW community will be asked to pass a resolution of support for the principles and programs outlined in the Growing Smarter Together: A Greenprint for the Future HRTW Compact Region and their acceptance of this plan as their subregional plan to implement Patterns and Compact Plan for Greenway. This package of endorsed agreements will then be presented to the County Board of Legislators and Greenway Council for their concurrence. Numerous important benefits will become available to the HRTW communities with public endorsement of this three tier plan.
ONGOING IMPLEMENTATION
At the same time that the County Planning Department has been working with HRTW on this multi-step planning process, staff have also been actively involved on a number of important implementation projects. One key project is the development of a regional signage system designed to be a model for the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area. The department is also undertaking a detailed study of funding priorities for new and enhanced access opportunities across Metro-North railroad tracks to the Hudson River waterfront. Both of these initiatives demonstrate the commitment of the County to assisting HRTW in achieving their vision for the future. Moreover, numerous local initiated and HRTW sponsored projects have sprung up as a result of the planning process.
CONCLUSION
Many challenges had to be overcome in the HRTW planning process. The opportunities of planning in both a National Heritage Area and for an American Heritage River require special consideration. Each community’s aspirations for the future need to be considered along with regional issues. Equally important is the need to balance new development with the preservation of key environmental and historical resources. The HRTW planning process provides proof that sustainable physical development can be achieved in a region striving to encourage tourism and economic development. Most important, it demonstrates that communities working together, and with county and state officials, are better equipped to face current challenges and more successful in ensuring that their long-range vision for the future is realized.
Copyright 2000 By Author
Diana M. Saltel, AICP, MCIP is an Associate Planner with the Westchester County Department of Planning and Project Manager for the HRTW Tourism and Economic Development Plan. Ms. Saltel joined the County Planning Department in 1996. Her work on the HRTW Tourism and Economic Development Plan was honored with a 1998 New York State Power of Preservation Award and the Hudson River Waterfront: Present and Future Plan was honored with a 1999 National Association of Counties (NACO) Achievement Award. Ms. Saltel is also the Project Manager for the Routes 202/35/6/Bear Mountain Parkway Sustainable Development Plan, a pilot study in the New York Metropolitan region that is intended to serve as a model for future land use and transportation studies. Prior to coming to Westchester, Ms. Saltel worked as a Policy Planner for the City of Brampton, Ontario and as a Community Development Planner for the City of Highland Park, Illinois. For more information about HRTW, contact Ms. Saltel at (914) 285-4769 or dms3@westchestegov.com
