CITY OF SANDICOTT, NY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN (2020-2040) March 2020 Dear Citizens of the City of Sandicott: This Comprehensive Plan is a 20-year guide for planning for our city’s future. This Plan outlines the shared aspirations of the Sandicott community. This Plan demonstrates our goals and objectives as we move forward together to deliver priorities identified by our community to create a city that meets the needs of its people and its growing population. We continue to achieve stability, allowing us to reinvest in the community and build for the future. I commend the active involvement displayed by many members of our community as they work to shape the areas they live and work in, as well as the steering committee, the engaged consultants and of course my fellow Sandicott City Councilors for their continued enthusiasm and willingness to work together and make Sandicott an even more wonderful place to live, work and visit. Sincerely, Cr David Boon The 52nd Mayor of the City of Sandicott Cr David Boon The 52nd Mayor of the City of Sandicott i. Mayor's Message The City of Sandicott Comprehensive Plan for the years 2020-2040 was prepared by KZPPT. KZPPT is an independent urban planning and design consultancy firm based in New York City. KZPPT was commissioned by the City of Sandicott following a Request for Proposal process. KZPPT began their engagement in February 2020 and followed the process outlined by the City of Sandicott and the Sandicott Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee. Thank you to all those that participated in the process to allow this Comprehensive Plan to be completed; including the residents of Sandicott, the office bearers and politicians of the City of Sandicott and any other key stakeholder that has enabled this Plan to come to fruition. Finally KZPPT thanks Professor Jonathan Martin, AICP, PhD, for teaching valuable lessons in his Land Use Planning course within Columbia University’s GSAPP Urban Planning Program. KZPPT Urban Planning & Design LLC New York Office 428 West 116th Street New York, New York 10025 U.S.A. Tel. 212.876.1239 Web. www.kzppt.com e-mail. info@kzppt.org KZPPT Consultant Team Sophia Khan - Urban Designer Haoran Zhang - Environmental Planner Cole Perry - Infrastructure Planner Angus Palmer - Open Space Planner Caroline Thompson - Community Development Planner Acknowledgements ii. Acknowledgements List of Maps, Figures, Images Figure Number and Title Img 1.1 Sandicott Downtown Img 1.2 IBM during 1960s Img 1.3 Sandicott IBM campus today Img 2.1 Sandicott Historic District Img 2.2 Sandicott Waterfront Img 2.3 Sandicott Historic District Img 2.4 Sandicott has a large baby boomer population Img 2.5 Sandicotts Existing Wetlands Img 2.6 Westgate Shopping Center Img 2.7 Playgrounds nearing the end of their lifespan Img 2.8 Playgrounds nearing the end of their lifespan Img 2.9 Food Culture in Sandicott Img 2.10 Arts in Sandicott Img 2.11 Single Family Detached Img 2.12 Row/Town Houses Img 2.13 Garden Apartments Img 2.14 Multistory Apartments Img 2.15 Rural Road in the City of Sandicott Img 2.16 Community Center Img 2.17 Sandicott Community Hospital Img 2.18 Lake Taupo Img 2.19 Wastewater Utilities Img 2.20 MTA in Sandicott Img 2.21 Lack of Transport Options Img 2.22 High School in Sandicott Fig 2.1 Population Age Structure Fig 2.2 Existing Land Use Acreage, Year 2005,(Snapshot) Page 4 4 4 6 6 6 7 12 14 16 16 18 18 20 20 20 20 21 22 22 24 24 25 25 26 07 08 Figure Number and Title Fig 2.3 Percentage of Fossil Fuel Usage Fig 2.4 Local Employment Data and Industries Fig 2.5 Density of Housing Types Fig 2.6 Dwelling Units of Different Housing Fig 2.7 Areas of Different Housing Fig 2.8 Existing Community Facilities, Year 2005 Fig 2.9 Population growth Fig 2.10 Employment growth Fig 3.1 Top responses in the collaborative planning process Fig 4.1 Land Suitability Feature Weightings Fig 4.2 Land Suitability Area Fig 4.3 Areawide Land Policy Plan Map Number and Title Map 1.1 Sandicott in New York Map 1.2 Sandicott and City Boundary Map 2.1 Percentage of Vacant Land by Planning District Map 2.2 Existing Land Use Map 2.3 Existing Zoning Map 2.4 Existing Natural Landscapes Map 2.5 Socioeconomic Conditions Map 2.6 Open Space and Recreation Land Map 2.7 Infrastructure Map 2.8 Community Services Map 4.1 Land Suitability Area Map 4.2 Current Scenario Map 4.3 Preferred Scenario Page 12 14 19 19 19 26 27 27 30 39 39 43 2 2 9 10 11 13 15 17 21 23 40 41 42 iii. List of Maps, Figures, Images 44 45 47 48 49 51 52 53 55 56 57 58 62 64 65 71 4.0 Areawide Land Policy Plan 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Land Suitability Analysis 4.3 Current Land Use Scenario 4.4 Preferred Scenario 4.5 Land Use Policy Classification 5.0 Communitywide Land Use Design 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Business As Usual Scenario 5.3 Preferred Scenario 6.0 Small Area Plan 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Planning Process 6.3 Goals and Objectives 6.4 IBM Site Design 6.5 Implementation 7.0 Development Managemetn Plan 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Implementation Plan APPENDIX 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Sandicott Location 1.2 Executive Summary 1.3 Sandicott Today 2.0 State of the Community 2.1 Sandicott History 2.2 Population 2.3 Land Use and Development 2.4 Environment, Energy and Climate Protection 2.5 Open Space and Recreation 2.6 Economics & Employment 2.7 Arts and Culture 2.8 Housing 2.9 Infrastructure 2.10 Transportation 2.11 Education 2.12 Growth Projections and the Future 3.0 Direction Setting Framework 3.1 Collaborative Planning Process 3.2 Vision Statement for 2040 3.3 Goals and Policies 02 03 04 06 08 09 14 16 18 20 21 23 29 30 31 34 37 38 CONTENTS Contents 1.1 Sandicott Location 1.2 Executive Summary 1.3 Sandicott Today 01 Introduction Sandicott is a town located in upstate New York with a population of 10,000 people. Sandicott has excellent highway access along the New York State Thruway and is in close proximity to both New York City, the City of Albany and the Hudson River. Sandicott is 30 miles west of Kingsford, a city of 250,000 people and 50 miles south of Kensington, a city of 50,000 people. Sandicott Location Map 1.1 Sandicott in New York State, United States United States New York State Map 1.2 Sandicott and City Boundary NY 02 Sandicott Location Executive Summary Noting the challenging and contentious issues surrounding the uncertain future of Sandicott, Mayor David Boon commissioned KZPPT to create the Sandicott 2040 comprehensive plan. The plain aims to preserve the city’s mountainous beauty, find ideal locations for future development, and revitalize the large presently-abandoned IBM site. The IBM site’s redevelopment is slated to jumpstart the faltering economy and usher in an era of unprecedented growth, presenting the unique opportunity to rethink the town’s approach to infrastructure distribution and development policy. The plan begins with a State of Community Report, outlining Sandicott’s anticipated growth (double in the next 20 years), its historical relevance & background, and current land-use scheme. Following that is a direction-setting framework, detailing the goals and objectives that governed the creation of a new area-wide policy plan. Further, this framework lays out a study of the Sandicott region’s land suitability and proposed programs to achieve its objectives. Next, the Community Wide Land Use Plan includes descriptions of each of the proposed land uses and a table displaying proposed densities. To guide the development of the IBM site Special District, Sandicott 2040 includes a Small Area Plan with recommended building land uses and public space considerations. Also discussed are suggestions for activation for bus services and the new MTA station. Lastly, the Development Management Plan includes implementation strategies that correspond to each of the five main goals of Sandicott 2040. These are organized by policy initiative with the intention of setting a rough timeline and connecting each of the proposed improvements to their respective implementing agencies. Each element of this plan is to be coordinated with the appropriate agencies with the understanding that there are other overlapping plans, such as those put out by the State of New York governing other subjects such as transportation and the environment. Still, upon adoption, this document should serve as the principal guide for the growth and development for the next two decades. 03 Executive Summary Sandicott Today The town has a bucolic, rural backdrop to the distinctly urban environment. The region around Sandicott is also known for its wine and agritourism, often the location for weekend trips for New Yorkers. The region also has small basalt and limestone quarries, which have operated for stone extraction for asphalt and concrete plants further upstate. Since the 1950s, a small handful of quarries have opened and later been abandoned and rehabilitated, while agroforestry and agriculture have always historically been part of the fabric of the entire Hudson Valley. With the pending redevelopment of the IBM site located south of the Central Business District (CBD), there are strong indications of significant population growth anticipated in the City of Sandicott over the coming years. This redevelopment, in addition to the influx of new residents from the city seeking a change of scenery, raises the issue that Sandicott does not have the dwellings, infrastructure or open space to accommodate any significant population growth. This population growth will also put stress on the supply and demand levels of a variety of housing types, elementary and middle schools, an extra need for open space as well as a need to relocate the displaced industry of the IBM site to another location within urban areas of Sandicott. The City has several areas that are not suitable for intensive future development. This principally involves existing flood hazard areas, wetlands, steep slopes, and land with poor soil quality. Not surprisingly, most of these lands have remained generally undeveloped. Other land within proximity of the current urban development that remains vacant presents opportunity for future development. The City of Sandicott currently has no written policies, land use plans or capital improvements plans. The only regulations currently in place are simple sub-division regulations and a simple zoning ordinance. As a result, it is in the best interest of the City of Sandicott to plan for its future direction by a considered and coordinated approach that lays out a strategic framework and plans for a sustainable future with its current and future populations in mind. Img 1.1 Sandicott Downtown Img 1.2 IBM during 1960s Img 1.3 Sandicott IBM campus today 04 Sandicott Today 02 State of the Community 2.1 Sandicott History 2.2 Population 2.3 Land Use and Development 2.4 Environment, Energy and Climate Protection 2.5 Open Space and Recreation 2.6 Economics & Employment 2.7 Arts and Culture 2.8 Housing 2.9 Infrastructure 2.10 Transportation 2.11 Education 2.12 Growth Projections and the Future Sandicott History Fig 2.1 Historic Timeline of Sandiscott 06 Sandicott History Img 2.3 Sandicott Historic District Img 2.2 Sandicott Waterfront Img 2.1 Sandicott Historic District The City of Sandicott was originally founded in 1652 as a farming settlement and named Sandycosus after a Native American tribe of the Lenni Lenape that inhabited the area. The Dutch settlement was then renamed to Sandchott, which became Sandicott, when the English took possession. Sandicott is a City of neighborhoods. “Uptown” conforms with the original Village of Sandicott at the north end of the City. It is famous for its historic stone houses and three- story buildings, pedestrian scale and commercial streets (See Img 2.1, and Img 2.3). This area is also identified as the “Stockade District”, an area designated on the National Register of Historic Places. The Dutch settlement was originally established in this area. As Sandicott grew, several affluent businessmen and professional people built homes on the historic Chestnut Street. The architecture spans from Colonial styles to Italian Villa through Colonial Revival and American styles. During the development of 20th-century technological advancements, IBM ran a massive plant from the 1950s through to the early 1990s. Sandicott, like other New York towns, thrived from the localized IBM employment and investment. Thousands of people worked at the IBM plant, and thousands more owned or worked for local businesses that benefited from the presence of IBM in the community. When IBM decided to downsize their operation and centralize their work to larger metropolitan areas, Sandicott went into urban decline with population growth stagnating or declining. The loss of IBM was devastating for Sandicott. Businesses that served IBM and IBM employees suffered. The housing market was glutted with properties as IBM employees who relocated to other areas sold their homes. Due to Sandicott’s proximity to New York City, the abandoned IBM site has caught the attention of the developers. The accessibility of the site to the transit makes it an ideal location for redevelopment. (See Fig. 2.1) Sandicott History 07 Sandicott History 18 or younger 36% 18~49 25% 50 or older 39% Population: Age Structure 18 or younger 18~49 50 or older Population Currently, 10,000 people live within the City of Sandicott, with an additional 1,000 living within the township. The City has an aging population with 39 percent of the population being 50 years or older. Of that number, 24 percent are 65 years or older. For comparison, the United States has a national average of 17 percent of its population over 65 years old. (See Fig 2.2 and Img 2.4) An additional 36 percent of the Sandicott population is 18 years or younger. Only 25 percent of Sandicott residents are between 19 and 49 years old, meaning that Sandicott’s workforce is largely composed of non-residents. Males make up 51 percent of the population while females make up 49 percent, with 24 percent of Sandicott residents as foreign born. Patterns suggest that residents who grew up during the thriving period before the 1990s have remained in Sandicott. Sandicott is also a popular retirement location for a number of New Yorkers who have moved upstate for a quieter lifestyle. This has contributed to the higher than normal aging population. The high youth population is attributed to ample opportunity in the city for low-skill labor, as well as the nearby presence of Kensington University and Kingsford Agriculture College. The population of Sandicott is estimated to double in population over the next 10 years. Census data and regional trends indicate that the City of Sandicott will have a population of 20,000 by 2030. This has been attributed to the pending redevelopment of the IBM site, which will become a new mixed-use business park. This employment hub will attract young families and workers of multiple skill levels to Sandicott in the coming decade. ISSUES - · The aging population is of concern; · A smaller than usual age of adults aged 18-50. Img 2.4 Sandicott has a large baby boomer population Fig 2.2 Population Age Structure 08 Population Sandicott has a mixture of residential, commercial, community facilities and industry in the central business district. (See Fig 2.3) This is supported by public facilities, including one junior high school, a library and City Hall. Small pockets of open space are located within the central business district. The Regional MTA Hudson line traverses through the central business district, with a central station adjacent to City Hall. Outside of the central business district, the City of Sandicott is made up of commercial, high density and low density residential areas. Residential areas are predominantly located in the northeast part of the city and around the downtown core. Industry is located predominantly to the south, with key water systems located to the north and southwest. (See Map 2.2 and Map 2.4) There is a lot of undeveloped and/or vacant residential and unzoned land around the periphery of Sandicott(See Map 2.1). This is accompanied by a significant amount of open space and designated forested and agriculturally viable land. No development has occurred within the outlying areas of the township. (See Map 2.3) ISSUES - · No land use plan · No written policies for future growth or development · No detailed zoning ordinance Land Use and Development Fig 2.3 Existing Land Use Acreage, Year 2005,(Snapshot), Unit: acre 09 Land Use and Development Map 2.1 Percentage of Vacant Land by Planning District Percentage of Vacant Land by Planning District 10 Land Use and Development Map 2.2 Current Land Use, Communitywide Current Land Use, City 11 Land Use and Development Map 2.3 Current Land Use, Township Current Land Use, Township 12 Land Use and Development Map 2.4 Existing Zoning Existing Zoning 13 Land Use and Development Two small rivers surround the downtown core to the north and to the south. These rivers can flood, with the 100-year flood zone (1 percent annual chance of flooding) covering some of the City’s most critical development and facilities. (See Map 2.5) Sandicott has intense car-usership rates, with 86 percent of individuals over 21 years old owning a personal vehicle. The town does not have any facilities or parking allocations for ‘green’ or electric vehicles, and has no shared parking. Sandicott has a very low reliance on renewable energies, specifically solar power, with petroleum (41 percent), coal (32 percent), and natural gas (27 percent) making up a considerable contribution to GHG emissions from Sandicott residents. (Fig 2.4) Other local environmental resources include wetlands and other water bodies, smaller streams, floodplains, steep slopes, significant plant and wildlife habitats, mature woodlands and other greenspaces(Img 2.5). None of this land is formally zoned or has any planning mechanisms noting its protection or preservation. The City of Sandicott has no Conservation Plan or any strategies directed at a sustainable future. ISSUES- · Reliance on fossil fuels · Vulnerability to 100 year flood and flash floods · Lack of environmental and climate action plan · No of conservation plan or strategies Environment, Energy, and Climate Protection Fig 2.4 Percentage of Fossil Fuel Usage 41% 32% 27% Img 2.5 Sandicotts Existing Wetlands 14 Environment, Energy, and Climate Protection Map 2.5 Existing Natural Landscapes Existing Natural Landscapes 15 Environment, Energy, and Climate Protection