Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Planning
Guide
Local Open Space
Planning Guide
2004
Reprint May 2007
David A. Paterson
Governor
And, above of all, we extend sincere thanks to New York State’s local government
officials for their interest and efforts in the field of open space protection and for the
many success stories we have documented in this guide.
This guide was printed as part of the Quality Communities Technical Assistance Program and
was made possible in part through a grant from the Governor’s Office for Small Cities.
Margaretville, NY
tion is that it often
Apart from the direct
benefits of conserving re- provides multiple
sources (see Chapter 3), it benefits. Land
is important to integrate conserved be-
cause it is impor-
open space into the overall growth and development
tant wildlife habitat often contains wetlands which
pattern of a community. Thoughtful consideration
aid in flood control and water filtration. Preserva-
of how a system of community open space may be
used to enhance residential areas, improve traffic tion of farm fields for agricultural activities may si-
circulation, provide recreational amenities for multaneously preserve the scenic qualities of a coun-
schools and senior housing for example, should re- try road. Prohibition of development on steep slopes
may also preserve views of bluffs or ridgelines. Cre-
sult in a plan which wins community support.
ation of athletic fields results in green space in our
There is no single approach to developing an communities.
open space plan. Open space plans are as diverse as
the communities in New York. Open space in an Legal Authority
urban area might consist of a park or bikeway, while In addition to the general power of municipali-
in a suburban area, it might mean preserving the ties to engage in matters concerning their property,
last agricultural lands from development. The New affairs or government, Article 9 of the NYS Consti-
9 Local Open Space Planning Guide
tution provides that local governments shall have of the area studied. It is becoming increasingly evi-
the powers granted to them in the Statute of Local dent that conservation of open space can have a
Governments. Section 10 (7) of the Statute of Local positive impact on the economy of a community by
Governments provides that each local government improving its attractiveness and desirability. Com-
has: munities must be careful to ensure that unintended
“The power to perform comprehensive or other
planning work related to its jurisdiction.” Intermunicipal Cooperation
Counties, cities, towns and villages also have In 2000, the Town Board of New Paltz,
authority to develop comprehensive plans which Ulster County, created the New Paltz
may include any elements related to their “orderly Open Space Committee. This was in
growth and development” as well as those concern- response to the town’s 1995 Compre-
ing natural resources, recreation and sensitive envi- hensive Plan, which recommended
ronmental areas (General Municipal Law §239-d, the importance of protecting the
General City Law §28-a, Town Law §272-a, Vil- community’s unique environmental
lage Law §7-722). Counties, cities, towns and vil- resources. The Village of New Paltz
has joined the town in their preserva-
lages also are authorized to use public funds to ac-
tion efforts. The committee hired a
quire open space land in their respective territories,
consultant to conduct an inventory of
pursuant to General Municipal Law §247, which their open space resources, including
provides the following useful definition of open mapping of streams, wetlands,
space: agricultural soils, steep slopes, and
Any space or area characterized by (1) scenic views. A final document will be
natural scenic beauty or, (2) whose existing produced in 2003.
openness, natural condition, or present
state of use, if retained, would enhance the
present or potential value of abutting or open space conservation does not cause effects such
surrounding urban development, or would as increasing housing costs. The best way to address
maintain or enhance the conservation of such issues is through integration of open space plan-
natural or scenic resources. ning into the overall community planning process.
Finally, there also are sources of authority for In 2002, The Conservation Fund published Green
intermunicipal cooperation in planning activities Infrastructure: Smart Conservation for the 21st Cen-
which grant flexibility for undertaking joint open tury, by Mark A. Benedict and Edward T. McMahon,
space planning. General Municipal Law §239-c pro- which puts forth a compelling case for the strategic
vides that county planning boards may furnish land use of open space, rather than a purely reactive, con-
use planning assistance to municipalities, and Ar- servation-based use. In essence, the Green Infra-
ticle 5-G of the General Municipal Law authorizes structure approach is that open space should be
two or more municipalities to jointly engage in any proactively used as part of an integrated land use
activity they could separately undertake. management system to improve the quality of our
communities. This is the strategic use of open space
to accomplish several goals and provide a frame-
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN work for growth and development within our com-
OR OPEN SPACE PLAN? munities and regions. The rationale underlying this
approach argues for open space planning to be con-
T here is legal authority for either a separate
open space plan or inclusion of open space
elements within a comprehensive plan. Tradition-
ducted as part of a community’s overall approach to
growth and development, regardless of whether the
plan is contained in a separate document.
ally, comprehensive plans completed by municipali-
ties include an open space element, just as they in- It is not just organizations such as The Conser-
clude elements on transportation, utilities, commu- vation Fund which recognize that a system of com-
nity facilities, housing and other community needs. munity open space can complement the built envi-
Regardless of whether the open space plan is pub- ronment:
lished as a separate document, it is essential to re- “Building with the environment means seeing
late the open space plan to the overall development planned development and natural systems as
Local Open Space Planning Guide 10
intricately linked and viewing natural resources purchase of development rights, would cost taxpay-
as an opportunity rather than a constraint.” ers less than full build-out under the then-current
National Association of Homebuilders zoning. As a consequence, preservation of prime
and AMERICAN FORESTS, farmland was the centerpiece of the Greenprint, that
Building Greener Neighborhoods, 1995 linked preservation of community character (thus
enhancing property values), identification of areas
The integration of open space into the commu- for intensive commercial activity and enhancement
nity planning process is what exemplifies the Town of the local agricultural economy. Open space con-
of Pittsford’s Greenprint for Pittsford’s Future, servation was looked at in a realistic and practical
which has been hailed as a national model of inte- way as a means of leveraging a multitude of other
grating open space conservation into preservation community goals.
of community character. Located in a fast-growing
suburban area of Monroe County, people in Pittsford It makes eminent sense for communities to ana-
were concerned about the loss of open space, par- lyze their open space needs in conjunction with the
ticularly farmland. Fiscal analysis showed that the range of factors usually reviewed in an open space
Town’s preservation of open space, including the plan. Occasionally, however, a single function plan,
such as a recreational plan or a water quality pro-
The Greenprint Process tection plan may need to be developed. In some
The Town of Pittsford, in Monroe County, has cases, a non-governmental organization (NGO) may
received State and federal awards for the develop a plan based upon advocacy of its mission,
development of a “Greenprint for Pittsford’s such as farmland preservation or wildlife habitat.
Future.” The Greenprint is a guide for devel- In these cases, the valuable information developed
opment, resource protection and open can be used by the municipal government in devel-
space preservation and was adopted by the oping an overall community plan.
Town Board in 1996.
Reflecting extensive
community input, the PURPOSE OF PLAN AND
Greenprint is based on
recommendations in
PLANNING AREA
the Town’s Compre-
hensive Plan Update,
adopted in 1995.
T he area to be studied is dependent upon the
purpose of the open space planning
project. The Village of Margaretville in Delaware
The Comprehensive County, for example, completed an intensive par-
Plan Update reflected cel-by-parcel plan for a half mile stretch of land pri-
concern by the marily between the East Branch of the Delaware
community that agricultural and open
River and Main Street. This area was chosen for
space resources were diminishing. The
two reasons: (1) to plan for the use of newly ac-
Update recommended that 2000 acres of
land in the undeveloped portion of the quired parcels which were purchased from private
community be protected. The Greenprint owners as part of a floodplain buyout program, and
was the methodology developed to evalu- (2) to use the newly-acquired parcels to leverage
ate open space vs. development decisions the redevelopment of the adjacent Main Street com-
by ranking and rating the open space and mercial area. The outstanding feature of the
cultural resources. The Greenprint process Margaretville Revitalization and Recreational Use
was coupled with a detailed fiscal model Plan is its use of open space as a primary element of
predicting future tax rates based on future Main Street revitalization. The plan also serves as
land use patterns prepared by the Center for an example of the multiple uses of open space
Governmental Research in Rochester. As a through its enhancement of recreational opportuni-
result of these analyses, the Town of Pittsford
ties for youth and the community while putting
has initiated three programs for resource and
floodplain properties to appropriate use. Alternative
open space protection: purchase of devel-
opment rights on 1,200 acres; incentive concepts were developed through community plan-
zoning on about 200 acres, and mandatory ning charettes, and the final plan includes detailed
clustering on about 600 acres. cost estimates for such amenities as park benches
and outdoor lighting fixtures.
One of government’s main features is its per- plans. Such groups may find it necessary to develop
spective in trying to benefit the “common good.” That an open space plan to raise the issue of open space
perspective should ensure that planning commitees conservation in the community. Such a plan may
have members who represent a cross-section of com- have the purpose, for example, of focusing atten-
munity interests and organizations. It should also tion on threatened natural or scenic resources in the
result in an open space plan that is more than a simple community, or proposing a bicycle/pedestrian sys-
list of places that should be preserved. The plan tem.
should relate open space to the achievement of other
community goals, and result in a system of open Land Trusts
spaces which serve multiple purposes. There are nearly 100 land trusts in New York,
most of them with a local focus. They are private
It should be clear at the outset whether a mu-
nonprofit organizations dedicated to conserving im-
nicipal open space plan will become part of the mu-
portant tracts of land and managing them for con-
nicipal comprehensive plan. If so, the procedures set
servation purposes. Their local orientation makes
forth in the municipal enabling statutes cited above
them ideal to help develop open space plans and to
should be followed, which amount to public hear-
partner with others in planning. Their traditional role
ings and action by the local legislative body. One
is to accept donations of land in fee and conserva-
advantage to incorporating an open space plan into
tion easements from private owners, as a private
the municipality’s comprehensive plan is that the
means of conserving open space. Land trusts are
capital projects of all government agencies (exclud-
good sources of technical and scientific informa-
ing the federal government) must take such plans into
tion on open space resources in the area, and should
account. Where the municipality prepares the open
be consulted in plan preparation. An increasingly
space plan it would typically contain a section on
important role for land trusts will be to work in part-
plan implementation, so that the plan may become
nership with localities to provide stewardship for
part of the municipality’s fiscal planning process,
lands conserved as open space by the municipality.
zoning regulations and other regulatory requirements.
Conservation Advisory Councils (CACs)
Local Open Space Groups
There are over 300 CACs in New York, cre-
Often, local advocacy groups are the stimulus
ated by action of the local city, town or village leg-
for the development of governmental open space
Local Open Space Planning Guide 14
islative body pursuant to state enabling authority.
CACs advise the municipality on natural resource Monroe County EMC’s
issues and are authorized to prepare an open space Preservation of Environmentally
inventoy and map for adoption by the local govern- Sensitive Areas
ing body. Following adoption, CACs are authorized The Monroe County Environmen-
to conduct advisory environmental reviews of tal Management Council (EMC)
projects before the municipal planning board which formed the Preservation of Envi-
may impact the lands described in the open space ronmentally Sensitive Areas (PESA)
plan. committee in 1991. The commit-
tee worked with conservation
Environmental Management boards and environmental orga-
Councils (EMCs) nizations throughout Monroe
County to compile a list of sites
EMCs may be created by counties under Ar- they believed to be sensitive.
ticle 47 of the Environmental Conservation Law. Sites were evaluated by local
Their membership consists of representatives of naturalists and committee mem-
CACs and other at-large members. They advise coun- bers. There is a special emphasis
ties on environmental matters and could be of vital on sites that preserve ecosystems
assistance in county open space planning. when combined with other sites.
The committee recommended
Involving the Public and Key that these sites be protected
Community Land Users should the opportunity arise. An
It is important that key social, economic and implementation committee has
worked with property owners,
institutional land use components be involved in the
residents, County and municipal
planning process in order to obtain information on
decisionmakers, New York State
their goals and understand their needs. The school and environmental organizations
district, for example must be consulted with respect to preserve, protect and raise the
to recreational open space planning. Often, school awareness of these properties.
athletic fields can be incorporated into an overall Through this process, Monroe
system of community recreation in conjunction with County EMC has developed a
municipal and private facilities. It is common for mu- framework for identifying and
nicipalities and school districts to enter into agree- evaluating sites which can be
ments for the reciprocal use of facilities. Similarly, used by other New York counties
senior citizen housing owners should be consulted looking to protect sensitive areas.
to determine how open space might enhance the qual- Copies of the report may be
obtained by contacting Monroe
ity of such housing. The business community should
County EMC; 111 Westfall Road,
be consulted in order to obtain views on how parks
Room 962, Rochester, NY 14620,
and small green spaces might be developed and used (585) 274-8063 or PO Box 92832,
for events and festivals to draw people to commer- Rochster, NY 14692.
cial areas.
Involving the general public is of course neces-
sary, but is too often done after the fact, when a draft
plan has been developed, and the value of public in- Planning Charettes
put becomes reduced. When draft plans are presented A public planning charette is a way to gain
for review, the process sometimes becomes meaningful public involvement. Members of the pub-
adversarial rather than productive. The public should lic as well as key people involved in various aspects
be involved in plan development, and the use of the of open space and community development meet in
planning charette, discussed below, should be con- small groups with planners for a few hours at a time
sidered. At the very least, meetings of the planning to create proposals for geographic areas. The pro-
group should be well-publicized and held at times cess allows for people’s ideas to be represented in
and places convenient for public attendance. graphic and practical terms. Planners then take the
rough proposals and turn them into more polished
representations for later review and refinement.
Aquifer protection involves protecting the land in commonly associated with poor lakefront develop-
recharge areas where water enters the soil and re- ment and encroachment. Nutrients and fertilizers
plenishes an aquifer. This can be accomplished, in common to landscaping and gardening practices,
part, by limiting or restricting development on key golf course maintenance and agricultural practices
parcels of land in acquifer recharge areas and in the can directly runoff into a lake or waterbody possi-
watersheds of water supply reservoirs where ground- bly causing eutrophication, algal blooms, weed
water may play a major part in replenishing a reser- growth and reduced oxygen levels. Failing septic-
voir. These purposes also may be achieved by pur- systems can have similar impacts to lakes by con-
chasing land in fee title or by conservation ease- tributing excess nutrients and contributing harmful
ment. When considering which parcels of land to pathogens that can restrict public swimming and rec-
conserve, a planning group should give special at- reation. Septic systems should be constructed as far
tention to those parcels in the recharge area of an away from the lake as possible. Maintaining veg-
aquifer or in the watershed of a water supply reser- etated buffers around lake shores can help reduce
voir. Communities may need to consult a or prevent some of the impacts of nonpoint source
hydrogeologist to identify critical recharge areas pollution, as well as provide important habitat and
worthy of protection in their area. In addition to pro- prevent erosion.
viding open space, preserving this land will help
protect the community’s drinking water. Some com-
Drinking Water Sources
munities or regions in New York State, such as the Public drinking water sources are sensitive to
Tug Hill area and Long Island, have prepared pollution inputs from their watershed, especially if
groundwater or aquifer maps, but many areas do not the drinking water source is surface water. Nutri-
have mapping resources for groundwater. ents and sediment, as well as other pollutants com-
mon to stormwater, in drinking water supplies can
Lake Shores create the need for expensive water treatment tech-
Lakes can provide recreational opportunities, nologies to yield safe potable water. Protecting pub-
scenic views and water supplies, especially when lic drinking water supplies by preserving open space
development around them takes place in a respon- in the drinking water source watershed can be a strat-
sible manner. Lakes are particularly sensitive to wa- egy that meets many recreation, natural resource,
ter quality impacts from nonpoint source pollution and public health goals.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Pro-
NFIP enables property owners to purchase af- gram (CELCP). This federal program, authorized
fordable flood insurance. The program is admin- in 2002, is administered by the National Oce-
istered by the Federal Emergency Management anic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Agency (FEMA). The program works by identi- This grant program provides funds for projects
fying communities that are likely to have floods; that protect important coastal and estuarine ar-
in New York State, all but a few communities eas based on the completion of state coastal and
are in this category. FEMA identifies flood haz- estuarine land conservation plans. NOAA will
ard areas and then offers the local government work closely with coastal states and territories
the opportunity to participate in the program. If to effectively implement this program.
the community decides not to participate, no fed-
eral disaster assistance will be available. If the
Resources:
community participates in the program, it must
Metropolitan Conservation Alliance. 2002.
agree to adopt and enforce floodplain manage-
Conservation Area Overlay District, A Model Lo-
ment measures to reduce the risk of flood dam-
cal Law. Technical Paper Series, No. 3. Bronx, New
age in return for having affordable flood insur-
York. 46pp.
ance available for purchase by people in the com-
munity. The floodplain regulations provide pro- For more information on how to use stormwater
tection from flooding by requiring new structures management facilities to enhance development
to be elevated above damaging flood levels or to projects and preserve open space, see the DEC hand-
be structurally flood proofed. Areas which are book, Reducing the Impacts of Stormwater Runoff
Audubon New York. Local chapters may be able County Environmental Management Councils.
to provide information about local biological re- Many New York State Counties have active Envi-
sources. (www.ny.audubon.org) ronmental Management Councils. EMCs work
closely with local governments, communities, and
The American Farmland Trust. A nonprofit orga-
other county agencies to foster environmental pro-
nization that works with farmers, business people,
tection, while also advising decision-makers on en-
legislators and conservationists to encourage sound
vironmental matters. Some EMCs have taken pro-
farming practices and to preserve agricultural re-
active, leadership roles in watershed protection pro-
sources. This organization publishes a quarterly
grams throughout their counties. (www.nysaemc.org)
magazine titled, “American Farmland” and infor-
mative brochures about protection options for agri- County Soil and Water Conservation Districts
cultural land. A helpful guidebook, Agricultural and (SWCDs). Most counties have a Soil and Water
Farmland Protection for New York, is also avail- Conservation District which promotes the reduction
able from the American Farmland Trust, Northeast of soil erosion, nonpoint source pollution and asso-
Office, Six Franklin Square, Suite E, Saratoga ciated environmental impacts. SWCDs have begun
Springs, NY 12866. (www.farmland.org) to assume a broader role in local environmental man-
The Association of State Wetland Managers. This agement and should be contacted to obtain infor-
group has produced the Wetland and Watershed Pro- mation about a community’s farms, watersheds,
tection Toolkit: A Compilation of Guidance Materi- lakes, rivers and shorelands. Technical assistance
als for Local Government in New York State in 2002. opportunities also should be explored. Phone (518)
To order the toolkit, contact the Association of State 457-3738. (www.nys-soilandwater.org)
Wetland Managers, Inc., PO Box 269, Berne, NY County Water Quality Coordinating Commit-
12023-9746, (518) 872-1804 or visit ASWM’s tees. Most counties also have a water quality coor-
website. (www.aswm.org) dinating committee charged with preparing a water
Center for Watershed Protection is a non-profit quality strategy and overseeing its implementation.
501(c)3 corporation that provides local govern- In 1992, federal Clean Water Act funds were allo-
ments, activists, and watershed organizations around cated to each county committee in the state for the
the country with the technical tools for protecting purpose of developing county water quality strate-
some of the nation’s most precious natural resources: gies. Most water quality coordinating committees
our streams, lakes and rivers. The Center has devel- have members from the county soil and water con-
oped and disseminated a multi-disciplinary strategy servation district, the county department of health,
to watershed protection that encompasses watershed the local or county planning boards, lake associa-
planning, watershed restoration, stormwater man- tions and other organizations such as the environ-
agement, watershed research, better site design, edu- mental management council. They work on imple-
cation and outreach, and watershed training. menting specific projects that have been identified
(www.cwp.org) in the county water quality plan and they address
watershed issues as they arise. This organization can
Community Watershed Groups. Some watersheds be contacted for information about the watersheds
and streams have been “adopted” by community- in a community and for suggestions about how to
based watershed groups. Watershed groups are typi- protect them in an open space plan.
cally a locally-led group that draws together a di-
verse set of interests and technical capabilities to Ducks Unlimited. Local chapters may be able to
accomplish watershed protection and restoration provide information about local biological resources.
goals. (www.ducks.org)
Conservation Technology Information Center. Con- Hudsonia, Ltd. is a non-profit, science-based re-
tains Know Your Watershed guides, and informa- search organization that works throughout the
tion on Building Local Partnerships and Putting To- Hudson Valley and beyond. In 2001, they produced
gether a Watershed Management Plan. the Biodiversity Assessment Manual for the Hudson
(www.ctic.purdue.edu/CTIC/CTIC.html) River Estuary Corridor, which was published by
61 Local Open Space Planning Guide
NYS DEC. It is an excellent resource for communi- serve river and trail corridors. The program provides
ties in the Hudson Valley, including techniques to technical assistance. Park Service staff participate
identify, prioritize and protect important ecologi- in active conservation efforts, they provide assistance
cally significant habitats. Hudsonia, Ltd., Bard Col- with preparing inventories of river and trail corri-
lege, Box 5000, Annandale, NY 12504, (845) 758- dors and they provide assistance with developing and
7053. (www.hudsonia.org) implementing conservation plans. Contact: NYS
Office, Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Site,
Hudson River Estuary Program. Provides tech-
4097, Albany Post Road, Hyde Park, NY 12538,
nical assistance to communities in the Hudson Val-
(845) 229-9115. (www.nps.gov./ncrc)
ley for protecting biodiversity, including informa-
tion and interpretation. Contact the Estuary Program Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS).
at NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Contains downloadable versions of National Water-
21 South Putt Corners Road, New Paltz, NY 12561, shed Manual and “Aging Watershed Infrastructure”
(845) 256-3016. (www.dec.state.ny.us) documents and provides information on Watershed
Protection and Flood Control Operations, Watershed
The Hudson River Valley Greenway. Provides
Surveys and Planning, Wetlands Conservation Com-
funding and technical assistance for trail develop-
pliance, Wetlands Reserve Program and Wildlife
ment and community planning to municipalities in
Habitat Incentives Program. (www.nrcs.usda.gov)
the Hudson Valley. Greenway staff work with mu-
nicipalities and local groups to help them realize their The Nature Conservancy. The world’s largest non-
vision for a trail network in their community. Other profit conservation organization, it has five New
public and private trail organizations should be con- York offices separated by region. An office closest
tacted to determine who will have the responsibility to you can be found on the The Nature Conservancy
of maintaining the trail. Contact: State Capitol, Room website. The New York Office is at 415 River Street,
254, Albany, NY 12224, (518) 473-3835. 4th Floor, Troy, NY 12183, (518) 273-9408.
(www.hudsongreenway.state.ny.us) (www.nature.org)
Invasive Plant Council of New York State. Pro- New York Natural Heritage Program. Is a joint
vides information on the effects of invasive plants program of the NYSDEC and The Nature Conser-
on biodiversity, their alternatives for gardeners and vancy. The Heritage program inventories the state
greenhouses that carry native plants. Located at the for rare plant and animal species, as well as exem-
New York State Office of The Nature Conservancy, plary natural communities. The New York Program
415 River Street, 4th Floor, Troy, NY 12180, (518) is part of NatureServe, the Network of Heritage Pro-
271-0346. (www.ipcnys.org) grams in the US and Canada. Contact: New York
Natural Heritage Program, 625 Broadway, 5th Floor,
Land Trust Alliance of New York. To find a land
Albany, NY 12233-4757, (518) 402-8935.
trust near you contact the LTA of New York at PO
(www.nynhp.org)
Box 792, Saratoga Spring, NY 12866, (518) 587-
0774. (www.lta.org) New York State Biodiversity Research Institute.
BRI is a clearinghouse for biological information.
Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. The Lincoln In-
The BRI is located in the New York State Museum,
stitute of Land Policy is a nonprofit educational in-
CEC 3140, Albany, NY 12203, (518) 486-4845.
stitution established in 1974 to study and teach land
(www.nysm.nysed.gov/bri)
policy and taxation. By supporting multidisciplinary
educational, research and publications programs, the New York State Department of Agriculture and
Institute brings together diverse viewpoints to ex- Market’s Division of Agricultural Protection and
pand the body of useful knowledge in two depart- Development Services. Has the responsibility for
ments—valuation and taxation, and planning and de- providing technical assistance to county agricultural
velopment. Contact: Lincoln Institute of Lan Policy, and farmland protection boards. Assistance program
113 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138-3400. information is available on the website. If a county
(www.lincolninst.edu) agricultural and farmland protection board exists, it
may be in the process of preparing an agricultural
The National Park Service Rivers and Trails Con-
protection plan. This board can assist with the prepa-
servation Assistance Program. This program helps
ration of the inventory and the open space plan.
states, communities and private organizations con-
(www.agmkt.state.ny.us)
Local Open Space Planning Guide 62
New York State Department of State Coastal Pro- Quality Communities Clearinghouse Website. To
gram. This program provides funding and technical make it easier for all communities to take advantage
assistance to coastal communities for water quality of State programs and assistance, the 25 State agency
and aquatic habitat protection and restoration. NYS members of the Quality Communities Interagency
DOS Coastal also works with communities to develop Working Group collaborated with the Department
Local Waterfront Revitalization Plans. For more in- of State to create a Quality Communities Clearing-
formation contact: Division of Coastal Resources, 41 house Website. The Clearinghouse provides instant
State Street, Albany, NY 12231-0001, (518) 474-6000; access to grant information, technical assistance, suc-
Fax: (518) 473-2464. (www.dos.state.ny.us/cstl/ cess stories, data, news and other tools designed to
cstlwww.html) assist local governments, community organizations
and citizens in their efforts to build Quality Com-
New York State Department of Environmental munities. (www.dos.state.ny.us/QC)
Conservation’s Division of Water. Protects water
quality in lakes, rivers, aquifers and coastal areas by Resource Conservation Development Program.
regulating wastewater discharges, monitoring This program is adminstered by The Natural Re-
waterbodies and controlling surface runoff. Division sources Conservation Service (NRCS). Under this
of Water manages availability of freshwater re- program, several Resource Conservation and Devel-
sources, and helps communities prevent flood dam- opment Council offices have been established
age and beach erosion, while also promoting water throughout the state to provide technical assistance
stewardship and education. (www.dec.state.ny.us/ to farmers. This assistance encourages farmers to
website/dow/index.html) continue to work their farms, thus allowing the com-
munity to retain the open space benefits that the farm-
Non-point Education for Municipal Officials is a land provides. (www.nrcs.usda.gov)
program created at the University of Connecticut to
educate local land use officials about the relationship The River Network contains a resource library with
of land use decisions and natural resource protection. information on watershed protection and restoration,
Much of the current focus is targeting town officials to links to major environmental organizations, state
plan appropriately at both the town and site level to government agencies, federal agencies and U.S. Con-
protect water quality. (www.nemo.uconn.edu) gress River and Watershed organizations and the
annual River Rally conference that offers workshops
Open Space Institute, Incorporated. The Open on river protection and restoration.
Space Institute is a nonprofit land conservation or- (www.rivernetwork.org)
ganization protecting significant recreational, envi-
Scenic Hudson. Scenic Hudson’s mission is to en-
ronmental, agricultural and historical landscapes
sure that tomorrow’s Hudson River Valley - from
throughout New York State. Establishing areas of
Manhattan to the foothills of the Adirondacks - is
emphasis throughout the State with particular focus
environmentally and economically sustainable and
on the Hudson River Valley, OSI has made substan-
that its capacity to awe and inspire residents and
tial positive impacts on the landscapes of the Hudson
visitors is preserved forever. Contact: Scenic
Highlands, Shawangunks, Catskills, Helderbergs and
Hudson, 9 Vassar Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601,
Adirondacks. Contact: Open Space Institute, 1350
(845) 473-4440. (www.scenichudson.org)
Broadway, Room 201, New York, NY 10018-7799
or call (212) 629-3981. (www.osiny.org) Trout Unlimited. Local chapters that may be able
to provide information about local biological re-
Pace Land Use Law Center is a resource center sources. (www.tu.org)
for land use planning law. Preserving Natural Re-
sources through Local Environmental Laws: A Trust for Public Land. The Trust for Public Land
Guidebook for Local Governments lists sample or- is a national nonprofit working exclusively to pro-
dinances that have been implemented in New York tect land for human enjoyment and well-being. Con-
State. It also hosts Community Leadership Alliance tact: The Trust for Public Land, 666 Broadway, 9th
Training, which provides training for local leaders Floor, New York, NY 10012, (212) 677-7171.
on land use issues and conflict resolution. Land Use (www.tpl.org)
Law Center, Pace University School of Law, 78 United States Environmental Protection Agency’s
North Broadway; White Plains, NY10603, (914) Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds. This
422-4262. (www.pace.edu/lawschool/landuse) website contain numerous links to programs de-
63 Local Open Space Planning Guide
signed to help the public connect with and protect Large scale maps of the 18 primary aquifers in
their local water resources. Here are a few examples Upstate New York, and of selected principal uncon-
of the types of information contained within the solidated aquifers are also available in a series of
website: Index of Watershed Indicators reports that can be viewed in DEC’s central office
(www.epa.gov/watershed/waacademy), Model Ordi- in Albany in the Water Division’s Geotechnical Ser-
nances (www.epa.gov/owow/nps/ordinance), Surf vices Section. These reports consist of a set of
your watershed (www.epa.gov/owow/watershed), 1:14,000 scale maps describing the hydrogeology
Protecting and Restoring America’s Watersheds of specific aquifers including locations of wells and
(www.epa.gov/owow/protecting), and Watershed test holes, surficial geology, geologic cross-sections,
Restoration (www.epa.gov/owow/restore). water table or piezometric altitude, saturated thick-
ness of valley-fill aquifer, estimated well yields, land
US Fish and Wildlife Service New York Ecologi-
use and other parameters. These reports may be used
cal Services Office. The New York Field Office is
by State and local government agencies to facilitate
responsible for managing all of the Service’s eco-
water-management decisions and local open space
logical programs and activities in the state of New
planning. Primary aquifers are those that are highly
York, including endangered species, environmental
productive and presently used as a water supply
contaminants, federal projects, permits and licenses,
source by major municipal water supply systems.
Partners for Wildlife, various outreach activities and
Principal aquifers differ in that they are known to
environmental coordination. Partners for Wildlife is
be productive but they are not currently intensively
a technical assistance program. The office also over-
used as water supply sources for major municipal
sees the Long Island ES Field Office in Islip, Long
systems.
Island, NY. (www.northeast.fws.gov/ny/nyfo.htm)
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Wildlife Conservation Society. It has two pro-
Ecological Services Office grams in New York:
3817 Luker Road Adirondack Communities and Conservation
Cortland, New York 13045-9349 Program takes an regional approach to under-
Telephone: (607) 753-9334 standing the linkages between community de-
FAX: (607) 753-9699 velopment efforts, the surrounding natural en-
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Long Island vironment and other conservation issues within
Ecological Services Office the Adirondack Park. A working paper de-
P.O Box 608 scribes three case studies: Kretser, Heidi.
Islip, NY 11751-0608 Adirondack Communities and Conservation
Phone: (631) 581-2941 Program: Linking Conservation and Commu-
Fax: (631) 581-2972 nities inside the Blue Line. WCS Working Pa-
per No. 16, June 2001. Available for download
United States Geological Survey’s numerous wa- from the website. Adirondack Communities and
ter-related programs can be found on the website. Conservation Program; PO Box 26; Paul
(www.water.usgs.gov) Smith’s, NY 12970 (518) 327-6989.
The Upstate Groundwater Management (wwww.wcs.org/science)
Program and the Long Island Groundwater Man- Metropolitan Conservation Alliance. A pro-
agement Program. The location and potential yield gram of the Wildlife Conservation Society at
of unconsolidated (sand and gravel) aquifers in New the Bronx Zoo that works with communities in
York State have been mapped by the United States metropolitan New York City to identify impor-
Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with tant biological resources. It has produced sev-
DEC. These maps have been published on a scale eral technical papers that identify land use tools
of 1:250,000 (one inch equals four miles) and are to protect nature 68 Purchase Street; Rye, NY
sold by the USGS in five sheets covering upstate 10580, (914) 925-9164. (www.wcs.org/home/
New York. These maps, sometimes referred to as wild/northamerica/973/)
strip maps, also contain a brief summary text and
bibliography for the subject area. However, their
scale limits their utility for site-specific interpreta-
tions. Maps on a larger scale may be necessary, de-
pending on their purpose.
Local Open Space Planning Guide 64
David A. Paterson
Governor
NYS Department of NYS Department of State
Environmental Conservation Division of Local Government
625 Broadway One Commerce Plaza
Albany, New York 12233 99 Washington Ave, 10th Floor, Suite 1015
Albany, New York 12231