TOWN
OF
CANDOR
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The Town of Candor Planning Board would like to
recognize and thank the following persons whose assistance and guidance aided
in the production of this document.
Town Board
Terry Collins, Supervisor
Milt Dougherty
Ted O'Konsky
Kevin Tuttle
Darlene Cobler
Carloyn Roberts, Town Clerk
Planning Board
George Williams, Chairman
Art Cacciola
Martha Goodsell
Robert Hanno
David Silsbee
Peter Ward
Cheryl Tortorello, Secretary
Former Planning Board
Alan Knight
Bert Perry
Richard Quest
Bron Robinson
David King
Leann Jensen
Roy Yarrington
Jeannie Jackson
John Baust
Wendy Martin
Jane Maas
Bern Smith
Bert White
Edward Heslop
Kevin Tuttle
Esther Smith
Richard Chernak
Sandra Caswell
Others
Bryan Coates, Tioga County DED&P
Suzanne Condon
Carol Henry, Comprehensive Plan Cmt
FOREWORD
The following document has evolved over several
years and after hundreds of hours of discussion. It is our intent to the best
of our ability to compose a guide with which to focus future development and
growth in the Town of Candor. Keeping
this in mind and knowing how difficult it often is to create a coherent
document of this magnitude, the Candor Town Planning Board decided in 1995
(update - 1999) to further define its role in Town government by writing the
following mission statement:
It is the mission of the Candor Town Planning Board
to set forth strategies that will incorporate a balance between attracting new
business, encouraging existing businesses and agriculture, and providing a
supportive atmosphere that strengthens the sense of family and of the community
of us all. It is our belief that a
strong local business and agricultural environment is essential for the overall
prosperity of the community, and that this prosperity provides the resources to
enable us to develop community activities.
Finally, we are committed to being stewards of our children and the
elderly and of the precious finite resources that must be shared with future generations.
The purpose of preparing a Comprehensive Plan for
the future development of Candor is manifold: to fulfill a commission by the
government of the Town of Candor and the people of Candor, to preserve that
quality of life that is the reason we are living in Candor, and to guide the
town's future so that our children and future generations will enjoy even
better living conditions.
The Town of Candor has recognized that in order to
prosper into the twenty-first century that it must implement a comprehensive
plan. The objectives set forth are designed to anticipate and assess the
potential impact of future change and to enhance the qualities that make Candor
a special community.
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
The purpose of this Comprehensive Plan is to guide
the future development of the Town of Candor. This Plan should guide the
legislation, the budget, the public and private initiatives and present the
community with a logical and unified blueprint for action. It is intended that
this Plan be regularly updated.
We are humbled by this task and indeed honored to be given the opportunity to
enhance the development of the Town with this document which we trust is an
accurate reading of the desires of the citizens and proposes an effective
method of achieving our common goals. Since the whole purpose of planning is to
establish goals and recommend a method of reaching them, it is with a sense of
hope and confidence that we set forth this document on our shared journey into
the future. While the recommendations herein represent our reading of the
community's needs and desires, it is incumbent upon our leaders to determine
what may be achieved and to implement these actions on a schedule which
safeguards our Town's financial as well as physical assets.
The following four goals were gleaned from a polling
of the citizenry, town meetings and other input, and subsequently adopted by
the Candor Town Board on December 28, 1993 (see also the planning goals adopted
on October 10, 1989) and revised on July 13, 1999:
Attract and recruit desirable small business and
light industry in order to help create a stable tax base and maintain the small
town/hometown atmosphere.
Maintain and/or improve property values.
Foster and encourage all types of agriculture and
open space, including recreation facilities.
Foster an atmosphere conducive to the establishment
and maintenance of facilities for the residents of the community emphasizing
services for children and the elderly.
GOAL 1 :
Attract and recruit desirable small business and light industry in order to
help create a stable tax base and maintain the small town/hometown atmosphere.
The majority of Candor's work force is employed in
neighboring towns and economic development has been mostly restricted to
home-grown initiatives and niche businesses. Therefore, it makes sense for
Candor to participate in joint efforts with county and regional development
governments and agencies in pursuit of business and industry for recruitment to
the area. Incentives to encourage the
establishment of a new business and expand present business is a coordinated
effort of the Town and its allies. This includes the Tioga County Department of
Economic Development and Planning, Southern Tier East Regional Planning and
Development Board, the Tioga County Industrial Development Agency, and the
Candor Chamber of Commerce. Candor's participation, with the rest of Tioga
County, in the Rural Economic Area Partnership is a vehicle in the economic
destiny of the Town.
At the same time, Candor needs to ensure that it is attractive to both present
and new business so that it is competitive with neighboring towns. The siting
of commercial enterprises within the Town will continue to favorably affect the
tax base and, with judicious oversight, can serve to encourage other
industries. Enforcing existing ordinances, maintaining and improving our
infrastructure, adequately supporting educational opportunities, acquiring a
fair share of public monies, and providing guidance to prospective public and
private development will help to keep the Town attractive.
Advertising Candor's advantages to area development
agencies through the Internet and by personal contact with likely businesses
will make it known that the Town is a good place for business and its employees.
Promotion of the Town would also ensure that regional maps and advertisements
recognize the existence of the Town and its features. Reciprocal promotion of
neighboring villages' and towns' events will encourage the growth and success
of the regional tourism efforts.
Agriculture and agricultural-based businesses which
have relatively small impact upon the Town's infrastructure and which do not
compromise the "small town/hometown atmosphere" are nurtured as
fulfillment of this goal and Goal 3.
The Town's designation of an Economic Development
Committee will elaborate upon this goal by a specific economic survey to
facilitate the definition of desirable enterprises. This committee can then
formulate an economic development plan that welcomes business and expresses the
community's standards of behavior.
Potential sites would be identified with the goal of clustering
commercial developments while maintaining the integrity of residential
neighborhoods and the availability of current/ historical agricultural open
space. Strip developments along 96 and 96B shall be discouraged as much
as practicable. This committee can also be charged with identifying any
impediments to economic growth and investigating methods to alleviate any
found. A member of this agency would be a likely liaison to county and regional
economic planning agencies.
A manifestly evident impediment is the relative
isolation of the Town with regards to telecommunications and transportation.
The upgrading of these two essential infrastructure elements is necessary not
only for economic growth but also for the current residents' virtual and
physical mobilities. Telecommunications needs include a more robust and
full-featured telephone system. Transportation needs include a reliable, user-friendly
and economical public transport system. The cost, availability and features of
these and other utilities must remain competitive with our neighbors.
New or existing land use regulations shall be
evaluated to determine the use of access management techniques to limit the
number of new driveways and to space curb cuts along all highways within the
Town. These should be based upon established transportation studies and current
usage.
Because of existing interdependencies, continued
cooperation between Town and Village governing agencies and consolidation of
services is encouraged as a means of lowering expenses and focusing resources.
These activities currently include:
Town support of Village library,
Village use of Town Hall court facilities,
Town support of Village of Candor police protection,
Village highway department use of Town salt
supplies,
Joint fire protection and emergency rescue squad,
Water supply from the Village to parts of the Town,
Joint use of the recreational facilities among the Village,
Town and school,
Town and Village support of the Community Park
Committee, and
Town and Village support of youth recreation.
As an aid to recruitment of business by streamlining
development guidelines, the Town and Village should mirror land use regulations.
A joint planning board should again be considered in the interest of consistent
development throughout the Town and Village. Joint workshops with the municipal
boards will be encouraged to be held at least biannually with the goal of
coordinating joint activities and developing a singular governmental entity for
dealing with economic, recreation and conservation efforts. The effects of the
Town's regulations and procedures on the Village must be considered in order
that advantageous actions within the Town cause no adverse pressures on the
Village.
The Village Water Department is encouraged to expand
to contiguous properties where feasible in particular in areas with
concentrations of population, poorly-drained soils or high water tables where
the close proximity of septic systems may compromise ground water quality. If
capacity and finances allow, the extension of water lines to a defined economic
development site should be considered.
A major purpose of governance is to promote
community in all its offices. All decisions rest upon a foundation of openness,
inclusion and conservation. The natural and human resources of the Town are
preserved within the means and powers vested in the offices of the Town. In
order to facilitate a healthy interaction between members of the Candor
community, any and all actions need to be scrutinized for their contribution to
openness and accessibility as important features of the small town. The use of
electronic means to disseminate meeting agendas and minutes will result in
better communications and increased citizen involvement. As technologies
progress, Town forms, voting, payment of taxes and fines, etc. may be
considered for achieving these goals.
The "small town/hometown atmosphere" as
Candor's residents describe their environment consists of a relatively
sparsely-settled region containing ample fields and forests in which to lose
oneself for a time whether it be in the search of big game or a bird count,
where fresh fruit and vegetables are grown and sold, where the homes are mostly
owner-occupied, where children are cherished and raised to be good citizens,
where businesses are responsible to their neighborhoods, where government is
responsive to its citizenry and where neighbors strive to maintain the civility
that a rural life requires. The Town strives to continue policies that protect
these characteristics that many see as Candor's natural assets.
GOAL 2 : Maintain and/or improve
property values.
Achieving the other three goals of this Plan will
lead to the maintenance and improvement of property values. Encouraging
property owners to maintain and enhance their property, regulations to help
protect owners from activities which would detract from the value of their
property, maintenance and improvement of the infrastructure, protection of the
environment, improving educational and recreational opportunities, moderate
residential development and encouraging business will all help to improve
property values.
The Town's budget requirements are relatively stable,
the amount of property is static and this drives the property tax burden. Each
property owner's assessment reflects her obligation toward the running of the
Town. Development is required to spread the tax liability over a wider base to
effect either a decrease in individual tax or an increase in services. The
property tax often acts as a discouragement to agricultural pursuits and is a
burden to those on a fixed income. The conversion of property-based taxes to
income-based taxes should be encouraged at all levels of government. Individual
incomes continue to rise and represent the real wealth of the Town. The
volatility of this income represents a challenge to government but its use will
produce a fairer apportionment of each citizen's responsibilities. While
property continues to be the basis for wealth, the property tax method requires
some enhancements. Assessment criteria have long been confusing to property
owners and, as an aid in remedying this, the Town website might contain a
feature whose purpose will be to describe the assessment criteria and
procedures. Full assessment's exploration may reveal it as the favored
appraisal process.
The Town's monitoring of the poverty level, cost of
living and the mean property assessment will allow the granting and, when
appropriate, the extending of low income tax relief in order to prevent the
forced exodus of senior citizens from their homes and to enable home ownership
amongst beginning families and others with limited means. An indexing formula
might be devised to automatically set these income levels.
The Town maintains and improves housing quality by
utilizing grants and government programs where applicable and partnerships with
the Housing and Urban Development agency and Tioga Opportunities actively
promote the use of these monies by its property-holders.
In the interest of maintaining and enhancing the
Town's drinking water, the Town benefit from a mechanism to allow the location,
type and condition of septic systems to be provided to the Town and County
planning agencies for inclusion in the GIS database.
The Town recognizes the importance of clean and
adequate water and is prepared to take any steps necessary to prevent the
compromising or wasting of this valuable resource. Ongoing programs to evaluate
the waters of Catatonk Creek, Owego Creek and Pipe Creek and in any recognized
areas of contamination are fully supported and have the cooperation of the
Town. The Town's support of the monitoring of selected wells in compromised
areas will provide data necessary to evaluate water quality and permit early
detection of changes over time and allow for timely amendments to land use
instruments in the event of evidence of increasing contamination. All salt and
chemical supplies shall be covered or in some way prevented from
leaching into the ground water. Upon certification of occupancy for new
construction, the location, well log, flow rates and water levels shall be
provided to the Town and County planning agencies for inclusion in the GIS
database. If the major aquifer be tapped for water supplies, the Town should
enact wellhead protection measures to ensure long-term water quality. These
measures would be included in the commercial site plan review.
In coordination with other municipalities along the
various creeks, the Town is investigating the reasons for periodic flooding and
recommending measures to prevent or lessen the impact of these occurrences. To
facilitate this endeavor, the Town shall designate an official mapping
of the flood plain and shall discourage development in those areas. Local Law 1
of 1975 shall be revised to reflect the use of this map. Construction in
close proximity to all areas declared as scenic, historic, cultural and/or
archaeological sites of interest are also closely monitored. Furthermore those
developments which are inconsistent with the rural and historic nature of the
Town shall require mitigation in order to proceed. The Town encourages
creekside rehabilitation by landowners and civic groups. This includes
reforestation and more stringent building regulations in proximity to the
Town's waterways and wetlands. The Town might consider protecting these
important locations via buffering, subdivision, and zoning regulations or via
conservation easements of land purchases.
The Town's appointment of a Conservation Advisory
Council would assist in the development of an inventory of critical
environmental areas such as aquifer recharge areas, important wildlife
habitats, scenic vistas, unique natural features and act as a resource to the
municipal boards.
The desire to maintain the "small town/hometown
atmosphere" also implies a resolve to retain and enhance the rural,
agricultural, and historic assets that exist within the Town. These features
are identified with improving the quality of life. The Town should consider
engaging in a town historical reconnaissance survey to establish an inventory
of sites of historical or archeological significance and provide
recommendations for the protection of such sites.
The Town uses the most reasonable technologies in
maintaining the public thoroughfares over which it has jurisdiction. Town roads
are designed for safety and maintainability. Tree replacement/plantings are
encouraged along these roads when safety or maintenance requires tree removal.
The use of the election process for the selection of
Highway Superintendent does not guarantee that the most capable candidate fills
this important non-political position and a standard selection process shall
replace election. The limited job security provided by the term of office also
will tend to limit the pool of competent nominees. This does not preclude the
grooming of candidates from within the highway department to ensure that
capable employees are rewarded. The relief of the citizenry's election process
is wholly offset by the necessity that this position is filled by the most
capable person.
In order to properly monitor growth pressures,
advise potential developers and mitigate design flaws, the Town should consider
the enactment of a commercial/industrial site plan review ordinance. This will
ensure logical and responsible development within the criteria set forth by
this Plan.
As development pressures increase (unchecked growth
along the major thoroughfares of 96 and 96B, gravel-mining, telecommunication
tower construction and other environmentally sensitive issues near residential
areas), the Town will require land use regulation ordinances to establish a
logical and efficient use of Candor's physical resources without excessive infringement
of the property owner's right to maintenance of property value and freedom of
action.
Undesirable businesses such as those that endanger
the health, welfare or property values will need to be regulated by local
ordinances that restrict the business location and operations. In order to
guide the placement and mitigate the effects of certain highly visible and/or
less savory enterprises, the Town's enactment of a Telecommunications Facility
Ordinance and an Adult Entertainment Ordinance might be required.
The Town requires periodic review and, where
indicated, updating of its planning instruments in order to maintain the
balanced growth. The Subdivision Regulation may be amended to contain new
definitions of major/minor subdivisions and cluster development. The minimum
lot size and other regulations will need to be investigated to determine its
ability to prevent unnecessary sprawl while maintaining the spacing necessary
for safe water handling. Lot sizes may be based upon percolation test, soil type,
slope and type of septic/water system.
The Town, in association with the State and County
Highway Departments, monitors construction along major thoroughfares with the
desired result being the maintenance of current speed limits by limiting curb
cuts. Service roads are encouraged wherever feasible.
The Town's review of available land use regulation
instruments must consider the effects on property values within the Town.
GOAL 3 :
Foster and encourage all types of agriculture and open space, including
recreation facilities.
Agriculture, being the original business of the
residents of the Town, still has more than a nostalgic hold upon the Town's
citizens. Many are a mere generation or two removed from the agrarian lifestyle
which represents a quieter, more neighborly time with a stewardship of the land
which we still strive to achieve. Candor's agricultural lands, including
forested lands, maintain a diversity of flora and fauna not matched by other
uses. Among the qualities open space provides include the neighborly benefit of
buffering, opportunities to recreate, and the healthful benefits that this lack
of development represents.
The Town shall endeavor to preserve the most
productive lands for agriculture and minimize residential development pressures
on these lands. These lands will be identified by the Conservation Advisory
Council and categorized and prioritized for preservation.
The Town shall explore grant and loan funds
that aid in the establishment and expansion of agricultural and agriculture-based
businesses. The Town of Candor Economic Development Committee will be the lead
agency in promoting agriculture. The Farm Bureau, Cooperative Extensive and
Candor Grange 1466 shall be encouraged in the educational, legislative and
social activities on behalf of agriculture and rural life.
The Town's rulings and regulations shall not
hinder the right and proper practices of agriculture whether traditional
dairy farm or those enterprises which are non-traditional (nurseries, fish
farms, etc.). This fulfills two purposes: the expressed desire for preservation
of open space and maintenance of a link to our cultural heritage as a nation of
farmers. This must not be an impediment to the enactment of laws governing land
usage or any deferment of agriculture from regulations that are deemed
necessary for the common good.
Recreational facilities are specifically mentioned
in this goal and, while not solely the province of children, also tie into the
final goal. This double interest in recreation points up the value the Town
places in this aspect of life and also the need for additional recreational
facilities. The Town is in the unique position to lead an effort to secure
recreation lands and preserve open space near any population centers. The
establishment of Town-owned facilities to replace or augment current privately
owned facilities graciously now being loaned for these purposes is prudent. The
proposed Town Park is an excellent effort in the pursuit of this goal. Finally,
the Town of Candor does not meet national recreation standards of ten acres per
1,000 population.
Current recreational facilities within the Town
include:
Moyer Park (Village)
Hull Park (Village)
Town/Village ball fields/Little League Field
American Legion softball field
American Legion horseshoe fields (private)
Upper Dam picnic site
Robinson, Ward and Fire Hall soccer fields
School playground, sports fields and tennis courts
(Village)
Snowmobile club trails
All-terrain vehicle trails
Finger Lakes trails
1200 acres of State Forest in four parcels
Commercial enterprises including a golf course,
camping, hunting and fishing facilities
Sidewalks are an important feature in built-up areas
of the Town that perform a many purposes: promoting recreation and community
while mitigating traffic. The lack of sidewalks on Route 96B between Maple
Grove Cemetery and the intersection of Honeypot Road and west of Anne Street to
the elderly housing creates a hazardous situation for pedestrians. The Town shall
investigate the feasibility of completing the village loop and connecting
the new Town Hall to the existing system. Development in close proximity will
require sidewalks constructed on the property's road frontage to connect to the
existing system. Safety requirements in other built-up areas shall be
scrutinized for sidewalk mandates.
Landowners are encouraged to enter into agreements
with conservation and recreation organizations to allow access to Catatonk
Creek and other waterways, to create trails linking to the Finger Lakes Trails
and to provide for other recreational uses by the community.
Recreational use shall not compromise the
rights of property owners. The development of trails, especially for use by
motorized vehicles will be required to be situated at such a distance so as to
maintain a peaceful and uncompromised atmosphere. Road crossings by such trails
must take into account the safety of both the trail user, automobile traffic
and pedestrians. Public and organizational trail construction should be
coordinated with local and regional committees and clubs to effect a network of
connections crossing the Town.
The Town's road-building efforts should, where
topography and finances permit, provide as much of a reliable shoulder during
its to allow bicyclists and pedestrians a safe and reliable passage and allow
for safe vehicular parking. In particular and in concert with neighboring towns
and villages, bikeways may be planned to connect to existing recreational
facilities and points of interest.
Open space does not end with the creation of parks
and agriculture-friendly legislation. Prudent efforts must be made toward
reforestation and soil conservation. This involves the exploration of grants
and demonstration projects for such activities and toward the securing of all
erosionable grades and stream banks. The purity of the water flowing from our
town shall not be unduly compromised by our uses of this essential
resource. Stream banks and streambeds may be improved where feasible to help
reduce the effects of flooding.
The reforestation of unused lands is encouraged to
promote a healthy watershed and to provide future resource wealth. The active
management of existing forests is also cultivated.
Any public, commercial or agricultural processes
that compromise water resources shall require mitigation. Transfer of
the waters from the Catatonk Creek and any other public streams and ponds are
monitored to ensure a sufficient flow for the common good. Road building,
improvements and other Town constructions will meet or exceed state or
federal environmental conservation mandates and designed as much as possible to
resemble the natural surroundings.
Town entities follow the three R's of conservation
-- reduce the purchase and expenditure of all resources, reuse whenever
possible and recycle that which is currently recyclable and search out
individuals and businesses that remove spent resources from the waste stream.
The Town of Candor is not a repository for toxic wastes.
The Subdivision Regulation of the Town may be
amended to allow for mitigation in the form of cluster development. This will
preserve open space and minimize infrastructure creation and maintenance. Lot
size restrictions will be based upon percolation tests, height of the water
table, and design factors to assure clean potable water for all.
Residential development will be encouraged in
proximity to current population centers --- the Village of Candor, Catatonk,
Willseyville and Weltonville --- with a prejudice toward traditional grid
development patterns as it interfaces with these villages.
GOAL 4 :
Foster an atmosphere conducive to the establishment and maintenance of
facilities for the residents of the community emphasizing services for children
and the elderly.
The fourth goal speaks to children and the elderly
but in a larger sense revolves around families: be they just starting out or in
their twilight years. Our community shall favor these two parties of our
community historically with the least assets. The first because of their
dependence on us for our investment in them as the future, and the latter
because of their investment in us as the present and because of their own
dependencies. Our educational opportunities shall provide our youngest citizens
with a set of common values that will guide their growth into citizens of
democracy, the experiences in critical thinking which will allow them to choose
wisely, and the respect for diversity which will allow them to commune
successfully in the world. The experiences of the elderly that are their
natural wealth shall be valued in the marketplace of ideas as the Town seeks
guidance in right governance.
Any programs or policies set forth by the Town or
the entities operating within the Town shall endeavor to involve these
two constituencies (preferably in concert) to leverage their energies and
experiences and to foster and maintain civic engagement.
Certain services are necessary for a healthy, vital
community with aspirations for growth and which allows for the establishment
and maintenance of families. These include but are not limited to:
a health center
fire protection
emergency squad
dentist
pharmacy
educational facilities
recreational facilities
elderly housing
libraries
grocery
bank
Post Office
police
public transportation
the infrastructure elements of transportation,
communication and power.
The Town monitors the housing needs of the community
and acts to support home-ownership and maintenance of elderly and other
dependent populations through the sponsorship of low-income housing.
Although there are many cultural opportunities in
the Town of Candor, there is always room for expansion and further variety in
cultural venues and events that will mirror the size and population of the
town. Formation of a cultural committee is recommended to coordinate and publicize
events town- and village-wide, especially those for youth and senior citizens.
A Town web site is the appropriate place to disseminate information about all
of the Town's occasions (including fund-raisers) and would accommodate event
planning with the least amount of conflict. Once again neighboring
municipalities may be the source of cultural activities and will help to
support those occurring in Candor.
The educational, cultural and recreational
facilities of the Town should be as open to the community as safety, specified
uses and fiscal resources allow.
Place actions table here
3-6 months
6-18 months
beyond 18 months
APPENDIXES
Appendix A: Background
Appendix B: Comprehensive Plan History
Appendix C: Planning Goals (1989)
Appendix D: Planning Goals (1999)
Appendix E: Statistics
Appendix F: Town Map
Appendix G: Planning Issues
APPENDIX A: BACKGROUND
The Town of Candor was settled in 1794 and organized
in 1811. Candor covers more than 94 square miles and is the largest town in
Tioga County. The Town is nestled in
the Finger Lakes/Southern Tier Region between aesthetic hills and valleys at a
short distance from major universities in two metropolitan areas. This allows
the community to maintain a pastoral atmosphere and a progressive spirit.
The artistry, craftsmanship, and professions of the
people of Candor are many and varied. Historically an agricultural and small
manufacturing oriented society, Candor's populace has a broad range of
capabilities. Wood crafts, jewelry,
stained and blown glass and hand-made goods are produced in Candor. Currently,
agricultural aspects of the Candor community include dairy and other livestock,
fish, field crops, produce and tourism.
The forestry industry and wood products are also important. On the
manufacturing side there are such enterprises as telescope manufacturing,
jewelry, stained glass and high tech research.
Candor is proud of its many community organizations
that provide spiritual, educational, cultural and recreational programs for the
young and old alike. Numerous churches actively provide diversity for worship
and charitable activities. Typical
activities include meals and food drives for the needy, county rural ministries
and inter-denominational services. The community organizations often provide
enriching programs in conjunction with the school districts. The Candor Youth Commission and local
churches host various sporting and recreational programs. Girl Scouts, Boy
Scouts, Cooperative Extension 4-H, and Candor Community Soccer are a few of the
other organizations that help to entertain and instruct the younger
generation. Among the organizations
that sponsor or are themselves involved with cultural activities include Candor
Community Chorus, Candor Historical Society, several book clubs, and Bell
Choir. For the adults there are Candor Grange 1466, American Legion/Arden
Kelsey Post 907, Spencer-Candor Lions, Masonic Lodge 411, Weltonville Fire
Company, softball teams, Candor Emergency Squad, Candor Volunteer Fire Company,
snowmobile and ATV clubs, and other volunteer and athletic activities. Candor
Community Services Corporation is a non-profit entity that funds many of these
activities.
With an eye to burgeoning technologies and the
processes of global economics that have moved rural areas closer to the
corridors of commerce, our community -- in cooperation with business and all
levels of government --envisions the twenty-first century as a time of
opportunity.
The people of Candor support programs and services
that strengthen individual initiative and facilitate a climate of teamwork that
are conducive to a strong community. Personal integrity and a common
interdependency when combined create a healthy and productive population.
EDUCATION
The majority of the Town's public school students
attend Candor Central School District with Newark Valley, Owego, Ithaca,
Spencer/Van Etten and Tioga districts educating the remainder. Candor students
are afforded the opportunity to participate in programs at
Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga, Broome or Schuyler-Chemung BOCES. The school provides
transportation to other private and parochial schools in the area. Candor
residents enjoy outstanding academic accessibility to such institutions of
higher learning as Cornell University, Binghamton University, SUNY Cortland,
Ithaca College, Wells College, Elmira College, TC3 (Tompkins Cortland Community
College), BCC (Broome Community College), BOCES, NYS Chiropractic College,
Finger Lakes School of Massage, and Practical Bible College.
HEALTH/EMERGENCY SERVICES
Candor has a modern medical facility and a family
dentistry practice that provide the community with convenient access to quality
health care. Candor is also serviced by a volunteer ambulance squad and is
supplemented by the air ambulance service at Robert Packer Hospital (eight
minutes away by air). Large hospital facilities are located throughout the
Southern Tier such as United Health Services.
COMMUNITY VOLUNTARISM
The citizens of the Town of Candor enthusiastically
support programs that emphasize voluntarism such as clean-up days and
fund-raisers for small-scale beautification projects. There are also active
core community organizations that raise funds through benefit activities to
assist local people who have experienced serious misfortune.
Candor Volunteer Fire Department and Candor
Emergency Squad are typical examples of the volunteer spirit of this community.
Through the dedicated efforts of the fire department membership and community,
land was purchased and a full facility four bay fire hall with a community hall
was constructed in 1992. The emergency squad continues to upgrade its
facilities and equipment.
WORSHIP
With several denominations of churches, Candor
offers a diversity of for worship and spiritual growth.
RECREATION
Candor enjoys four seasons of healthful activities
for the community and the individual enthusiast. As part of the Susquehanna
River watershed and Finger Lakes region, many opportunities for recreation
abound. For the spring, summer and fall
seasons Candor offers a wide variety of activities to include canoeing, biking,
hiking, bird watching, microd racing, fishing, horseback riding, organized
sports, golf and hunting. Candor also
offers snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and snowmobiling for the avid winter
enthusiasts. The Town connects to the Finger Lakes Trail System with its 490
miles of trails. Cayuga Lake is 20
minutes north while the Susquehanna River is 10 minutes south of the town.
ENVIRONMENT/PRESERVATION
The Town of Candor's rural landscape, clean air and
pure water, relaxed life style and sense of tranquility create an atmosphere
that is attractive to new and old residents alike. This cherished small-town
profile should guide future planning.
BUSINESS/INVESTMENT
The Town of Candor currently contains over one
hundred businesses including a bank, retail stores, small manufacturing firms,
farms, utilities and cottage industries.
Candor's primary economic focus is to maintain a positive business
climate through the retention and expansion of existing business and the
attraction of new business. The Candor Chamber of Commerce is a vital community
organization dedicated to enhancing the business climate.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Routes 96 and 96B constitute the gateway to Candor
from major interstate highways. The networks of state, county, and rural
highways provide accessibility to other communities in one hour or less
(Ithaca, Binghamton, Elmira, Waverly/Sayre, and Cortland), ninety minutes
(Syracuse, Oneonta, Corning and Scranton), and three hours (Albany and
Rochester).
Public buses provide transportation to population
and employment centers in neighboring metropolitan areas. Transportation to
major airports in Ithaca, Binghamton, and Elmira is also available.
Modern and well-equipped police agencies of the
Village of Candor, Tioga
County, and New York State protect the town of Candor. The Candor Volunteer Fire Department,
equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and housed in a modern structure,
provides fire protection as well as cold water rescue. The Candor Emergency
Squad provides emergency medical services with mutual support from other local
squads and air ambulance services.
New York State Electric and Gas Corporation provides
the town with natural gas and electric service from its regional offices in
Ithaca and Binghamton. Other heating
and cooking fuels are also available from vendors in Candor and surrounding
communities. The Village of Candor maintains a public water system supplied by
a number of wells that is available to village residents. Private vendors
located in the area provide residential and business solid waste service and
recycling.
A fiber optic network is currently under development
by Tioga County with funding from New York State to connect all municipalities
and schools. The county plans to have this network available to every
individual and business in the county.
The telephone company that services the Candor area
provides most touch-tone features, competitive rates, and maintains a
substation in the Village of Candor. Two companies with local tower sites
provide cellular telephone service.
All major radio and television networks are
available. Cable television or satellites enhance the choices to residents of
Candor. The residents of Candor enjoy public television and radio.
The residents of Candor have access to a public
library, elementary/high school, Town Hall, Village Hall, Post Office, fire
station/community center, Masonic lodge, Grange Hall, and several churches.
Many of these facilities have been built or renovated recently.
Ball fields, playgrounds, tennis courts, and picnic
areas provide facilities for outdoor recreation. There is an ongoing effort in
Candor to maintain and improve these resources.
Appendix B: Comprehensive Plan History
There have been three distinct generations of
planning boards in Candor going back into the 1960's, forming and then
disappearing, with the present generation beginning in the late 1980's. Our
town planning boards have followed the basic premise that Candor is pretty nice
the way it is and to help keep it that way we must take steps to help ensure
that growth and development are guided, logical and cause current and future
property owners, residents, visitors and neighbors minimal effect. There are
areas that need to be addressed recognizing that change or progress is not only
inevitable but also necessary. This is as true today as it was thirty years
ago.
Land use planning was thrust to the forefront in
1989 by the proposed Larchwood Modular Home Park Subdivision. The proposal
called for a one hundred- to two hundred-family mobile home park on the hilltop
and hillside along Route 96/96B east of Candor village. It was designed for low
income families and sought government funding. The issue divided the community like
none before. Many local citizens were concerned with the rapid and drastic
changes that would occur with such radical growth. What would be the impacts on
the school, the fire district, the water supply, the traffic and the character
of this small town? Larchwood turned out to be a false alarm but it did serve
as a wake-up call to the public of the need for land use protection.
Affirmation of land use planning is documented by
the mobile home laws that were enacted in 1964, 1978, 1990 and most recently,
in 1994 (Local Law 4). Local Law 1 of 1975 established a Flood Hazard District.
The Town's subdivision regulation was adopted in 1990, automobile junkyard
ordinance (Local Law 7) in 1990, followed by a sign ordinance (Local Law 4) in
1991, tire regulation (Local Law 3) in 1993, and a junk regulation (Local Law
1) in 1997.
The Planning Board believed a master or
comprehensive plan would be the logical proper first step but feared that there
would not be sufficient time to complete their work before the Larchwood
Subdivision would become a reality. As a result, the Town Board instituted a
series of moratoriums and working along with the Planning Board, concentrated
on a subdivision regulation followed by a mobile home ordinance.
It should be noted that even before Larchwood, the
Planning Board had, in fact, begun the preliminary steps for the development of
a comprehensive plan. A community survey was formulated and distributed in the
Fall of 1989. Financial constraints prevented the duplication and distribution
of the survey to the entire Candor population. As a result, a mailing list was
developed through nomination by the Planning Board. The intent was to obtain a
diversity of residents. A total of 154 surveys were mailed to these community
members and an additional 50 to 75 surveys were made available to all in
various public places around the Town. A total of 68 responses were received.
Then chairman, Alan Knight commented on the survey:
What do the people of Candor like? They like open
space. They moved here for the beauty and the privacy it affords. They like to
walk in it.
They like the idea of a small town and a small
school.
They recognize that Candor is not a place of
employment, but they are satisfied at the employment and cultural opportunities
afforded by Ithaca, Owego and the Triple Cities. However, they would like more
employment opportunities in Candor.
They are quite dissatisfied with the recreational
facilities offered in Candor, and with the lack of things for kids to do.
... a very low percentage of respondents are
interested in even part-time farming. Candor kids need the same recreational
outlets as suburban kids, and families here do not believe they are adequate.
Mr. Knight, in his letter to the Town Board in
February of 1989, wrote:
...the whole purpose of this exercise, of course, is
to develop planning objectives that suit the desires and life-styles of the
people who live here....
The community survey was followed by a well-attended
public meeting at which the Planning Board received suggestions and comments
from the citizens of the Town. The results of the community survey and
community meeting resulted in the four main goals which were adopted by the
Town Board in 1989 and which are the foundation of the comprehensive plan.
A "windshield survey" --- teams of
volunteers touring the Town's roads while recording planning data --- was done
for the entire Town. Building types and locations were recorded on maps with
the intention of identifying patterns necessary to the establishment of zones.
APPENDIX C: Planning Goals (1989)
Proposed Planning Goals For Candor
1. To protect public health, safety, welfare and
morals
State law clearly establishes this as one of the
chief legal bases for enactment of almost all limitations on individual liberty
including health code, building codes and land use controls. Protecting water
supplies (quality and quantity) easily falls into this objective. Water should
be protected from private septic tanks. Watersheds should be protected from dumping,
littering and discharge. Underground aquifers must be protected from toxic
leachate.
a. sewage/water ordinances,
b. erosion control ordinances,
c. ordinances re. littering, dumping, discharge,
leaching into aquifers,
d. investment in sewage treatment and sewer lines,
e. ordinances governing noise, public drunkenness,
hours of bar operation, strip joints and pornography,
f. acquisition of land or easements to protect and
provide future water supplies,
g. provisions of necessary police, fire and medical services.
2. To preserve open spaces
For scenic beauty, recreation, agriculture, forestry
and protection of residential property values.
a. cluster zoning,
b. transfer of development rights,
c. acquisition of land/easements for open areas,
greenbelts, farming and, in scenic locations, recreation,
d. zoning,
e. subsidy, tax abatement and tax incentives,
f. conscious development that keeps open or promotes
it,
g. prioritize road for maintenance.
3. To preserve and enhance small town/rural
qualities and values
... as characterized by: low population density,
open space, fields and forests, encouragement of and priority to agriculture
and forest enterprises, reverence for and preservation appropriate
architecture, government for the community and those in it.
a. seek to rely on citizen involvement,
participation and "do-it-yourself" approaches,
b. develop architectural standards that capture
small town .. rural appearance,
c. develop sign/graphics standards that capture and
promote small town/rural appearance,
d. promote construction and development in the
village and discourage it just outside it,
e. promote creation of greenbelt around the village,
f. invest public and private dollars in new
construction that promotes these objectives and sets a desired tone,
g. promote cluster development that encourages a
nuclear community feel,
h. stimulate and encourage business ventures that
support rural activities.
4. To provide, improve and expand recreational
facilities especially for youth... this can be done through direct expenditure
of public funds and by non-profit organizational activity
a. a recreational center that could provide
supervised indoor/outdoor swimming, ice skating, team sports, exercise room,
b. basketball and tennis courts,
c. softball, football, soccer fields and track,
d. augmented library program,
e. stimulate private non-profit activities and
development.
5. Encourage and promote the development of new
employment opportunities especially in enterprises that enhance and do not
compromise the rural, small town nature of Candor
a spruce up downtown with standard signs,
architectural style, awning, trees and flowers,
b. encourage Triple Cities/Ithaca business to
relocate here,
c. develop a special college-level center for
promotion of rural entrepreneurship relying on surrounding colleges for
instruction,
d. local newspaper,
e. encourage support of local merchants.
APPENDIX D: Planning Goals (2000)
Proposed Planning Goals For Candor
Protect and enhance the aquifer.
Encourage a land use pattern that strengthens the
historical rural patterns and that enhances the communities of Catatonk,
Willseyville, Weltonville and the Village of Candor.
Protect the rural character while accommodating
development that is consistent with the economic well being of the Town.
Protect open space, scenic vistas, agriculture,
historical, recreational, and archaeological sites.
Conserve prime soils and existing agricultural
lands.
Prevent commercial and residential development
sprawl along the major thoroughfares.
Coordinate with the business needs and planning in
the Village of Candor and Tioga County.
Protect and enhance the unique vegetation and
landscape features that supply the town’s rural character.
Encourage transportation and communication
improvements which enhance the Town's connection to the "outside
world."
Appendix E: Statistics
Population
Counts (US Census)