Why prepare a Comprehensive Plan?
In June 1967 a task force recommended long range capital investment planning for 1968 through 1980 using past trends for future needs. The concern, at that time, was that our infrastructure was not meeting the needs of the future. The analysis and recommendations were not adopted as a comprehensive plan and the anticipated growth did not occur. Past and current surveys have been consistent in showing that our residents’ attitudes and values have not changed.
A Comprehensive Plan (herein called ‘Plan’) is comprised of a number of goals and objectives, which will guide our municipality’s future policy and decision process for land use. The Planning Board, in December 1998, was assigned the tasks of developing a Plan. Duties of the Planning Board include: administration of public meetings held to inform the community, encourage open discussion, weigh the concerns and needs of the Village residents, and make recommendations to the Mayor and Village Trustees.
The intent of this Plan is to promote and protect the lifestyle that is our tradition and chosen way of life. It further intends to enhance land values for what is essentially a rural character. We will provide guidelines for preservation of the Village natural assets in a manner compatible with orderly economic growth and secondly to provide land use thoughts to guide future development.
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Newark Valley shall continue to be a wholesome, affordable place to live and possess attributes attractive to the business sector. Its residents enjoy a safe, clean, and culturally aware environment. The citizenry is cohesive, pulling together to make it’s shared vision a reality, while at the same time, values those opportunities made possible by a population diverse in its interests. It is desired that the growth and development of this area preserve its rural and historic culture. The harmonious blend of old and new is imperative.
Legal Basis for a Comprehensive Plan
The Village of Newark Valley recognizes that the master plan provides the legal basis for developing and implementing its land use regulations. It also recognizes that a master plan is needed to serve as a long-range guide for both public and private decisions that will influence the community in the future. Plans based on the needs and values of the community offer solid direction and focus for village decisions affecting long-term growth and development.
Recent Actions
Our committee process includes data research and public participation with focus to: improve property values, create parks and recreational facilities, historic preservation, and encourage residential, commercial and industrial growth. Facts have been gathered from Tioga County, New York State data sources, the Newark Valley Community Values Survey, and infrastructure studies of local conditions. To assist with our work, the Committee asked assistance of Tioga County Department of Economic Development & Planning, Tioga Opportunities Inc., and the Village of Newark Valley Department of Public Works. Tioga County was recently designated a REAP (Rural Economic Area Partnership) Zone. A strategic plan is being developed by the REAP Steering Committee. This plan identifies projects over the next 10 years for communities. The public meeting to gather input from Newark Valley was held on July 28th, 1999 at the Fire Hall. These ideas and projects are included in Appendix A and have been incorporated into the Master Plan.
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Community Participation
The Plan is based upon the values and concerns of residents and landowners in the Village of Newark Valley. Public participation is a significant component of the process. The Value Study tabulation provided in Appendix C was the first public participation effort. The original survey (Appendix B) that created Appendix C is on file for public view in the Village office. The Village of Newark Valley held a public meeting September 13th, 1999 in the Village Hall to gather input on the Master Plan. The notes from this meeting are in Appendix D of the Plan. The second public hearing was held December 13, 1999 in the Village Hall to gather any comments and concerns.
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Community Profile
The Village of Newark Valley is located in Eastern Tioga County with the Town of Berkshire to the North, Owego to the South, Candor to the West and Maine (Broome County) to the East. According to the 1990 Census the population was 1,076 people residing in 454 households with municipal drilled wells providing water to the residents. Four hundred septic tanks process the waste for the households in the Village.
Newark Valley is a bedroom community to the three county areas, which includes Broome, Tioga, and Tompkins counties. The largest employer is the Newark Valley Central School System employing approximately 270 people. The second largest employer is a grocery store employing 9 full time and 20 part time people. We have a pharmacy, farm equipment center, bowling center, bank branch office, convenience markets, funeral home and a variety of other businesses, which create a sense of self-sufficiency. Real estate is reasonably priced in this small village. The median value is $66,900 and the median year the residences were built is 1939. The climate is typical of the latitude with four distinct seasons and moderate precipitation. The community has four houses of worship.
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Attitudes and Values of the Public
Public sentiment closely mirrors the past study. It is clear the unique charm of Newark Valley is valued and it is desired that it be maintained. There is a strong preference for natural features such as ponds, historic structures and clean, well kept landscape. People are concerned about housing issues and deterioration of properties and its effect on property values. Concerns and desires derived from the Comprehensive Plan survey, mailed to all residents of the Village in May 1999, are listed below:
Concerns: Desires:
Properties not maintained Improved sidewalks
Lack of job opportunity-locally additional police, ambulance
Multi unit housing & fire protection
Property Value Decline Farmers market
Dental Facility
Expand Trout pond/trails
Tourism
Youth Rec. program
Develop downtown area
Consider Tax abatement on
Improvement
Friendly/Civic Minded
General comments taken from the above mentioned survey are below:
ü Respondents desire Newark Valley sense of place, which includes architecture, beauty, safety, quietness, and carefully planned commercial expansion.
ü Some were fearful of business growth and the perceived costs (cultural and financial) associated with that movement.
ü Many desire shopping opportunities causing additional community self-sufficiency.
ü Many view planning as a better monitor of building utilization and wish to protect historic resources and our rural character.
ü Most feel the Village must be “cleaned up” in many different ways.
ü A more attractive place will encourage people to buy locally which will improve business climate causing a natural domino effect for our area.
ü The area’s historic, cultural and scenic resources draw tourists to the area and the Village character can charm those people.
ü We can work with groups to develop “Block” programs of low interest loans and/or grants for these improvements. At the same time when property owners are willing, through capital projects, to improve their property, certain assessment incentives may be instituted to assist their effort.
Land
The east-branch of the Owego Creek runs North to South through the Village. The floodplain of the Village of Newark Valley (Appendix F) follows the flow of the Owego Creek. Most of the land in the floodplain is vacant or parkland, however a large portion of the downtown is in the floodplain. Development in the floodplain is not encouraged, however at this given time; it remains up to property owners and insurance companies. The Village has many open space areas such as the Trout Ponds Park, Village green, school playgrounds and athletic fields, and farmland that are important to Village residents.
Action Goals
v Complete engineering study to determine mitigation options
v Encourage development outside of floodplain
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Agriculture
Two parcels of land in the Village are in an agricultural district. Protecting this farm is important to many of the residents of Newark Valley; in order to keep the small town atmosphere that is desired. The survey respondents overwhelmingly stated that a farmers market is needed in the Village. It is in the best interest of the Village to see the farm parcels prosper and succeed. (See appendix I)
Action Goals
v Create a farmers market to help revitalize the downtown and give farmers an outlet for their products.
v Encourage residents to buy locally grown products.
v Encourage the Town of Newark Valley to protect its farmland, this will protect the village residents from erosion and flooding that can occur from cleared farmland.
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Land Use
Land Use in the Village of Newark Valley (Appendix G) contains many uses such as agriculture, residential, commercial, industrial, vacant, and public. The Village of Newark Valley currently has Subdivision and Mobile Home Ordinances, and codes on building, electrical, housing, plumbing, junkyard, floodplain, and road building specifications. 87% of the residents who responded to the survey felt that the Village and its residents should improve and maintain existing structures. Residents are also in favor of preserving historic structures and local laws/zoning.
Action Goals
v Committee of two Planning Board members, one Village Trustee and the Code Enforcement Officer will submit code recommendations to the Planning Board at October 1999. Planning Board, after review, will present to the Village Board in December 1999.
v Develop new codes that will protect the property values without creating hardships on residents.
v Hold educational sessions on Zoning to help people understand the most common land use regulation before any decision is made in possibly developing this type of regulation in the future.
v Create a Coalition of volunteers to assist those wishing to improve their buildings.
v Develop a Site Plan Review Ordinance to be able to review commercial and industrial projects.
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Transportation and Services
NYSEG (electricity), Citizens Telecom (telephone), Time Warner (cable), and Village (water) provide utilities with no natural gas or municipal sewage availability. The Tioga County Sheriff Department and the New York State Police provide police protection. Volunteers for both the Village and Town provide fire protection. The public works department maintains many of the Village streets. New York State 38 runs approximately north and south through the Village, and NYS 38B located south of the Village provides easy access to the Binghamton, Johnson City, and Endicott areas. NYS Route 17(future I-86) is located 10 miles south of the Village. Local public transportation is also available through Tioga Transport. Tioga County Public Transit also serves the Newark Valley area. The Owego-Harford Rail line runs through the entire length of the Village and provides service to businesses in the area. A sidewalk inventory (Appendix H) was completed in the summer of 1999 with the help of student workers through Tioga Opportunities. The sidewalks were classified into four categories: good, needs work, terrible, and none. Results from this survey show that some streets in the Village contain no sidewalks. The areas that have no sidewalks include Bridge St., Mill St., Cook St., Smullen Ave., and Wards Lane. Due to the costs of repairing sidewalks and many residents not having the resources, a program is recommended to help property owners.
Action Goals
v Expand public water lines if feasible to new development and existing areas that have no public services.
v Consider developing a feasibility study for the possible creation of a sewer district.
v Encourage the extension or creation of natural gas lines in the Village.
v Work with state, county , and local officials on traffic improvement projects
v Create a program to help repair sidewalks and building facades through grants or loans.
v Apply for grants and loans to renovate the streetscape. (includes streetlights, flags, landscaping, and flower boxes)
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Municipal and Public Facilities
The Village offers public water to its residents which is provided from wells located at the Village Barn located on Whig St., Marble St., and the reservoir located on Silk St. These areas are vital in providing water to Village residents, therefore development in these areas should be environmentally friendly. A map (Appendix I) showing the present service areas for public water is available.
Action Goals
v Protect the areas around the public wells from development that could jeopardize the water quality.
v Construct a new well to supply village residents with water.
Building Permit Activity
1998-31 permits approved for various projects including additions to residences, new septics, decks, and pools.
1999-19 permits as of 7/28/99 approved for projects including additions to residences, new septics, decks, and pools.
After review of the permits one can see that new residential, commercial, or industrial construction has not taken place in the Village in at least the last two years. New construction is essential to increase the tax base of the Village.
Action Goals
v Work with the Tioga County Department of Economic Development and Planning to market potential development sites.
v Promote the Village of Newark Valley and its services to new residents of the area through the Tioga County Tourism and Chamber of Commerce.
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Housing
Date reports; 454 housing units, 45 vacant units leaving 409 occupied units. The median year of structures built is 1939, which is a major reason for the Village character. Many aged, well-cared for, buildings sit next to “old” dilapidated structures, which causes confusion and concern to possible residents. Fine wine ages well but time has not been kind to many buildings in our community. Newark Valley maintains a high occupancy rate: in 1990, 90% of housing units were occupied. Over the past fifteen years there has been an increase in multi family units and in mobile homes. 10% of all housing units, in the Village, are mobile homes. Affordability of housing is a concern to many people. Affordability is often defined as a ration of: median value of a single-family house to household income. Public perception is affordable homes in the Village is not an issue. The issue is: home value (street price) will decline if surrounding properties and infrastructure are not adequately maintained.
Action Goals
v Encourage the development of affordable housing for current and new residents to the area.
v Committee of two Planning Board members, one Village Trustee and the Code Enforcement Officer will submit code recommendations to the Planning Board at October 1999. Planning Board, after review, will present to the Village Board in December 1999.
v Apply for Community Block Grants or low interest loans to be utilized by landowners, for; capital improvements; sidewalks or building facades.
v Allow tax assessment relief for residential and business property improvements for a multi year period. This does not “add” to administrative cost, but may allow an added incentive for improvements.
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Senior Housing
The 1990 Census reports 15% of our residents are 65 years of age or older. Quality of life for our senior citizens can be improved, in the Village. We must attract senior housing, so our population does not have to migrate to other areas with suitable and desired housing facilities. Older citizens who could no longer maintain their property caused some of the local vacant property. Rehabilitation of existing property through various sources will help improve our village character, and real value, and help the growth the village population.
Action Goals
v Apply for grants or low interest loans to be used to rehabilitate housing
v Continue to seek developers to construct senior housing
v Encourage Tioga Opportunities to work with the community on housing issues
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Economics
Real property valuation provides an estimate of community wealth. Tax assessment data give an estimate of land use pattern. In 1995 the county assessed value for real property was $39,071,963, and four years later, in 1999 the figure is $38,245,614. Different land use contributes to the expense of municipal services. Recent studies show that residential tax revenue does not exceed municipal cost for caring for that residence. Commercial land use ratio of revenue to expense is much better. Commercial and industrial tax revenue far exceeds the municipal cost of those properties. These findings show that while residential development does increase the tax base, the cost of supporting that land use exceeds the increased revenue it brings. Commercial increases the tax base without placing strain on available resources. Thus, residential development is not a land use that will ultimately help expand our tax base. Favorable ratios in revenue compared to expense in commercial means those land use actually subsidize residential properties. These are economic benefits for moving toward desirable commercial growth. If we desire economic growth we may review certain creations such as land use regulations, sewer district, and expansion of the current water district.
Action Goals
v Attract a mix of land uses that include light industry, commercial, and residential to create a stronger tax base.
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Economic Development
The residents who responded to the survey stated that were not enough jobs in the Newark Valley area. Many residents stated that more industrial and commercial jobs are needed to improve the standard of living. The respondents also felt that taxes, lack of public services, and poor transportation are what deter development from happening. Village history has not allowed business to operate where minors cannot legally (local, state or federal regulation) enter. This is a prudent measure and we believe this practice, by local enforcement should continue. The community has a few vacant buildings with some suitable for commercial uses. The formerly housed “Ladder Factory” located on thirteen acres between Silk Street and Rewey Avenue, is a 130,000-sq. ft. building was recently auctioned to a local business person. The “Glove Factory” located on Mill St. is currently vacant. It is hoped that these buildings will once again be used and create jobs in the Village.
Action Goals
v Develop a list of potential sites and property for development with the Tioga County Department of Economic Development and Planning.
v Investigate the possibility of tax incentives to new businesses in the community.
v Create an incubator site for new start up businesses.
v Attract companies that will utilize existing services such as rail lines.
v Consider developing a feasibility study for the possible creation of a sewer district.
v Find new resources for revenue instead of raising taxes.
v Attract light industry and commercial development.
1. Farmers Market
2. Environmentally friendly industry that will enable to Newark Valley to keep its small town charm, while providing needed and wanted jobs to the residents.
3. Encourage the development and reuse of vacant buildings
v Retain and work with the current businesses in Newark Valley.
1. Develop a business retention program and questionnaire.
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Education and Library Resources
All of the Village of Newark Valley’s educational needs are serviced by the Newark Valley School District. The district has an elementary school in the Village along Whig Street. The school district employees 270 staff members and is the largest employer in the immediate area. Post-secondary educational opportunities are abundant in the area. Broome County has three institutes of higher learning; they include Binghamton University, Broome Community College, and Broome-Tioga BOCES. Tompkins County has four institutes of higher learning; they include Cornell University, Ithaca College, Tompkins-Cortland Community College, and Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga BOCES.
Action Goals
v The Library is to provide greater accessibility to all Village residents.
Parks and Recreation Facilities
Major recreation attraction for the area: Trout Ponds with acres of green lawns, scenic picnic spots, playground, baseball field and several pavilions. At one time, this park was a trout hatchery; hence the name. The other park is the Village Green, which has a pagoda and benches, located on the corner of Rt. 38 and Rock St. (Center of the Village). The public survey showed that residents are in favor of having a Youth/Adult/Senior Citizens Recreation programs and walking/hiking trails developed. Residents would also like to see the Trout Pond facilities expanded and possibly more recreation fields developed for sporting events.
Action Goals
v Work with the Tioga County Boys & Girls Club on developing a Youth Recreation Program.
v Develop a working relationship with the Newark Valley Soccer Club in the development of youth recreation activities.
v Encourage the creation of more recreation opportunities for Village residents such as picnic areas, hiking and biking trails, and other indoor or outdoor facilities.
v Encourage programs that enable youths to get involved in making the Village a better place to reside.
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Cultural Resources
The Village of Newark Valley plays host to a number of cultural events, activities, and programs, which attract both local people and those living outside the area. Most of these opportunities are offered at no or low cost to the participants assuring that they may be enjoyed by all. In many cases local talent is featured, however the diverse interests of the public are satisfied as artists from surrounding areas are represented.
The historic culture of the Village of Newark Valley may be see clearly in its architecture. Buildings dating from the 19th century are still in use giving the business district the look of a charming, old-fashioned rural/community village. An active historical society supports preservation efforts and historically oriented activities in the area.
The office of Newark Valley Historical Society resides within the Newark Valley Municipal Building. This organization supports the Newark Valley Railroad Depot Museum, which is located within the Village, and the Bement-Billings Farmstead Museum located in the Town of Newark Valley, one mile north of the Village on Route 38.
The arts are represented at both museums. The Newark Valley Railroad Depot interprets the area’s businesses and transportation history through its collections and displays. In the summer a special program series, “Depot Friday Nights”, is offered. These programs include: oral history gatherings, music programs, dancing, and slide or film presentations. The Depot is also the centerpiece of a delightful community festival called, “Depot Days”.
The Bement-Billings Farmstead is the only living history farm museum in the Southern Tier of New York State. A number of special interests groups and guilds have been formed in order to preserve the crafts and skills of our agrarian ancestors. Blacksmithing, weaving, spinning, woodworking, gardening, clothing, and culinary arts of the past are subjects of study organized through the museum. It should be noted that a community-quilting group, the Valley Quilters, meets weekly in the Village Municipal Building.
The Bement-Billings Farmstead is the site of two yearly historic festivals. Spring Festival is dedicated to the celebration of farm plants, crops, and animals. And Apple Festival, held the first weekend in October, includes a Civil War encampment, historic displays and demonstration, food, music, and craft vendors.
The Trout Ponds Park, located in the Village of Newark Valley, is another site of cultural activity. Each summer a series of free outdoor concerts is offered. A fireworks show is held yearly in conjunction with the Depot Days festival. Murals depicting life in Newark Valley may be seen at the entrance of the Trout Ponds Park, the local bowling alley, and upon the south wall of the local grocery store. It should be further noted that certain businesses within the Village feature the works of local artisans and crafts people.
Newark Valley schools embrace the arts and consider them to be essential in the development of future citizens. Each spring an extraordinary art show featuring student work is held at Newark Valley High School. The school plays, band concerts, and chorus recitals produced are outstanding quality and are an integral part of school culture and curricula.
The Village of Newark Valley is rich in its cultural diversity. Its architecture, museums, and arts and music opportunities make this Village an interesting place to visit or live.
Action Goals
v Work with Tioga County Council on the Arts on creating cultural tourism and programs in Newark Valley.
v Apply for decentralized grants through the Tioga County Council on the Arts.
v Encourage the use and growth of the Owego-Harford rail line as a means to attract tourist into the Village of Newark Valley.
v Apply for grants to create cultural programs.
v Find funding to renovate the village municipal building.
v Renovate the Village Green gazebo.
v Help support the Newark Valley Historical Society on projects.
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Health Care
The residents who responded to the survey would like to see a dental and eye care office located in the Village. This service is lacking within the Village and Town of Newark Valley. These services are basic health care needs that should be provided to all communities of Newark Valley’s size.
Action Goals
v Attract dental and eye care services by using Tioga Opportunities and other agencies and their resources.
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Action and Implementation Plan
The Village of Newark Valley Planning Board will be responsible for implementing the action goals that are listed in the Master Plan with approval by the Village Board of Trustees. The Planning Board will utilize partners that are identified in the Master Plan to help complete the action items. The Master Plan will be reviewed and updated every two years by the Village of Newark Valley Planning Board. A public meeting will be held during the review period to gather input from the village residents.