The Plattekill Town Board unanimously approved the town’s 2024 Comprehensive Plan following a public hearing last week. The plan, developed with input from community stakeholders, provides a framework for guiding the town’s future growth and development.

Dan Theobald, a community planner with Barton & Loguidice, explained that work on the updated plan began in 2019. The first phase included a Needs Assessment and Community Visioning report, which informed Phase 2’s development of a guiding framework for the town.

Funding for Phase 1 came from the Hudson River Valley Greenway, while Phase 2 was supported by the New York State Department of State with matching funds from the Town of Plattekill. A pause in the planning process occurred between 2020 and 2023 as the town sought additional grant funding through the Smart Growth Comprehensive Planning Grant Program.

The plan is designed to guide decision-making on land use, infrastructure, housing, economic development, and community services. It emphasizes sustainable development while preserving the town’s character and natural resources. The plan supports the agricultural community and recommends higher-density residential projects near the hamlet to protect the town’s rural identity.

Theobald stressed the importance of updating the town’s zoning code to align with the new plan, as required by law. He anticipates the process will take about a year and will involve clarifying definitions for terms such as “manufacturing” and “warehouse,” as well as establishing guidelines for lot sizes and facility locations.

Supervisor Dean DePew described the Comprehensive Plan as a “living document” that will evolve over time. “It is up to us to update it, add to it, [and] delete from it as society changes,” he said. “The plan serves as a guideline for the collective vision of where we want to see the town go—not by the Town Board alone, but by all the people of the town.”

The newly adopted plan replaces the town’s previous comprehensive plan, which was last updated in 2003.