New York Planning Federation - Environmental and Planning Consultants

Model Ordinances

January 2007

Model Ordinance of the Month

The Planning Federation has developed a Model Training Resolution that communities can use or modify to begin the training of local planning and zoning board members, as required now under New York Law.

See the resolution on this Web site or download as a Word document

Model Link of the Month

The New York Department of State also has a Sample Training Resolution as well as a Sample Personal Training Record on its Web site at: www.dos.state.ny.us/lgss/training.htm

December 2006

Model Ordinance of the Month

Many communities today have concerns about proposed "Big Box" development that they feel may be too large or out-of-scale for their communities. The Home Town Advantage - part of the Institute for Self-Reliance - has taken a prominent role in helping communities to evaluate and limit the size of such development. Their website offers a 7-part "Community Protection Policy Kit that addresses common questions and provides examples of communities with store size caps and a model size cap ordinance. You can find these resources at: www.bigboxtoolkit.com/images/pdf/sizecapkit.pdf.

November 2006

Model Ordinance/ Resource of the Month

One of NYPF's featured speakers at the Fall conference - Michael Klemens of the Metropolitan Conservation Alliance - spoke persuasively of the need for effective approaches to habitat protection. The Town of Milan has recently adopted the Milan Habitat Assessment Guidelines (by Greenplan) to help it flag and protect significant biological resources as part of the development process. These guidelines may be found by clicking here

Model Link of the Month

Hudsonia produced a very well-reviewed publication in 2001 for Hudson River Valley municipalities interested in inventorying important plant and animal habitats, entitled Biological Assessment Manual for the Hudson River Estuary Corridor. A good excerpt from it called General Conservation Measures for Protecting Biodiversity can be found at: www.dec.state.ny.us/website/hudson/bdconservation.pdf. Additional excellent publications on planning and zoning for biodiversity can be found at the website for the Metropolitan Conservation Alliance.

October 2006

Model Ordinance/ Resource of the Month

The model resource (including ordinance) of the month is NYSERDA’s new "A Municipal Official’s Guide to Diesel Idling Reduction," http://www.nyserda.org/publications/09-06GuidetoDieselIdlingReduction.pdf . This guide is the first of its kind in the nation. It is co-produced by NYSERDA and NYPF and intended to assist local officials in making land use decisions that will promote the use of new technologies that reduce diesel idling.

Model Link of the Month

The model link of the month is the EPA's SmartWay Transport Partnership - http://www.epa.gov/smartway/idle-fund.htm - a partnership between the EPA and the freight industry to reduce emissions from heavy-duty truck and locomotive idling. Local officials will find this program interesting as well.

September 2006

Model Ordinance/ Resource of the Month

The model ordinance/resource of the month is the 2006 Department of State publication Municipal Control of Signs, which provides a thorough treatment of local signage control and a good sample sign matrix and permit applications.

Model Link of the Month

Here is a link to an excellent Local Sign Law PowerPoint presentation given by the Association of Towns at the 2006 Geneseo Planning and Zoning School summer school.

August 2006

Model Ordinance/ Resource of the Month

Subdivision Ordinance

The model ordinance for August is Saratoga Springs' Conservation Subdivision ordinance, which features straight-forward, user-friendly language and many helpful illustrations. The city reports that the ordinance is being used successfully, providing significant new protected open space. The city is looking to further improve the ordinance with added graphics to provide better guidance on clustering of dwellings.

Model Link of the Month

Here is a link to guidelines for when and how to use conservation subdivisions. While the perspective is primarily from a rural perspective, conservation subdivisions can also be used in suburban areas. While the article provides a balanced perspective of pros and cons, we feel that the example of "poor" cluster design could, in fact, be "good" cluster design, depending on local preservation and development goals."

http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/landcenter/tracker/Summer2002/conssubdiv.html

July, 2006

Community Survey

This simple model survey is intended for rural to suburban communities to use (or adapted for use) at the beginning of a comprehensive plan process. A community survey is intended to assess the needs and concerns of the public to help local decision-makers best plan to guide future growth, development and preservation.

Model Link of the Month

State of the Region: Buffalo-Niagara Indicators Project

Some communities are evaluating the performance of their comprehensive plans by developing 'indicators' that measure changes in a variety of environmental, social and economic factors over time. Here is a link to a nationally-recognized New York example of what one region has done to measure its progress. Cities, towns and villages can develop indicators to measure progress towards their own plans' specific goals and objectives. Read more here:
http://www.regional-institute.buffalo.edu/sotr/

June, 2006

Model Ordinance/ Resource of the Month

Moratoria

Increasingly, local governments throughout New York State are using a land tool that has had widespread application in the New York metropolitan area and Hudson Valley - the moratorium. Hailed by those who want to slow down growth, and feared by supporters of development, the rules governing the use of this tool are not always well understood. Read more.

Model Link of the Month

The "Land Use Moratoria" document in the James A. Coon Local Government Technical Series provides background on the genesis of the law and the conditions under which it is typically adopted. Read more here: http://www.dos.state.ny.us/lgss/pdfs/moratoria.pdf

May, 2006

Model Ordinance/ Resource of the Month

Model Historic Preservation Ordinance
Preservation League of New York State

This excellent model is intended to apply to designated historic districts (federal, state or local), but could be adapted to apply to individual historic buildings and sites as well. See the ordinance.

Model Link of the Month

NY Department of State, Local Government Division
James E. Coon Technical Series

This series of short guides on a wide variety of planning and zoning topics in New York has been a wonderful resource to communities for years, though some communities are not yet familiar with them. www.dos.state.ny.us/lgss/publist.htm

Topics addressed include:

▪ Local Government Handbook

▪ Legal Memoranda

▪ SEQR Handbook: SEQR and Local Government

Land Use Technical Series:

▪ Guide to Planning and Zoning Laws of New York State

▪ Adopting Zoning for the First Time

▪ Controlling Junk

▪ Creating the Community You Want: Municipal Options for Land Use Control

▪ Governmental Immunity from Zoning

▪ Guidelines for Applicants to the Zoning Board of Appeals

▪ Legal Aspects of Municipal Historic Preservation

▪ Local Laws and Agricultural Districts: How Do They Relate?

▪ Local Open Space Planning Guide

▪ Municipal Control of Signs

▪ Municipal Regulation of Mobile Homes

▪ Planning and Design Manual for the Review of Applications for Wireless Telecommunications Facilities

▪ Questions for the Analysis and Evaluation of Existing Zoning Regulations

▪ Record Keeping Tips for Zoning Administration

▪ Site Development Plan Review Procedure and Guidelines

▪ Stormwater Management Design Manual

▪ Stormwater Management Guidance Manual for Local Officials

▪ Wind Energy Tool Kit

▪ Zoning Board of Appeals

▪ Zoning and the Comprehensive Plan

▪ Zoning Enforcement for Towns and Villages

Local Laws and Charters:

▪ Adopting Local Laws

▪ Local Law Filing Forms

▪ Land Use Moratoria

▪ Revising City Charters

Local Government Cooperation:

▪ The Consolidation of Local Government

▪ Consolidation for Towns and Villages

▪ Implications of a Village Dissolution

▪ Intergovernmental Cooperation

▪ Municipal Service Alternatives: Villages of Carthage and West Carthage, New York

General Local Government Information:

▪ Administration and Enforcement of the Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code

▪ Conducting Public Meetings and Public Hearings

▪ Your Right to Know: New York State’s Open Government Laws

Online Plans, Publications and Laws (not part of Coon Technical Series):

▪ Opportunities Waiting to Happen: A Guidebook for Redeveloping Abandoned Buildings and Sites to Revitalize Communities

▪ Making the Most of Your Waterfronts: Enhancing Waterfronts to Revitalize Communities

▪ Smart Development for Quality Communities Series

▪ Local Government Restructuring Web Site

▪ The Rural Design Workbook: Rethinking Conventional Development

▪ Schoharie Main Street and Gateways: Realizing the Vision

▪ Town and Village of Schoharie Comprehensive Plan

New York Planning Federation
400 3rd Ave.
Watervliet, NY 12189
518-270-9855
fax: 518-270-9857
e-mail: nypf@nypf.org


		Model Ordinances January 2007 Model Ordinance of the Month The Planning Federation has developed a Model Training Resolution that communities can use or modify to begin the training of local planning and zoning board members, as required now under New York Law. See the resolution on this Web site or download as a Word document Model Link of the Month The New York Department of State also has a Sample Training Resolution as well as a Sample Personal Training Record on its Web site at: www.dos.state.ny.us/lgss/training.htm December 2006 Model Ordinance of the Month Many communities today have concerns about proposed "Big Box" development that they feel may be too large or out-of-scale for their communities. The Home Town Advantage - part of the Institute for Self-Reliance - has taken a prominent role in helping communities to evaluate and limit the size of such development. Their website offers a 7-part "Community Protection Policy Kit that addresses common questions and provides examples of communities with store size caps and a model size cap ordinance. You can find these resources at: www.bigboxtoolkit.com/images/pdf/sizecapkit.pdf. November 2006 Model Ordinance/ Resource of the Month One of NYPF's featured speakers at the Fall conference - Michael Klemens of the Metropolitan Conservation Alliance - spoke persuasively of the need for effective approaches to habitat protection. The Town of Milan has recently adopted the Milan Habitat Assessment Guidelines (by Greenplan) to help it flag and protect significant biological resources as part of the development process. These guidelines may be found by clicking here Model Link of the Month Hudsonia produced a very well-reviewed publication in 2001 for Hudson River Valley municipalities interested in inventorying important plant and animal habitats, entitled Biological Assessment Manual for the Hudson River Estuary Corridor. A good excerpt from it called General Conservation Measures for Protecting Biodiversity can be found at: www.dec.state.ny.us/website/hudson/bdconservation.pdf. Additional excellent publications on planning and zoning for biodiversity can be found at the website for the Metropolitan Conservation Alliance. October 2006 Model Ordinance/ Resource of the Month The model resource (including ordinance) of the month is NYSERDA’s new "A Municipal Official’s Guide to Diesel Idling Reduction," http://www.nyserda.org/publications/09-06GuidetoDieselIdlingReduction.pdf . This guide is the first of its kind in the nation. It is co-produced by NYSERDA and NYPF and intended to assist local officials in making land use decisions that will promote the use of new technologies that reduce diesel idling. Model Link of the Month The model link of the month is the EPA's SmartWay Transport Partnership - http://www.epa.gov/smartway/idle-fund.htm - a partnership between the EPA and the freight industry to reduce emissions from heavy-duty truck and locomotive idling. Local officials will find this program interesting as well. September 2006 Model Ordinance/ Resource of the Month The model ordinance/resource of the month is the 2006 Department of State publication Municipal Control of Signs, which provides a thorough treatment of local signage control and a good sample sign matrix and permit applications. Model Link of the Month Here is a link to an excellent Local Sign Law PowerPoint presentation given by the Association of Towns at the 2006 Geneseo Planning and Zoning School summer school. August 2006 Model Ordinance/ Resource of the Month Subdivision Ordinance The model ordinance for August is Saratoga Springs' Conservation Subdivision ordinance, which features straight-forward, user-friendly language and many helpful illustrations. The city reports that the ordinance is being used successfully, providing significant new protected open space. The city is looking to further improve the ordinance with added graphics to provide better guidance on clustering of dwellings. Model Link of the Month Here is a link to guidelines for when and how to use conservation subdivisions. While the perspective is primarily from a rural perspective, conservation subdivisions can also be used in suburban areas. While the article provides a balanced perspective of pros and cons, we feel that the example of "poor" cluster design could, in fact, be "good" cluster design, depending on local preservation and development goals." http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/landcenter/tracker/Summer2002/conssubdiv.html July, 2006 Community Survey This simple model survey is intended for rural to suburban communities to use (or adapted for use) at the beginning of a comprehensive plan process. A community survey is intended to assess the needs and concerns of the public to help local decision-makers best plan to guide future growth, development and preservation. Model Link of the Month State of the Region: Buffalo-Niagara Indicators Project Some communities are evaluating the performance of their comprehensive plans by developing 'indicators' that measure changes in a variety of environmental, social and economic factors over time. Here is a link to a nationally-recognized New York example of what one region has done to measure its progress. Cities, towns and villages can develop indicators to measure progress towards their own plans' specific goals and objectives. Read more here: http://www.regional-institute.buffalo.edu/sotr/ June, 2006 Model Ordinance/ Resource of the Month Moratoria Increasingly, local governments throughout New York State are using a land tool that has had widespread application in the New York metropolitan area and Hudson Valley - the moratorium. Hailed by those who want to slow down growth, and feared by supporters of development, the rules governing the use of this tool are not always well understood. Read more. Model Link of the Month The "Land Use Moratoria" document in the James A. Coon Local Government Technical Series provides background on the genesis of the law and the conditions under which it is typically adopted. Read more here: http://www.dos.state.ny.us/lgss/pdfs/moratoria.pdf May, 2006 Model Ordinance/ Resource of the Month Model Historic Preservation Ordinance Preservation League of New York State This excellent model is intended to apply to designated historic districts (federal, state or local), but could be adapted to apply to individual historic buildings and sites as well. See the ordinance. Model Link of the Month NY Department of State, Local Government Division James E. Coon Technical Series This series of short guides on a wide variety of planning and zoning topics in New York has been a wonderful resource to communities for years, though some communities are not yet familiar with them. www.dos.state.ny.us/lgss/publist.htm Topics addressed include: ▪ Local Government Handbook ▪ Legal Memoranda ▪ SEQR Handbook: SEQR and Local Government Land Use Technical Series: ▪ Guide to Planning and Zoning Laws of New York State ▪ Adopting Zoning for the First Time ▪ Controlling Junk ▪ Creating the Community You Want: Municipal Options for Land Use Control ▪ Governmental Immunity from Zoning ▪ Guidelines for Applicants to the Zoning Board of Appeals ▪ Legal Aspects of Municipal Historic Preservation ▪ Local Laws and Agricultural Districts: How Do They Relate? ▪ Local Open Space Planning Guide ▪ Municipal Control of Signs ▪ Municipal Regulation of Mobile Homes ▪ Planning and Design Manual for the Review of Applications for Wireless Telecommunications Facilities ▪ Questions for the Analysis and Evaluation of Existing Zoning Regulations ▪ Record Keeping Tips for Zoning Administration ▪ Site Development Plan Review Procedure and Guidelines ▪ Stormwater Management Design Manual ▪ Stormwater Management Guidance Manual for Local Officials ▪ Wind Energy Tool Kit ▪ Zoning Board of Appeals ▪ Zoning and the Comprehensive Plan ▪ Zoning Enforcement for Towns and Villages Local Laws and Charters: ▪ Adopting Local Laws ▪ Local Law Filing Forms ▪ Land Use Moratoria ▪ Revising City Charters Local Government Cooperation: ▪ The Consolidation of Local Government ▪ Consolidation for Towns and Villages ▪ Implications of a Village Dissolution ▪ Intergovernmental Cooperation ▪ Municipal Service Alternatives: Villages of Carthage and West Carthage, New York General Local Government Information: ▪ Administration and Enforcement of the Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code ▪ Conducting Public Meetings and Public Hearings ▪ Your Right to Know: New York State’s Open Government Laws Online Plans, Publications and Laws (not part of Coon Technical Series): ▪ Opportunities Waiting to Happen: A Guidebook for Redeveloping Abandoned Buildings and Sites to Revitalize Communities ▪ Making the Most of Your Waterfronts: Enhancing Waterfronts to Revitalize Communities ▪ Smart Development for Quality Communities Series ▪ Local Government Restructuring Web Site ▪ The Rural Design Workbook: Rethinking Conventional Development ▪ Schoharie Main Street and Gateways: Realizing the Vision ▪ Town and Village of Schoharie Comprehensive Plan New York Planning Federation 400 3rd Ave. Watervliet, NY 12189 518-270-9855 fax: 518-270-9857 e-mail: nypf@nypf.org