Officials are asking residents of Schuylerville for input in updating the village’s comprehensive plan.
The eastern Saratoga County village of Schuylerville is months away from a new comprehensive plan, which hasn’t been updated since 2005.
Talks about a new plan began in 2019. But Mayor Dan Carpenter said a $20,000 matching grant from the Hudson River Valley Greenway Communities grant program awarded last year enabled the village to take the next step.
“The comprehensive plan really should be a vision put forward by the residents and also to the point I was saying, not just the residents but also listening to the information of what brings people to Schuylerville so that we can bring more people here. And I think it’s great to have a survey, or something that can reach a larger audience, right? But I think these small intimate conversations with the village residents is really what gets people engaged and involved past the comprehensive plan,” said Carpenter.
After a survey was created and shared with residents of Schuylerville, the neighboring village of Victory, and other surrounding municipalities, Carpenter and consultant Tracy Clothier led a meeting on the plan Thursday.
“Because a lot of people do see them as one place, Victory and Schuylerville are two different villages but you know, we’re all connected. It’s a regional response that’s necessary from outside. It’s one thing to be a resident and know what you need day-to-day and what you think should happen. It’s another to hear from people outside, their viewpoint about what they think should happen in the Village of Schuylerville and what opportunities they see. And then, you have a broader spectrum of ideas,” explained Clothier.
With under 100 responses, Clothier says public input sessions are vital to hearing the concerns of village residents and neighbors.
“A lot of times the meetings, it’s not all about the number of people that come, it’s the quality of the individuals that contribute. And we had really good quality people here that want to be involved,” said Clothier.
Over the hour-and-a-half session, residents shared their ideas for the future of the village of roughly 1,400.
Pam Bonesteel has rented an apartment in the village for years.
“Well, unfortunately, I don’t live in the historic district, I live in what they refer to as the business district,” said Bonesteel. “And I don’t think we’re going to see much of that reutilization that they talked about. I’m all for bringing new businesses in, we just have to make it more accommodating for people to get around.”
Schuylerville was also awarded a $4.5 million NY Forward program grant at the end of 2023. Much of the money will go toward expanding kayak access to the Champlain Canal and a new building where the historic Hotel of Schuylerville was located.
Again, Bonesteel.
“You know I’d like to see some things fixed, I think some of the dilapidated homes need some love and I think that if they could siphon out some of the funds and make it village-wide and not just the historic district on Broad Street, that would be phenomenal,” said Bonesteel.
Louise White says whatever growth comes from the influx of funding, she wants Schuylerville’s core as a friendly, welcoming village to remain.
“I know for a senior citizen I feel safe walking in the village with my dog. And the neighbors all watch out for me because of my age and if they don’t see me they’ll call and chat for a minute to make sure something hasn’t happened.”
Mayor Carpenter has his own comprehensive plan priorities.
“Without sounding like a tree hugger,” joked Carpenter, “I really do think the impact of climate change is something this village needs to prepare for. I did talk a little about it with the micro-thunderstorms, flooding of the canal. Tracy talked about it with the hurricane that we had in 2011. You know, our storm water and just being prepared for the negative impact that climate change is having is going to be something that I’d like, personally, I’d like to see the comprehensive plan include. But again, this is a plan put forward to the people and hopefully it reflects what they would like.”
Carpenter says once survey results are collected and taken into account for a draft, he hopes to have the village’s board vote on a final draft by the end of the summer.
