Comprehensive Plan

Comprehensive Plan

PURPOSE: In 1997, the City of Batavia adopted a Comprehensive Master Plan. The Comprehensive Plan provides direction and vision as to how the City will develop and grow and creates a framework for future decisions. Upon adoption, the City Council initiated a Strategic Planning process designed to implement the recommendations in the Comprehensive Plan. Citizen input played an integral role in developing the recommendations in the Comprehensive and Strategic plans and developing consensus on future development decisions. By implementing the vision of the Comprehensive Plan, the City of Batavia will be known as one of Western New York's leading communities. Some of the highlights of the Comprehensive Plan are listed below.

BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
Based on the recommendation of the Comprehensive Plan, the City and downtown merchants established a Business Improvement District (BID). The goals of the BID are to increase the economic viability and attractiveness of the downtown and bring more people to the area. To reach these goals the BID has focused its efforts on business attraction and retention, marketing, events and streetscape aesthetics. Some accomplishments include the following:

installation of trees and light poles along Main Street

construction of a curb cut in front of
Genesee Country Mall

development and adoption of Design Guidelines

development and implementation of an Advertising Reimbursement Program

development and administration of a Facade Improvement Program

development of a logo

Some future projects include the construction of a landscaped median strip on Main Street, the extension of streetscape improvements down the side streets of the BID, development of banners and welcome signs and a review of parking strategies for the downtown.

CAPITAL FACILITIES
The Comprehensive plan recommended that a water feasibility study be conducted to determine the costs of building a new water filtration plant, to select a site for the plant and to determine the capacity needed to provide neighboring communities with drinking water. The City has moved forward with this recommendation by proceeding with site selection. The City is also involved in discussions about creating a county-wide water system.

Based on the recommendation of the Strategic Plan, the City has undertaken a project to replace pump stations on the City's north side.

GENESEE COUNTRY MALL
The Comprehensive Plan identified the Genesee Country Mall site as critical to the revitalization of the downtown. The City has named a developer to pursue redevelopment of the condominium mall. Redevelopment of the mall site is dependent on negotiations with the various mall owners.

TONAWANDA CREEK PARK PLAN
The Comprehensive Plan recommends the creation of a Creek and Park Trail along the Tonawanda Creek. Suggested activities include hiking, biking, walking, jogging, and other recreational activities. The plan also provides for a number of boat launches along the creek. A downtown Creek Park located near a bend in the creek would serve as the main public gathering place. Ideas for structures and activities for this focal point include gardens, cafes, a water feature, amphitheater and skatepark. The Creek Trail would add a recreational and tourist component to the City and contribute to the multi-purpose downtown.

RECOMMENDED ZONING CHANGES
The City has begun the process of down zoning some of its neighborhoods to disallow the future development of multifamily and large scale multifamily dwellings. Protecting predominately single and two family neighborhoods from high density residential encroachment will help maintain the positive character of these neighborhoods, protect property values, reestablish the integrity of the neighborhoods and incite confidence in housing investments in the City.

The Comprehensive Plan recommends that West Main Street be rezoned to disallow professional offices. West Main Street is currently automobile oriented. It includes retail establishments, drive-in restaurants, drug stores and other businesses. Disallowing professional offices could result in the relocation of some these offices to downtown and east end buildings. West Main Street would benefit by the gradual establishment of a continuity of use rather than haphazard strip development.

The Comprehensive Plan also recommends that the City clarify its industrial districts by concentrating and expanding industrial development on the east side of the City, primarily south of Main Street. This would help hold industrial redevelopment potential in the area. The Plan recommends consolidating the existing Industrial zones east of Cedar Street to establish an Industrial/Office/Research & Development Park. The close proximity of the County's park would provide a "center-piece" and could assist in creating a modern research and development park.

MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT IN DOWNTOWN
To increase economic activity, alleviate vacancies in upper floor commercial buildings and generate additional people in the downtown, the Comprehensive Plan recommends establishing a mix of uses in the downtown. One way to accomplish this is to establish professional offices and housing on the upper floors of these buildings.

TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
The Comprehensive Plan recommends that the City install and construct sidewalks on all City streets.The Comprehensive Plan also recommends that the City improve key pedestrian crossings by constructing highly visible crosswalks that are easily seen by the driver. In particular, Main, Ellicott and Oak Streets present a challenge to the pedestrian as they attempt to cross the street. These four lane streets carry a high volume of traffic at relatively high speeds. Vast open parking lots disrupt the balance along major roadways, particularly on the City's west side. To help create a defined edge along Main Street and improve the aesthetic quality of the street environment, the Comprehensive Plan recommends screening all parking lots on West Main Street.