Thursday, May 15, 2008

NY's New Governor David Paterson

n light of the shocking events of this week, we look to the future with hope that New York's new governor, David Paterson, will continue to support many of the pro-Smart Growth projects that were already in progress or on the table.

Raised in Harlem and legally blind, Mr. Paterson got his start in the State Senate in 1985 and has been a diligent public servant since then. He served as Lieutenant Governor under Eliot Spitzer until Wednesday, when it was announced that he would take over the Governorship on March 17th.

We would like to welcome the new governor and look forward to continuing the work of the NYS Smart Growth Cabinet, both in Albany and here on Long Island.  In particular, the Smart Growth Cabinet shall advise and make recommendations to the Governor on the most effective mechanisms to promote Smart Growth and related priorities, including, but not limited to:

(a) identification of barriers to and opportunities for incorporation of Smart Growth principles in state policies and decision-making;

(b) alignment of state grantmaking and capital programs for both the public and private sectors to foster Smart Growth development patterns in appropriate regions of the state;

(c) assessment of the effectiveness of existing state programs to provide technical and other assistance to local governments for comprehensive land use and economic development planning that incorporates Smart Growth principles and identification of opportunities for new and improved programs to effectively deliver such assistance; and

(d) recommendations to facilitate state and local Smart Growth initiatives.

Other states have adopted similar state-run Smart Growth plans and seen great successes, such as New Jersey, Maryland, and Massachusetts. Maryland’s Department of Planning encouraged the General Assembly to pass five pieces of legislation and budget initiatives that were collectively known as "Smart Growth." Since then, the Smart Growth department has directed the State to target programs and funding to support established communities and locally designated growth areas and adopted principles of Smart Growth to guide development and redevelopment.

Massachusetts’ Smart Growth and Urban Environments Program uses enhanced local land use plans and regulations, through planning policies and programs for innovative state approaches to Smart Growth. The program provides technical assistance programs, tools, and direct outreach to local officials and decision makers across the State. Closest to home is New Jersey’s State Department of Community Affairs Office of Smart Growth, which initiated a State Development and Redevelopment Plan that has coordinated planning activities and established state-wide planning objectives, developed a New Jersey Planning Commission, created a Main Street Revitalization program, and provide numerous resources on brownfields, planning and zoning education, and other land use policies.

There are real, concrete actions that the incoming Governor can take now. They include:

  1. Support for improving sewer infrastructure to make even the smallest advancements possible - mainly, the creation of four new sewer districts in Suffolk County (Rocky Point, Smithtown, Wyandanch & Mastic/Shirley) and upgrading Nassau County’s sewage treatment facilities to accommodate future growth.
  2. Reformat NYS economic development programs to benefit downtowns and centers.
  3. Approval of affordable housing legislation in the form of inclusionary zoning legislation and/or the Downstate Workforce Housing bill that incentivizes the production of affordable/workforce housing
  4. Transformation of the New York State Department of Transportation Region 10.  DOT Region 10 must convert to allow for pedestrian safety and “Smart” transportation initiatives. New Jersey’s DOT reforms are an exemplary model for roadway redesign initiatives for New York.

The continued work of a Smart Growth Cabinet is a step in the right direction. Granted, we’ve been accomplishing these lofty goals with individual, quality communities on Long Island for several years already; but the Governor’s group has the potential to make it a REGIONAL priority.  We look forward to continuing to work with the NYS regional staff to create Smart Growth incentives and policies here on Long Island.

Feel free to share your thoughts on the new Governor and Smart Growth by sending us an email here.

Posted by Eric at 6:21:32 PM in Blog (23) | Comments (0)

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