The Village of Warwick was recently honored by the New York Planning Federation’s Annual Conference with the NYPF Comprehensive Plan Award. The honor is presented to a municipality or agency for an outstanding or innovative comprehensive plan or plan update adopted by the municipality’s legislative body within the past three years.
The Village of Warwick’s Comprehensive Plan was adopted by the Board of Trustees in 2022. The process was funded, in part, by a grant from the Hudson River Valley Greenway. Work on the Plan update was overseen by a diverse Comprehensive Plan Committee and the consultant team that helped guide the process included Fairweather Consultants and Alta Planning and Design.
Public engagement included open meetings of the Comprehensive Plan Committee, an on-line community survey, stakeholder meetings, focus groups, workshops and hearings, social media outreach, and use of Zoom meetings during the pandemic.
The Comprehensive Plan is designed to contain a clear vision statement focusing on sense of place and history of the community, diverse economic opportunities, recognition of the community’s ethnic and social diversity, the need to preserve and strengthen residential neighborhoods, sustainability and resilience in the face of climate change. Key elements include the need to enhance physical infrastructure, the need for middle-income housing for a diverse community, and a focus on transportation, connectivity, and mobility.
Created in 1937, the New York Planning Federation provides training, educational and informational services to a broad range of members, enabling them to better assist themselves and their municipalities with development and land use decisions. The membership includes more than 5,000 individuals representing more than 400 municipalities and organizations across New York State.