Guilderland is a wonderful town, a great place to live, a model of just what a town should be in many ways. To keep it that way, though, the people of Guilderland need a vision for the future, a sense of what they want their town to look like, what characteristics they want it to have. This is needed as a prelude to the town government’s new strategic planning effort, because the plan’s goals and strategies need to dovetail with the vision.

History suggests that venerable communities like Guilderland (219 years old this year!) can draw on their history, maintain a sense of coherence and community spirit, and at the same time make positive change. But history also cautions that periods of drift without clear vision and goals in mind can result in suburban towns becoming adjuncts to the cities they border, taking on some of their characteristics including their attendant problems.

Planning is a complex, creative  process, an opportunity to make hard choices and effect change. “The future is more unknowable than ever before,” says the American Planning Association’s recent Trend Report for Planners. “While the COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world upside down, myriad other drivers of change make it hard to understand developments of today, let alone the future. The almost 100 trends and signals listed in this report show the complexity and continuous acceleration of change in the world we live in today.”

Guilderland’s recent evolution

Guilderland used to be a quiet, unhurried, moderate-sized town. It was mostly a place of well-kept, owner-occupied homes on individual lots on quiet streets and cul-de-sacs and small businesses owned mostly by town residents.

There was one open-air mall, Stuyvesant Plaza, at the eastern border of the town but other shopping venues were mostly single stores or small shopping plazas. Guilderland had lots of woods and open, green space. It had something of a friendly small-town flavor rather than the traits of a  heavily populated suburban community.

That began to shift in the 1980s. Pyramid/Crossgates Mall opened in 1984. The mall’s size nearly doubled a decade later. Pyramid has also built two hotels on the property and just received approval to construct a large Costco, a 222-unit apartment complex, and a self-storage facility there. The apartment complex and storage facility were initiated by Pyramid but will be built by other developers.

Another proposal, for 24 more apartments, has just been approved by the Planning Board. Plans for the rest of the Pyramid site have not been disclosed.

Housing developments and apartment complexes also began to grow about the time Crossgates opened. Guilderland’s population was 26,515 in 1980; by 2020, according to the census, it was 36,848. Given the likelihood of the census undercounting and recent rapid apartment-building, it is probably more than 40,000 now and growing.

Some developments over the past few years:

— Traffic on Route 20, our only east-west corridor, is very heavy and jammed eastbound from the intersection with Route 146 to the Albany city line in the morning rush, and westbound in the afternoon. Traffic-control devices are barely up to the task. For instance, the intersection of routes 20 and 155 has six lanes, 12 stop/go/turn lights, and four pedestrian crossing signals. Yet traffic often backs up there.

This historical road, which dates from a narrow turnpike with horse-drawn vehicles in 1797,  was never intended to be a thoroughfare with heavy traffic. Over the years, turning lanes and sidewalks have been added but it cannot be widened.

As development increases, traffic grows. A proposal years ago for a “Southern Bypass” was abandoned. Proposals to siphon traffic off Route 20 and route it through the narrow streets of older neighborhoods have, so far, gone nowhere. Guilderland has so far not had to resort to roundabouts — traffic control devices of last resort in a sense — but one is being built on Route 146. No long-term traffic solutions have been advanced;

— In recent years, the town has experienced rapid apartment-building.  Apartment complexes used to be mostly small, two stories, and set back from the road, often on winding driveways, to provide a visual and sound buffer between them and the highway. Some of the new ones are large, dense,  right up on the road without even bushes or trees in front of them, and multi-storied.

Hundreds more apartments have been approved or are being planned, for example, the 222 units adjacent to Crossgates on wooded land and 256 in “Hamilton Parc,” a former golf course across busy Route 155 from Farnworth Middle School. All of Hamilton Parc’s traffic apparently will exit onto Route 155, a narrow road already burdened with traffic. More apartments will increase the population and strain town resources, including schools, highways, police, and fire.

At the same time, the number of new starter homes and middle-income homes is low;

— The Costco site was approved over citizen opposition. Town government joined the developer to secure final approval in court. Crossgates Mall was set back from Route 20 with a buffer of trees and a  knoll that shielded it; Costco apparently will occupy that buffer and be right up on the road.

The store will provide discount shopping but will escalate congestion and other problems by bringing dozens of delivery trucks, hundreds of cars, and thousands of shoppers from beyond Guilderland, along with noise and air pollution. The Johnston Road/Route 20 intersection, which already serves Town Center shopping plaza, seems destined to become another traffic congestion point.

Guilderland has been development-friendly. Our zoning is tolerant of and/or encourages development. Many of the “developers” are our Guilderland neighbors. Developers quite naturally take advantage of the lenient requirements and opportunities. Plans for developments are almost always approved, though sometimes after modifications or downsizing due to environmental concerns or citizen opposition.

Development has helped the town gain some jobs and tax resources. On the other hand, some recent developments have received generous tax breaks, including a large car-wash.

Pyramid Crossgates repeatedly petitions to have its tax assessment and school and land taxes lowered. More police have been needed at the mall to respond to crime and gunfire there.

More development is coming. One of the many essential public services that The Altamont Enterprise provides is monitoring and reporting on these.

Revitalizing the public interest

Guilderland town officials are excellent, conscientious, and service-oriented. Departments, particularly the Town Clerk, Highway, and Police, are very responsive to residents’ needs. We have a series of outstanding public parks. Town Hall is very accessible, with lots of meetings where citizens can voice their views.

But Guilderland is at something of a tipping point. Town government needs to turn more attention to profound, long-term considerations for the future.

In charting a steady new course, there needs to be increased attention to what is sometimes called “the public interest” — defined variously as “the welfare or well-being of the general public,” “that which is best for the community as a whole,” or “the collective well-being.”

The public interest is the most important responsibility of town government. It is articulated through comprehensive strategic plans that become the community’s policy umbrella.

A renewed focus on the public interest would mean that the town becomes more proactive and less reactive as it moves into the future. For instance, the Guilderland Town Board and the Industrial Development Agency might take initiatives somewhat similar to the work of the Empire State Economic Development office, in attracting businesses that fit best with the town’s vision and strategic plan. Town government would take a stand on profound transformational development proposals such as Costco.

Of course, any policy needs to preserve the rights of private landowners. That is essential.

Development would continue but, with new approaches guided by a vision and plan, it would be more deliberate and predictable. It might mean revised criteria for housing, for example, more starter homes or middle-income homes.

Tax incentives might be revised to encourage such things as renovating existing buildings, adaptive reuse of historic structures, or replacing abandoned buildings with new ones. There would be more emphasis on saving and preserving the positive characteristics of the town, including green, open space. The whole development/review process would be more transparent and much easier to follow online. Sometimes, the town, acting in the public interest, would turn down a proposal.

A vision and plan would ensure that Guilderland’s best traits and quality-of-life characteristics endure even as the town grows.

Toward a vision for the future

It is up to the town’s elected officials, the supervisor and town board, to identify its vision for the future.  But something along these lines might be considered: Guilderland will be a highly desirable place for people to live, raise their families, and enjoy a sense of open space, security, community, vibrant neighborhoods, and quality of life.

Once the vision is set, goals and strategies need to be developed for the plan. That is up to the new town planning committee. But a few categories that might be considered:

— Modest population growth

The Capital District’s population is on the rise. Guilderland can avoid the fate of some suburban towns that have experienced rapid population growth and along with it decline in quality of life. A key question might be: About how many people would we like to see residing in the town in, say, 2030? 2040?  The answers will help inform all other decisions, particularly zoning;

— Traffic control and abatement

How should the town deal with traffic, particularly on its east-west mainline, Route 20, and especially the critical five miles from Route 146 to the Albany city line? We need to avoid having Route 20 come to resemble local congested roads with continuous commercial development such as Colonie’s Wolf Road, and Route 5 in Colonie from the Albany city line to Route 155.

Much of the traffic is beyond our control. But development decisions impact trips to and from points in Guilderland. More development means more traffic. Slowing development slows traffic growth and preserves green space and trees along the road;

— Development review

The plan will need to pay particular attention to zoning and zoning requirements. In the future, sizable proposed commercial developments should undergo a more thorough review by the town, beyond just checking compliance with zoning requirements and environmental issues. For instance:

— What will be its probable impact on the town’s vision?

— What are the implications for Guilderland’s water, sewer, public safety and police, parks, volunteer fire departments, and schools?

— What will be the impact in terms of air and noise pollution?

— What are the implications for traffic, and how will they be addressed?

— What is the expected impact on land and school taxes? Are they likely to go up or down as a result of the new business?

— What is the expected impact on other Guilderland businesses and homes in the vicinity, particularly on Route 20?

— Security

One important goal in the next plan should be heightened security. Town residents and visitors should feel completely safe walking in their neighborhoods, attending community events, and shopping and dining at night. Guilderland should be a safe, protective place for young and older people;

— Community institutions

One of the major strengths of the town is its volunteer community institutions, for example, fire departments, Chamber of Commerce, fraternal organizations, community sports teams, Scouts, Historical Society, Garden Club, and volunteer governing boards such as the school and library boards. But it has become increasingly challenging to interest people in these beneficial institutions. The plan should make provision for encouraging and supporting these programs;

— Greenspace, open land, and farmland

Most of the recent development has taken place on fields, woods, and other green and open space, including in the Pine Bush. The plan should make provision to preserve greenspace, forests, open land, and farmland. This would mean protecting much of the eastern part of the town, which still has broad open spaces.

The plan should enhance the element of rural, in-the-country feel. But it should also apply to our mainline, Route 20, where there is a risk of continuous, uninterrupted commercial development. The plan should provide for the road as a scenic highway that includes grass, trees, and open space.

Guilderland began more than two centuries ago as an agricultural community and still has a number of strong farms. The plan should make provisions for encouraging them;

— Preserving and drawing on Guilderland’s “usable past”

The plan should provide for historic preservation, celebration of the town’s “birthday” on April 3 (the date of the first town board meeting in 1803), active support of the officially appointed town historian, encouraging teaching Guilderland history in school, and other history-related activities. The town would draw more on its “usable past” for origins, precedents, and parallels that can help shape our future; and

— Making the plan viable

Too often, strategic plans are mostly about zoning, are not much monitored or consulted over time, and otherwise have limited effect on policy decisions. Guilderland needs something more robust and engaging.

The plan needs to have clear measures and benchmarks. There need to be easy-to-understand descriptions, dashboards and charts on the town website for the goals.

The town board might hold public listening/discussion sessions around the topic of “How is Guilderland Doing?”

The plan needs to be revisited at least annually, and a report prepared and made public on how we are doing; where we are exceeding expectations, where lagging behind; and what, if anything, needs to be done to refine or revise the plan.

Additional information

In developing a vision and plan, it is useful to check model communities that have carefully planned their growth, preserved landowners’ rights, and at the same time preserved quality-of-life traits and built a strong sense of community. A few places to look might include:

— AARP Public Policy Institute, Liveable Communities: https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities;

— American Planning Association, APA Trend Report for Planners. 2022: https://planning-org-uploaded-media.s3.amazonaws.com/publication/download_pdf/APA_2022_Trend_Report_for_Planners.pdf;  

— American Planning Association, Great Places in America. https://www.planning.org/greatplaces;

— Capital District Regional Planning Commission, Town of Guilderland Demographic and Growth Analysis, 1990-2020. 2022: https://www.townofguilderland.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif7546/f/uploads/guilderland_growth_analysis_final_06-14-2022.pdf;

— Christopher Duerksen et al, The Citizen’s Guide to Planning. 2009;

— International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and Siemens, Smart Communities: Rethinking Infrastructure Report. 2018: https://icma.org/documents/smart-communities-rethinking-infrastructure-report;

— Eric Damien Kelly, Community Planning: An Introduction to the Comprehensive Plan. 2009;

— National League of Cities, Liveable Communities: Innovative, Inclusive and Equitable Cities. 2020: https://www.nlc.org/resource/livable-communities-innovative-inclusive-and-equitable-cities;

— National Trust for Historic Preservation, Saving Places: https://savingplaces.org;

— New York State Historic Preservation Officer. https://parks.ny.gov/shpo;

— New York State/Office of the State Comptroller, Local Government Management Guide: Strategic Planning.   https://www.osc.state.ny.us/files/local-government/publications/pdf/strategic_planning.pdf;

— Donovan Rypkema, The Economics of Historic Preservation: A Community Leader’s Guide.2005;

— Smart Growth Network. smartgrowth.org/what-is-the-smart-growth-network;

— Stephanie Meeks, The Once and Future City: How Historic Preservation is Reviving America’s Communities. 2016; and

— U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Smart Growth. https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth.
 

Editor’s note: Bruce W. Dearstyne has lived in Guilderland since 1979. He is a historian and the author of several books, including the second edition of “The Spirit of New York: Defining Events in the Empire State’s History” and “The Crucible of Public Policy: New York Courts in the Progressive Era,” both published in 2022.