Search is on for consultant on hamlet center
The Enterprise — Lisa Nicole Lindsay
Route 85A connects with Route 85 in New Scotland forming an intersection proposed to be a “hamlet center.” The idea for the hamlet center came from the 2012 master plan, which has been sitting essentially dormant for the last two years. Recently, the town obtained $70,000 to hire a consultant, whose job will be to draft technical zoning language to bring the town’s vision of the hamlet center to life.
NEW SCOTLAND — In the wake of a citizen uprising that opposed plans for a Target-anchored mall at the intersection of routes 85 and 85A, a master plan was created that would see a walkable residential-commercial district, a hamlet center, at the intersection instead.
A master plan, which creates a vision for a municipality, is meaningless unless it is codified by the town board into zoning law.
Two years after the town’s master plan was created, New Scotland has received a $70,000 grant to hire a consultant to guide the town in codifying the planned residential-commercial district.
The $70,000 was gathered from a $58,000 federal grant and $12,000 out of the town-wide budget; the Capital District Transportation Committee, with which New Scotland has partnered, has jurisdiction over the money.
Daniel Mackay, town board member in New Scotland, said there is a multi-party review panel that includes members of CDTC and the town who will work together to make decisions on the implementation of the master plan.
First on the list is hiring a consultant.
Mackay expects to see a list of interested consultants by Sept. 8; the role of the consultant is to match the town’s vision to technical zoning language, Mackay said.
The consultant will also be aware of the rules regarding the project, which include public participation and public outreach as necessities.
“The last time we went through this process,” Mackay said, “the town had an active voice.”
Public participation will help the consultant and the review panel gather information on what development town residents want to see.
The master plan mentions walkability, open spaces, bike lanes, and landscaping guides, as desirable features of the hamlet center. The zoning language will address these among other features town residents decide are important in the commercial-residential area.
Mackay expects the project to go by a nine-month timeline, with draft zoning language completed by next summer, and in effect by next fall.
“What we’ve been working with is a lot of concept,” Mackay said. “What’s needed now is technical zoning language that puts that plan into place.”
