GLOVERSVILLE – Mayor Dayton King says he and Department of Public Works Director Kevin Jones will add to the city’s master plan to comply with requirements for the state Department of Transportation’s approval of the planned access road along Route 30A.
“The Department of Transportation wants it to be made clear that the city plan is to have development and commercial businesses on the [edge] of the city,” King said. “We just want to make it known that this is what we want to do going forward.”
King said the master plan doesn’t say the city opposes development along the edge of the city’s borders; it doesn’t address the issue.
“In order for the entire package to be successful, it has to be supported by our master plan and zoning,” Jones said. “[The master plan] just doesn’t address it, so we are going to add something that shows that it is the city’s intent to have commercial development in this area.”
The city has to revise its zoning and master plan to accommodate the proposed access road on Route 30A – which would run parallel to the current road for about a mile between South Kingsboro Avenue and Steele Avenue -and submit a “break in access” request packet that includes a finalized study of the proposal to the DOT for its approval.
Jones said the DOT still is reviewing the draft findings of the Route 30A Break in Access Study.
Once the addendum is completed by Jones and King, the Common Council will have to formally adopt it.
“All we will be doing over the next couple of weeks is writing up a proposed revision to propose to the council for adoption,” Jones said.
King said this approach of adapting the outdated plan to meet the city’s current needs is more of a timing issue.
King said he hopes the city eventually will have professionals update the entire plan.
First Ward Councilwoman Robin Wentworth said the decision to have Jones and King make the changes to the master plan was not discussed with the council.
“I’m not saying that I’m not in favor of it, but I think what they are looking at is doing an addendum just regarding the curb cut on 30A because we do have to submit that to DOT while they are reviewing whether or not they will grant permission to do the curb cut,” Wentworth said.
She said the council is hoping to do a more thorough update of the master plan later. She suggested the city may decide to just update certain parts because a complete overhaul is more expensive than narrowing the changes needed.
