The Comprehensive Plan Update Process 2015-2020
The original Comprehensive Plan was passed in 2006. In 2013, the Planning Board began the revision by meeting with the Town Supervisor, former Planning Board members, and members of the committee who were involved in drafting the original 2006 Plan in order to review the existing Plan and identify the areas needing the most attention. The Planning Board met with professional planners from the area and hired a former planner from the Town of Ithaca to provide formal planning guidance.
In 2015, a series of three informal "Community Cafés" were held to learn what residents felt have been and should be the primary goals, ambitions, and weaknesses of the plan. In 2016, a town-wide survey was conducted; the selection of questions and topics in the survey was informed by feedback from the community cafes. Public meetings held in 2016 developed an outline for moving ahead with revising the Plan. That outline evolved into three overarching areas that are the organizing framework for the revised Plan: Livability in Caroline, Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, and Rural Character. In 2018 and 2019, three public workshops were organized, each one focussed on one of the above areas and with the goal of generating concrete ideas for actions advancing town goals in that area.
A Public Hearing was held by the Planning Board on September 24th, 2020. After revisions based on feedback from that meeting, the Planning Board adopted the revised plan and forwarded it to the Town Board. The Town Board then held a Public Hearing on December 10th, 2020 and adopted the updated Comprehensive Plan on January 13th, 2021.
Many good ideas were generated at the workshops held on the three main plan areas. These ideas can provide impetus for individuals, community groups, businesses and town government and are a community resource that will remain on this website for future reference. Please return and review these lists from time to time.
2015 WORKSHOP OUTCOMESWorkshop #1: Making Caroline a More Livable Community
Recommended Actions from Livability Workshop
Workshop #2: Protecting Caroline's Environment and Natural Resources
Recommended Actions from Environment Workshop
Workshop #3: Preserving Caroline's Rural Character
Recommended Actions from Rural Character Workshop
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