Community Planning
The Tompkins County Comprehensive Plan aims to concentrate new development in compact, walkable, mixed-use communities. To achieve this, the plan outlines policies to strengthen downtowns as centers for retail, services, employment, and community life, encourage municipalities to limit sprawl to protect rural character and scenic resources, promote housing and mixed-use development in designated Development Focus Areas, encourage private investment in these areas through supportive land use policies and public infrastructure improvements, and preserve the unique identities and historic character of existing communities. For more details, please refer to the Development Patterns chapter(PDF, 2MB) of the Tompkins County Comprehensive Plan.
Programs
Municipal Grants and Assistance
A number of opportunities are available to municipalities through the Tompkins County Department of Planning and Sustainability.
239 Development Review
NYS (New York State) General Municipal Law(PDF, 325KB) (§239 l, m & n) requires that communities in Tompkins County refer certain development applications, proposed zoning changes, and comprehensive plans to the Tompkins County Department of Planning and Sustainability for review, comment, and recommendations before taking final action.
The Tompkins County 239 Review Guide(PDF, 468KB) (May 2021), and its appendix(PDF, 3MB), which includes the Tompkins County Energy Recommendations for New Construction(PDF, 136KB) (2018), are prepared by the Tompkins County Department of Planning and Sustainability. The guide was developed to provide clarity to the referral and review process required by State law. This law, commonly referred to as GML §239, was established to encourage and coordinate inter‐community and county‐wide planning and zoning decisions between local municipalities and county planning officials.
This guide consists of three sections. Section one provides an overview of the basic GML §239 legal requirements for referral, review, and the types of projects for referral. Section two provides the guiding policy documents and recommendations that are typically used by the Tompkins County Department of Planning and Sustainability during the review process. Finally, section three addresses the process used by Tompkins County to accept, review, and complete referrals.
To submit a 239 review for County review, municipalities can utilize the online 239 Planning and Zoning Action Referral Form.
For questions on the County Development Review process, please contact the Department of Planning and Sustainability.
County Development Focus Area Strategy (2012)
The County Department of Planning and Sustainability has developed a strategy for Development Focus Areas, entitled Building Vibrant Communities in Tompkins County(PDF, 2MB). The Strategy was endorsed by the Tompkins County Legislature October 2, 2012.
The Development Focus Areas Strategy:
- Identifies Development Focus Areas where new development should be encouraged (in short, where public water, public sewer, and transit services are already provided).
- Describes the type of development that should occur (more mixed-use development that supports transit, walking, and bicycling as viable transportation options).
- Defines, in broad terms, the steps that can be taken to support the shift away from a sprawling pattern of development to a more concentrated or nodal pattern.
The Development Focus Area Strategy presents an analysis of established Development Focus Areas (the urban center, the villages, and rural hamlets) and assesses emerging Development Focus Areas, those places where private investment in housing, jobs and services, and public investment in transportation and sewer and water infrastructure, and public facilities have already provided the basis for additional development.
While the work to prepare this strategy was undertaken by the County, its success is dependent on local governments to put into action. Without the local policies in place to make this happen, this strategy will never succeed.