Learn more about the revitalization project

All town residents are invited to stop by Town Hall this week to learn more about the Hillsdale Revitalization Project. The purpose of these meetings is to invite town residents and business owners to to hear, discuss and contribute ideas for the revitalization of downtown Hillsdale -- including traffic flow, crosswalks, new sidewalks, parking, landscaping, housing and business development. Both property owners and renters are encouraged to attend any of the following sessions:

Tuesday, February 2 — 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, February 4 — 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, February 6 —10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

All meetings will take place at Town Hall, on Route 23.

Members of the Hillsdale Hamlet Committee will be on hand to answer questions and take suggestions. Also available for review will be the first draft proposals of Project for Public Spaces, the not-for-profit organization that the Town has hired to prepare a Design and Development Plan for the Hamlet.

Have you completed the survey yet?

An important step in the hamlet planner process is to make sure as many Hillsdale residents have had a chance to provide input as possible. To that end, PPS has created a survey we need people to complete.

There are three ways you can access the Hamlet Survey:
1. Click the link in the title to this post. You will be able to complete the survey instantly, and your responses will be sent directly to PPS.
2. Paper copies and drop boxes for completed surveys are available at Town Hall, the IGA supermarket and the B and G Gourmet and Wine store.
3. Finally, you can also access the digital survey by either clicking on the title of this post or visiting our Planner Document Library. Go here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Wc24kpc9jEqC9O421StyUw_3d_3d

Your help is also needed to make sure all of your friends and neighbors are aware of this project. Please take a moment now to forward this blog to all the Hillsdale folks you know!

Interviews with Hillsdale residents and business owners

As part of the process for creating our town plan, PPS has been interviewing various Hillsdale residents and business owners. Click here to see the feedback to date: http://plannerdocs.blogspot.com/2009/12/hillsdale-hamlet-stakeholder-intervie.html

RSVP NOW! Resident Meeting on November 7

IMPORTANT UPCOMING EVENT

There will be a meeting for ALL Hillsdale residents so that they can contribute ideas at this beginning stage of the planning process.

When: From 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 7, PPS will collect ideas and suggestions from Town and Hamlet residents at a Placemaking Workshop.

Where: Mt. Washington House, Rt. 23, Hillsdale, NY

What you’ll do at the Workshop:

After introductory remarks, we'll break into small groups - each group being led by a PPS planner. From there, we'll visit key places in the Hamlet, rate them as they currently exist, and suggest ways to make them better. Upon return to Mt. Washington house we'll discuss the results of the tour, and gather the suggestions for the future of the Hamlet from all of the groups. Please wear comfortable walking shoes and bring rain gear as needed.

We really hope you can participate in this important event — your input is critical to the success of this project!

We DO need to know how many are coming so we can plan accordingly. RSVP by sending an email to David Ruede at davidruede@gmail.com or you can leave him a phone message at 718-290-4218.

Project surveys coming soon

PPS is preparing a survey to be distributed to residents (we need at least 100 participants), pedestrians (we need 50) and ALL business owners. The purpose of the survey is to gauge people’s perceptions and sensitivities, desires and needs concerning issues such as pedestrian comfort, safety and security, retail needs, housing needs, community events and programs, and appearance and character of the Hamlet.

Very soon, volunteers from the Hamlet Committee and the community will assist in the distribution and collection of these surveys. A memorandum on the survey results will be available after they are completed, and we'll post it on the blog.

Scope of this Project

We interviewed four different planning firms before recommending Project for Public Spaces (to learn more about PPS, visit their web site at http://www.pps.org/) to the Town Board as our choice for a planning consultant. The contract with Project for Public Spaces (PPS) was signed the week of October 12 by Meg Walker, Vice President, PPS, and Art Baer, Hillsdale Town Supervisor.

The Purpose of the Plan

• To develop a framework for the Hamlet’s future growth and development, consistent with the needs and desires of the people and with best environmental practices;
• To help residents, businesses and town officials to anticipate and meet the challenges of developmental pressures;
• And to maintain the Hamlet’s unique character and safeguard its environmental, architectural and historic resources.
  

To view the entire Scope of Work for the project as approved by the Town and the Hamlet Committee, go here: http://plannerdocs.blogspot.com/2009/10/scope-of-work-for-hamlet-planner.html

www.pps.org

Project for Public Spaces is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people create and sustain public spaces that build stronger communities. Founded in 1975, PPS embraces the insights of William (Holly) Whyte, a pioneer in understanding the way people use public spaces. Today, PPS has become an internationally recognized center for best-practices, information, and resources about Placemaking.

Check out their website!