Comprehensive Planning
Comprehensive planning affects to some degree virtually every other issue we face. It is a critical ingredient of government, and we do it very poorly in our towns and county. If we don’t want Elmira to decay further or to develop in unappealing or unhealthy ways, we must ask ourselves if the status quo is acceptable, if we value our history, and what we want a reinvigorated Elmira to be like, to look like and to feel like in the future; and we must set our compass on that course.
The Elmira planning document is woefully out of date and out of tune with modern planning principles and procedures. Our history and lack of vision have left Elmira without a clear mission and the determination for renewal. I have talked with many people who have little good to say about our city. They are wrong. Elmira still has a viable infrastructure crying out to be retrofitted, a strong potential work force, a rich history, space to rebuild, and a beautiful river.
To accomplish our goals means to revise our plan to include design principles, a specific vision for the downtown, historic preservation, support for all our communities, a unified course for the future, parks and landscaping, among other guidelines. It also means that EVERYONE in Elmira must be encouraged to contribute to the make-up of a new plan. We should also reach out and learn from the successes of other small towns throughout the U.S., towns that through renewal have become destinations, not only for visitors, but also for the local population, and have increased local investment often by 100s of millions of dollars.
Let’s recognize our beautiful history and the city's attributes, bring vitality, prosperity and pride to Elmira, and make it a thriving DESTINATION, no longer a drive-through.
The Elmira planning document is woefully out of date and out of tune with modern planning principles and procedures. Our history and lack of vision have left Elmira without a clear mission and the determination for renewal. I have talked with many people who have little good to say about our city. They are wrong. Elmira still has a viable infrastructure crying out to be retrofitted, a strong potential work force, a rich history, space to rebuild, and a beautiful river.
To accomplish our goals means to revise our plan to include design principles, a specific vision for the downtown, historic preservation, support for all our communities, a unified course for the future, parks and landscaping, among other guidelines. It also means that EVERYONE in Elmira must be encouraged to contribute to the make-up of a new plan. We should also reach out and learn from the successes of other small towns throughout the U.S., towns that through renewal have become destinations, not only for visitors, but also for the local population, and have increased local investment often by 100s of millions of dollars.
Let’s recognize our beautiful history and the city's attributes, bring vitality, prosperity and pride to Elmira, and make it a thriving DESTINATION, no longer a drive-through.