Developing a comprehensive plan gives a community the opportunity to think about its future and make some decisions looking at the 'big picture' rather than reacting to a particular proposal. It gives us the opportunity to set a context for our decisions.

We think the Town of Hurley is a special place. With time everything changes. The Committee presents this plan for your consideration with the hope that we have outlined recommendations that will safeguard the essence of Hurley while embracing a vision for the future

The Site Map is your table of contents. The following sections set the stage for what follows.

Vision :: Assumptions :: Process :: Background :: Committee :: Site Map

Vision

We shared this vision as we worked:

Honor and preserve the best of Hurley – its beauty, its history, its agricultural roots and respect for landowners’ rights. Treasure its friendliness. Appreciate and protect the ease of living that comes with our location. Acknowledge and prepare for the inevitable economic and demographic changes that come with time.

The plan that evolved addresses issues voiced by our residents and sets goals, objectives, and action steps which reflect the community’s desires for the future of Hurley.

 Our Assumptions/Philosophical Base

Comprehensive Planning Process

The comprehensive planning process included four surveys, four public forums - two in West Hurley, two in Old Hurley, information and requests for feedback on the town website, in the newsletter and e-newsletter, and the Hurley Blog. The committee has met over a three-year period, reviewed previous planning documents, talked with town staff, county planning staff, and other communities. While more can always be done, we believe we should move forward with our recommendations to-date.

Background and Resources

 Links to many of the reports and survey results can be found in the site map. You'll also find links to planning resources. [top]

Each of the major topics are listed in the navigation bar on the left. Recommendations often relate to more than one topic, so the same sub-page may be listed under more than one topic. You can find a complete, alphabetical list of pages on the site map.

Goals appear in yellow boxes at the top of a page. You'll find the recommendations in the blue box at the bottom of a page. The text in between explains our thinking.

A summary of all goals, our recommendations, and the next steps can be found on the Table of Recommendations tab. You'll also find a link to a PDF of that page you can print.

What you won't find: No plan can address everything, but there are a few issues that were raised in the forums or comments that we chose not to address. These are the issues and why:

Cell towers: The town already has criteria for locating cell towers – health and safety.

Deer Control: a DEC issue

Aerial spraying: State controlled

Pesticide use: County Health Department controlled

Testing well water: Resident responsibility, but we have recommended an aggressive public education program

Maverick Road traffic: included in traffic recommendations

Fines for building without a permit: already in place

Term limits for planning board members: The committee is comfortable with current regulations which require annual reappointment

Farm vehicle damage to town roads: difficult to determine what vehicles cause damage. Most roads in town are county roads.

Town ethics/conflict of interest policies: currently under development.

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We thank you for the opportunity to serve the community by developing this plan.

The Comprehensive Plan Committee, August 2006

Harry Anderson
Joan Paccione
Dave Baker
Chris Zell
Joe Boek
Ted Skaar (resigned, 2005)
Karl Brueckner
Paul Hakim
Dale Whipple, Secretary
Ruth Wahtera, Chair

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