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Planning

Contact Information

 

 

Thomas Goodwin
Planning Manager

e-mail

Department of Planning and Development - Planning Division

8100 City Place

50 W. Main St.

Rochester, NY

14614

Phone: 585 753-2000

Fax: 585 753-2028

  •  Fast Facts About Monroe County

  •  US Census Data for Monroe County

  •  Adopted Capital Improvement Programs

  •  Proposed 2010-2015 Capital Improvement Program

  •  Parking Survey

  •  Monroe County Council of Governments

  •  Monroe County Planning Board

  •  Farmland Protection

  •  Municipal Land Use Report

  •  Water Resources

  •  State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA)

  •   Land Use Decision-Making Training Program

  •  Green Space Initiative

     

    Fast Facts About Monroe County

    Location

    Monroe County and the City of Rochester are located on the south shore of Lake Ontario, in the Finger Lakes Region of Upstate New York. The area (663.21 square miles) is accessible through the Greater Rochester International Airport, Amtrak and Conrail, the New York State Thruway, and the New York State Erie Canal.

    General

    • MSA population—1,098,201 (2000)
    • Monroe County population—735,343 (2000)
    • City of Rochester population—219,773 (2000)
    • Median household income—$56,900 (Rochester, NY MSA 2003)
    • Unemployment rate—5.8% (Monroe County 2003)
    • Civilian labor force—386,400 (May 2003)
    • Number of business establishments—16,828 (2001)

    Map of New York showing cities within 400 miles of Monroe County.

    Healthcare

    • Number of hospitals—7 (Monroe County 2003)
    • Monthly individual average cost for a HMO—$161.68 (Monroe County 2003)
    • Monthly family average cost for a HMO—$432.95 (Monroe County 2003)

    Education

    • Population enrolled in grades 1 through 12—63.1% (Monroe County, age 3 and over 2000)
    • Percentage of high school graduates or higher—84.9% (Monroe County, 25 years and over 2000)
    • Percentage with Bachelor’s degree or higher—31.2% (Monroe County, 25 years and over 2000)
    • Population enrolled in college or graduate school—26.3% (Monroe County, age 3 and over 2000)
    • Number of two and four/year colleges/universities—8

    Housing

    • Total housing units—304,388 (Monroe County 2000)
    • Median value of owner-occupied units—$98,700 (Monroe County 2000)
    • Median monthly owner costs with a mortgage—$1,122 (Monroe County 2000)
    • Median monthly owner costs without a mortgage—$406 (Monroe County 2000)
    • Median monthly gross rent—$612 (Monroe County 2000)

    Transportation

    • Mean travel time to work—19.6 minutes (Monroe County, workers age 16 and over 2000)
    • Passengers using Regional Transportation System annually—14,197,257 (2003)
    • Passengers using Greater Rochester International Airport annually—1,150,976 (2001)
    • Number of air transportation providers—16

    Weather

    • Average summer temperature—71° (July)
    • Average winter temperature—32° (February)
    • Average yearly snowfall—100.3" (Greater Rochester International Airport)
    • Rochester/Monroe County is a four-season community

    Recreation/Cultural Opportunities

    • Golf is big in Monroe County with approximately 39 golf courses (29 public, 10 private) playing host to U.S. Opens, the Ryder Cup, PGA Championships and an annual LPGA tournament.
    • Extensive park system equaling a total of 21 recreational facilities covering nearly 12,000 acres of land.
    • Fresh water activities such as boating, fishing and swimming are available on Lake Ontario, the Finger Lakes, Genesee River, and the Erie Canal.
    • Professional sports teams include the Rochester Red Wings (baseball), Raging Rhinos (soccer), Rochester Americans (hockey), Rochester Raiders (arena football), Rochester Rattlers (outdoor lacrosse), Rochester Knighthawks (indoor lacrosse) and St. John Fisher College is home to the Buffalo Bills Training Camp.
    • Cultural highlights include the Susan B. Anthony House, George Eastman House and International Museum of Photography and Film, Strong Museum, Rochester Museum and Science Center/ Strasenburgh Planetarium, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Garth Fagan Dance Company, GeVa Theatre, Hochstein Music School and the Memorial Art Gallery.
    • Nearby attractions: Finger Lakes Region (30 minutes to 1 hour away), Niagara Falls (1 hour), Watkins Glenn International Racetrack (1 hour), Finger Lakes Race Track (horse racing-30 minutes), Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres (1 hour), Syracuse Orangemen (1 hour).
    • More than 140 different types of festivals and art shows such as the Lilac Festival in May, Rochester International Jazz Festival in June, Corn Hill Arts Festival in July, the Park Avenue Festival in August, and the Clothesline Art Festival in September, and the High Falls Film Festival in the fall.

    Visit the RochesterBiz website for more demographic information about the Greater Rochester Region.

    Learn more about the Greater Rochester Enterprise.

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    United States Census 2000 Data for Monroe County

    To find out more about Census 2000, or if you would like to find out Census 2000 information for a specific address, see the links below.

    Online Census Information Services

    Monroe County Census 2000 Documents

    Other Census Highlights and Profiles

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    Capital Improvement Programs

     

    Adopted Capital Improvement Programs

     

    The adopted 2007-2012, 2008-2013 and 2009-2014 Capital Improvement Programs are available by clicking the links below. The documents are available by sector for faster downloading, or the entire document may be downloaded.

     

    Adopted 2007-2012 Capital Improvement Program (CIP)

     

    View Adopted 2007-2012 CIP Complete Document:

                Adopted 2007-2012 Capital Improvement Program

     

    View Adopted 2007-2012 CIP by Sector:

                Adopted 2007-2012 CIP Administration Sector

                Adopted 2007-2012 CIP Human Services Sector

                Adopted 2007-2012 CIP Physical Services Sector

                Adopted 2007-2012 CIP Public Safety Sector

                Adopted 2007-2012 CIP Summary

     

    Adopted 2008-2013 Capital Improvement Program (CIP)

     

    View Adopted 2008-2013 CIP Complete Document:

                Adopted 2008-2013 Capital Improvement Program

     

    View Adopted 2008-2013 CIP by Sector:

                Adopted 2008-2013 CIP Administration Sector

                Adopted 2008-2013 CIP Human Services Sector

                Adopted 2008-2013 CIP Physical Services Sector

                Adopted 2008-2013 CIP Public Safety Sector

                Adopted 2008-2013 CIP Summary

     

    Adopted 2009-2014 Capital Improvement Program (CIP)

     

    View Adopted 2009-2014 CIP Complete Document:

                Adopted 2009-2014 Capital Improvement Program

     

    View Adopted 2009-2014 CIP by Sector:

                Adopted 2009-2014 CIP Administration Sector

                Adopted 2009-2014 CIP Human Services Sector

                Adopted 2009-2014 CIP Physical Services Sector

                Adopted 2009-2014 CIP Public Safety Sector

                Adopted 2009-2014 CIP Summary

     

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    Proposed 2010-2015 Capital Improvement Program

     

    Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks has submitted the proposed 2010-2015 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) to the Monroe County Legislature for its review and adoption.  Under the County Charter, the Legislature must hold one public hearing prior to adoption of the program by its July meeting.

     

    The Committees of the Legislature will review the proposed 2010-2015 Capital Improvement Program at their regularly scheduled meetings the week of May 26.  The Legislature is expected to set a public hearing for July 14 2009, at its June 9, 2009 meeting and adopt the 2010-2015 Capital Improvement Program at its July 14 meeting.

     

    The complete 2010-2015 Capital Improvement Program document as submitted to the Monroe County Legislature is available by clicking the links below:

     

     

    Proposed 2010-2015 Capital Improvement Program (CIP)

     

    View Proposed 2010-2015 CIP Complete Document:

                Proposed 2010-2015 Capital Improvement Program

     

    View Proposed 2010-2015 CIP by Sector:

                Proposed 2010-2015 CIP Administration Sector

                Proposed 2010-2015 CIP Human Services Sector

                Proposed 2010-2015 CIP Physical Services Sector

                Proposed 2010-2015 CIP Public Safety Sector

                Proposed 2010-2015 CIP Summary

     

     

     

     

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    Parking Survey

    Statistical Analyses of Selected Parking Standards

    Monroe County Department of Planning and Development, Planning Division in conjunction with the Parking Study Advisory Committee is working on a report titled, “Statistical Analyses of Selected Parking Standards”.

    Study Purpose

    The purpose of this project is to obtain accurate parking data for analysis to determine parking ratios for various land uses. The parking data and analysis will aid municipalities in the evaluation of their current parking standards for future development and provide current parking data for developers and consultants.

    Overview

    We are a very automobile-dependent society. This dependence has created a need to provide adequate parking spaces for the customers of the destination businesses. Sometimes we find that the parking provided is just not enough and competition for available spaces can result in less than safe parking conditions. Other times we find that there are plenty of parking spaces available, many of which rarely, if ever, are used.

    Some negative aspects of providing to much parking include increased rate of storm water runoff, increased pollutant loading to local streams, less green space and generally a visually detracting landscape. Larger parking areas require more parking lot lights, more complex travel lanes, higher maintenance costs and no specific benefit to the customer or the business.

    On the other hand, a site without enough parking can encourage illegal activities such as double-parking, parking in fire lanes or obstructing delivery areas, or discourage customers from even coming to the business.

    This publication is intended to assist municipalities, consultants and developers to better plan effective, efficient parking ratios for specific land uses. Historically, municipal parking regulations have been conservative in the required ratios, resulting in many unnecessary parking spaces. Zoning ordinance references for parking vary from municipality to municipality, with relatively little consistency from one code to the next. Some are based upon square footage of a facility, some based upon number of seats or legal occupancy. Other codes leave parking ratios to the discretion of a ruling board or agency.

    It is the intent of this research to provide a realistic view of actual local parking demands for many common land uses. The analyses included in this report can assist a local municipality that may be dealing with modifications to a local zoning code or revisions to development criteria, by providing a useful range of observed parking space demands collected during peak use of a facility. This report can assist a consultant in advising a client on how much parking to provide. It can also assist a developer in minimizing the cost of installed infrastructure that is not necessary or even help justify a variance or waiver from an outdated code.

    These parking recommendations were developed with locally collected data from Monroe County, New York and are intended to be a resource in evaluating existing codes and ordinances, used in conjunction with other technical resources, such as the Institute of Transportation Engineers’ Parking Generation manual. It addresses some of the newer and changed land uses that may not be effectively described in some local ordinances, such as Pharmacies with drive thru windows and the wide range of senior housing options. It also includes some less standard land uses, such as funeral homes and marinas. There are conventional land uses such as restaurants, office buildings and supermarkets included as well.

    It is the hope of Monroe County and the advisory committee responsible for the preparation of this resource, that this will become a tool for local municipalities and the development community to evaluate the parking needs of various land uses.

    For further information, please Contact Us

    View Statistical Analyses of Parking by Land Use

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    Monroe County Council of Governments

    Mission Statement

    The Monroe County Council of Governments (COG) is a voluntary organization of municipal governments, which is comprised of the Monroe County Executive, the City of Rochester Mayor, town supervisors and village mayors. The Council provides a forum for intergovernmental cooperation on issues of common concern to governments in Monroe County. The goal of the Monroe County Council of Governments is to examine opportunities for further intergovernmental cooperative actions and provide cost-effective governmental services.

    The Council meets six times a year in the Large Conference Room, Watts Conference Center, 49 South Fitzhugh Street, Rochester, New York.

    Some of the issues dealt with by the Council include the Empire Development Zones, Economic Development, health insurance and intergovernmental cooperation.

    View Monroe County Council of Governments By-Laws.

    Please Contact Us for further information.

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    Monroe County Planning Board

    The Monroe County Planning Board consists of 15 members: eight citizens appointed by the County Executive, County Legislature and Environmental Management Council, five members of the County Administration and two County Legislative Representatives.

    The Board is charged with reviewing and recommending a six year capital improvement program which outlines the major improvements slated for County facilities (parks, roads, buildings, etc.). The Board also reviews and recommends any amendments (new projects; changes in funding and scheduling) to the Capital Improvement Program that may be proposed. The Planning Board also advises the County Executive and County Legislature on major project initiatives that may be undertaken by the County, other levels of government, or governmental agencies.

    View Monroe County Charter

    View 2009 Monroe County Planning Board Meeting Schedule

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    Farmland Protection Resource Center

    Monroe County Agriculture Picture of New York State farm. Agriculture is an important part of life here in Monroe County. According to the 2002 Census of Agriculture, we have 631 farms and over 106,000 acres of farmland in Monroe County. Farm products from Monroe County generate approximately $54 million in sales annually and support thousands of local jobs. The Monroe County Farmland Protection Resource Center is designed to provide farmers, local officials, and interested citizens with the tools they need to help preserve farmland in their community. By working together and taking advantage of available resources we can ensure a bright future for agriculture in Monroe County.

    To learn more visit the Farmland Protection Resource Center.

     
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    Municipal Land Use Report

    Funds from the Genesee Transportation Council (GTC) Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) were provided as a grant to continue a system for annually reporting changes in land use within Monroe County. Up-to-date land use data is important for transportation modeling and analysis and will be used by GTC as input into their traffic simulation model. This land use information will be used to assess changes in land use, identify trends, guide capital project investments and help pinpoint "hot spots" of traffic congestion that may become candidates for possible traffic management solutions such as Transportation Development Districts (T. D. D.) or Transportation Management Associations (T. M. A.).

    In response to the need to monitor proposed development, the Genesee Transportation Council and the Monroe County Department of Planning and Development initiated a process to identify all proposed projects and approved major projects within a computerized database that can be updated on an annual basis. The updated data is then compiled into an annual Municipal Land Use (MLU) Report.

    View Past Reports:
    2000 Municipal Land Use (MLU) Report
    2001 Municipal Land Use (MLU) Report
    2002 Municipal Land Use (MLU) Report
    2003 Municipal Land Use (MLU) Report
    2004 Municipal Land Use (MLU) Report
    2005 Municipal Land Use (MLU) Report
    2006 Municipal Land Use (MLU) Report
    2007 Municipal Land Use (MLU) Report
  • 2008 Municipal Land Use (MLU) Report
      
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    Water Resources

     

    Black Creek Watershed

     

    Scroll down to RELATED LINKS to visit the Black Creek Watershed website for information on the next Black Creek Watershed Coalition meeting, minutes from previous meetings and to see the State of the Basin Report.

    Large watersheds cross municipal boundaries, often making it impossible for any one town or county to conduct comprehensive watershed planning on its own. Towns and villages within Monroe County often work together on watershed planning and Monroe County itself works with other counties with which it shares a watershed.

    The Black Creek Watershed consists of all the land that drains to Black Creek and its tributaries, including all or part of the Towns of Bethany, Batavia, Stafford, Byron, LeRoy and Bergen in Genesee County and the Towns of Riga, Ogden, Wheatland, Sweden and Chili in Monroe County. Clarendon in Orleans County and Middlebury in Wyoming County also contain small portions of the watershed.

    In 2001, on behalf of the Coalition, Monroe County applied for and received a Watershed Assistance Grant (WAG) from River Network, a Portland, Oregon-based national river and watershed conservation organization supported by the US EPA. The grant made it possible to host a symposium, publish a newsletter, create a web site and hire a group of consultants to prepare the Black Creek Watershed State of the Basin report.

    The State of the Basin inventory was prepared using a Geographic Information System (GIS) as a central component of the project. The report includes a geographical description of the watershed, uses of land and water from the 1970's to the present and water quality and water quantity summaries from available data. A map set accompanies the report to graphically illustrate spatial trends across the Black Creek Watershed.

    A summary of problems and risks that can affect the future of the Black Creek Watershed is presented for public consideration. Water quality risks include point sources discharges, agricultural sources of pollution and nonpoint sources from developed areas. Water quantity risks are associated with flooding and low flow conditions; it is recognized that water quantity issues may have relevance to water quality issues. The BCWC intends to develop and implement an integrated Watershed Management Plan to minimize water quality impacts and water quantity problems in the Black Creek Watershed to the most practical extent possible.

    The report is the basis on which a Black Creek Watershed Plan will be developed. Funding has been secured to begin work on pieces of the overall Watershed Plan.

    Please Contact Us for more information or visit the Black Creek Watershed website for information on the next Black Creek Watershed Coalition meeting, minutes from previous meetings and to see the State of the Basin Report.

      Related Links:    

                    Black Creek Watershed  http://www.blackcreekwatershed.org

     

    Irondequoit Bay

    Irondequoit Bay is an area of historical, archaeological, ecological and geological significance. In preglacial times, the Bay served as the mouth of the Genesee River. When the last ice sheet receded, the river abandoned its channel and took its present course west of the Bay. This set the stage for the Bay as a vital natural resource and a center of settlement.

    The Bay is classified by New York State as a "Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat." Its diversity of landforms yields a variety of ecosystems that provide habitat for many fish and wildlife species.

    Human use in the Irondequoit Bay area threatens the Bay’s beauty, ecosystems and recreational opportunities. Balancing the protection of natural resources with recreation and development is necessary for continued use of the Bay area. To this end, an intermunicipal group - the Irondequoit Bay Coordinating Committee - was formed. Subcommittees of this group work together to review development plans on properties in the Bay area; develop and implement a Harbor Management Plan; and to conduct a scientifically rigorous study of the Bay’s biological resources.  (See Biological Study of Irondequoit Bay.)

     

    Related Links:      

    Environmental Conservation Rules and Regulations (NYS) http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/regs/index.html

    Environmental Notice Bulletin, NYSDEC http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/enb

    Town of Penfield Irondequoit Bay Harbor Management Plan http://www.penfield.org/web/deps/planning/plans.php

     

    Irondequoit Bay Coordinating Committee (IBCC)

    The Irondequoit Bay Coordinating Committee (IBCC) was established in 1985 as an advisory committee through an inter-municipal agreement between the towns of Irondequoit, Penfield and Webster and the County of Monroe.

    The IBCC's mission is to coordinate among various levels of government with an interest in the Irondequoit Bay, all levels of public and private use of the area, and to develop, recommend and monitor, related policies. The IBCC's goal is to promote recreational and economic opportunities on Irondequoit Bay while protecting and maintaining environmental quality.

    All of the parties to the inter-municipal agreement have jurisdiction over and/or review powers relating to the use and development of Irondequoit Bay and its surrounding area. The inter-municipal agreement does not impact and/or diminish any of the above parties' statutory jurisdictions. Rather, the IBCC provides a mechanism to balance the rights of all stakeholders while protecting the Bay's ecosystem.

    Related Links:      

    Environmental Conservation Rules and Regulations (NYS) http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/regs/index.html

    Environmental Notice Bulletin, NYSDEC http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/enb

    Town of Penfield Irondequoit Bay Harbor Management Plan http://www.penfield.org/web/deps/planning/plans.php

     

    Irondequoit Bay Technical Staff (IBTS)

    The Irondequoit Bay Technical Staff (IBTS) is a subcommittee of the IBCC. Membership is made up of representatives from the towns of Irondequoit, Penfield and Webster, Monroe County Planning and Development, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Monroe County Soil and Water Conservation District, New York State Department of State, Environmental Management Council, and the Monroe County Water Quality Coordinating Committee. The IBTS was created to review proposed projects located around the Bay and offer comments and recommendations to the permit-issuing agency for their consideration.

    For further information on the Irondequoit Bay Coordinating Committee and subcommittees, please Contact Us.

    Related Links:      

    Environmental Conservation Rules and Regulations (NYS) http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/regs/index.html

    Environmental Notice Bulletin, NYSDEC http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/enb

    Town of Penfield Irondequoit Bay Harbor Management Plan http://www.penfield.org/web/deps/planning/plans.php

     


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    State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA)



    The Monroe County Department of Planning and Development is now offering the Spring 2009 Land Use Decision-Making Training program.  The program is designed especially for new and returning municipal board members; each workshop earns members of planning boards and zoning boards of appeals 2.5 credit hours toward their four-hour annual training requirement. The program is also of value to municipal officials and staff, agency personnel, planners, attorneys, architects, developers, engineers, landscape architects, surveyors and citizens. View Spring 2009 Training Program Brochure

  • The State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) requires that government agencies consider the potential adverse environmental impacts of an action before a decision is made to undertake a project. State, county, and municipal agencies are subject to the review procedures outlined in SEQR.

    The Division of Planning maintains up to date information on the SEQR regulations and is available to assist and answer questions on this complex process.

    For further information, see Related Links or Contact Us.

    Related Links:         Environmental Notice Bulletin, NYSDEC

                                    NYSDEC – General SEQR Information

         

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    Land Use Decision-Making Training Program


The Monroe County Department of Planning and Development will be offering the next Land Use Decision-Making Training Program in the Fall of 2009.  The program is designed especially for new and returning municipal board members; each workshop earns members of Planning Boards and Zoning Boards of Appeals 2.5 credit hours toward their four-hour annual training requirement.  The program is also of value to municipal officials and staff, agency personnel, planners, attorneys, architects, developers, engineers, landscape architects, surveyors and citizens.

 
County Executive Maggie Brooks has announced a third round of funding for the Monroe County Green Space Initiative. The program is designed to assist municipalities in acquiring open space and preserving farmland by offering matching grants for acquisition and limited recreational development for parkland, open space and farmland preservation. A program brochure and application materials are available in the documents below. Applications are due to the Monroe County Department of Planning and Development by February 13, 2009. Please contact Paul Johnson, Associate Planner, at 585-753-2037 or pjohnson@monroecounty.gov for more information.
 


 
 
  

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