Comprehensive Plan Being Revised in Brewster
The process of revising the Village of Brewster’s Comprehensive Plan continued last week as about two dozen local residents came to the Walter Brewster House to express their ideas for the future of the village.
The roughly one-hour meeting was led by Meghan Taylor, president of the Putnam County Economic Development Corporation, and Barbara Barosa from the Putnam County Planning Department.
The village’s Comprehensive Plan was last updated in 2004.
Brewster Mayor James Schoenig said a series of public meetings had pushed the process of revising the Comprehensive Plan forward. “We’ve come a long way in a short period of time,” he said.
“We’re here to listen,” Barosa told residents.
One resident said new red colored paved sidewalks for downtown, especially for the areas adjacent to stores, were needed and would beautify the village. “That’s a great idea,” Taylor said. One way to upgrade the village would be to promote a quaint village feel for the downtown. Barosa said he wanted Brewster to become “a pedestrian-friendly village.”
Resident Jack Gross suggested covering the village’s bridges. Many are interested in covered bridges and having them would make Brewster a tourist destination, he said. “It would be the closest covered bridge from New York City,” he said. “It would be a draw.”
Another resident advocated renovating the old town hall and turning it into a theater. Taylor said she was open to his idea, but noted that several years ago residents voted down a referendum to pay to renovate the building.
Other residents had a variety of suggestions, including seeking a bank, a drug store, a gift store to sell art and the use of various forms of media, including creating a Facebook page to promote the village.
Taylor said a draft of the revised Comprehensive Plan is slated to be completed for the village’s board’s review in August or September.
