Mt. Pleasant Residents Give Input on Comp Plan By Town Pool
Mount Pleasant residents flocked to the town pool last Friday to take advantage of a gorgeous late summer day, but some came for more than recreation.
An event called Pool, Popsicles & Planning asked residents for their input in helping to update the town’s Comprehensive Plan for the first time since 1970.
While the event provided free access to the pool and ice pops and arts and crafts for children, information obtained from the public at the forum will help decide what will be included in an updated Comprehensive Plan, which will help guide the planning of Mount Pleasant’s future.
Envision Mount Pleasant, which the update effort is called, is led by a nine-member steering committee and a consulting team consisting of representatives from Cleary Consulting, the Pace University Land Use Law Center, Sullivan Architecture and Adler Consulting.
Tiffany Zezula, a public engagement specialist and an adjunct professor of law at Pace’s Land Use Law Center, said the objective of last week’s gathering was to collect comments and gauge community sentiment on key issues facing the town other than at a traditional meeting.
Zezula said she will produce a report that will incorporate the public’s comments from last Friday as well as from a meeting conducted in May. A public meeting will be held this fall, which will include a review of her report, she said.
While the town has no specific timeline to complete revision of the Comprehensive Plan, the process will likely take between 12 and 18 months, Zezula said.
Residents had several methods to express their opinions last week. Sheets of paper were passed out asking for two comments each on the town’s best qualities and the challenges and shortcoming facing Mount Pleasant. Comments were sought on the town’s economy, community culture and education, the environment, mobility, open space and sustainability and resiliency.
Another option for residents was to convey their views by listing suggestions on an oversized board which asked the question “What’s your big idea for the future of Mount Pleasant?”
A steering committee member also compiled comments while speaking to residents, taking notes on what they liked about the town and what changes they sought. Some of the town’s positives included the town pool, the Mount Pleasant Public Library and the police and fire departments. Suggestions for improvements or enhancements listed an indoor pool, more affordable housing for seniors, parking set aside for seniors and additional sidewalks.
Lisa Grazioli, who attended last Friday’s event, said she had lived previously in Mount Pleasant, moved away and had recently returned. She had one suggestion for the town: “We work in Hawthorne and we need sidewalks,” Grazioli said.
Councilman Anthony Amiano said last week’s program was important for the town to update its plan. It’s been nearly 50 years since the Master Plan had been revised and an update is long overdue, he said.
“The Comprehensive Plan should be getting community feedback from the ground up,” Amiano said.
Working with the other consultants, the town’s planning consultant, Pat Cleary, will write the final draft of a revised Comprehensive Plan. The draft plan will be distributed to the Town Board and then the public. A public hearing will be held before the board will vote on approving the updated plan.
