Thoma Completes Cayuga County Strategic Plans
As many of our customers are already aware, Thoma is well-versed in the community planning process. We help our customers develop plans that guide them in implementing a realistic vision of what their community can be. In all of our planning projects, our goal is to provide the customer with a road map to reach their goals.
Two recently completed strategic plans for Cayuga County communities exemplify our commitment to planning that is process-driven and inclusive, action-oriented, and empowering. The Economic Development Plan for the Waterfront Villages of Scenic Route 90, and the Strategic Plan for the Hamlet of Locke were both completed early this year by Thoma. Funding for the projects was provided by Community Development and Strategic Planning Grants acquired by the Cayuga County Department of Planning and Economic Development, and funded through the Governor's Office for Small Cities.
Thoma partnered with K. Teter Consulting, experts in engineering and landscape design, to develop a revitalization plan for the Hamlet of Locke. The Plan was developed with substantial public input achieved through a series of public meetings and key informant interviews and discussions. The Plan includes findings and recommendations from a visual impact analysis of the Hamlet, its streetscapes, and building facades; conceptual plans and cost estimates for three public facility improvement projects identified by the community as priorities; a proposed strategy for economic development and business recruitment in the Hamlet area; and, a strategy for implementation of the Plan.
Since completion of the Plan in February, the Town of Locke has begun the process of forming a Revitalization Committee, as recommended in the Plan. Construction has begun on the first phase of the new Fire Station facilities proposed for a portion of the Hamlet's fairgrounds site, and planning efforts are underway to create a Farmers' Market at the fairgrounds to entice Scenic Route 90 travelers to stop and visit the Hamlet.
The goal of the Economic Development Plan for the Waterfront Villages of Scenic Route 90 is to identify strategies to expand the tourism economy and extend visitor stays in and around the Villages of Cayuga, Union Springs, and Aurora. Thoma completed a Business Recruitment Plan that includes an inventory of the existing businesses in around the villages; an assessment of possible sites for business development; an identification of potential business development opportunities; and a strategy for implementing community and economic development goals that will serve to strengthen the economic base of the area overall, and encourage business recruitment and expansion within the tourism sector. Also as part of the Plan, Thoma utilized the expertise of sub-consultant James Dempsey of the Cortland County Convention and Visitors Bureau to provide an assessment of existing events and attractions in the three villages, opportunities for new events, and strategies for marketing and promotion of the area's assets and attractions.
Input from the general public, business and property owners, and local government officials was solicited through a series of public workshops, as well as extensive interviews with community leaders and key informants. The meetings were held in Cayuga, Union Springs, and Aurora, with a final joint meeting held at Union Springs. Meetings were advertised in the Auburn Citizen, the Scotsman, and through flyers distributed by the Village Clerks and local business associations. The meetings were well attended, with a total of more than 75 participants. As a result of this planning process, the Cayuga County Department of Planning and Economic Development is currently seeking community participants to become involved in the newly-formed Waterfront Villages' Revitalization Committee and its subcommittees, which focus on the four primary areas of recommendations -- Physical Improvements, Promotion and Marketing, Events, and Business Development.
This Plan, as well as the Hamlet Plan, also gave Thoma an opportunity to showcase our newly-acquired Geographic Information System's mapping capabilities. A copy of the Economic Development Plan for the Waterfront Villages of Scenic Route 90, including maps and graphics, can be viewed on-line at www.cayuganet.org.
Community Development and Strategic Planning Grants are available annually through the Governor's Office for Small Cities, with applications generally due in late summer or early fall. If your community is interested in exploring strategic planning for your downtown, business district, or community at large, we'd love the chance to talk to you about submitting an application for funding!