Latest Downtown Master Plan on Agenda Tonight

The latest revision of the Downtown Master Plan will be presented at tonight’s Town Board meeting.

The plan was first unveiled last fall after an 18-month planning process with consultants. It was met with opposition from many downtown residents over issues including traffic flow, road extensions, property acquisition and relocation of the police station. Town officials said many concerns stemmed from maps and concepts intended to be conceptual, but they paused the approval process to hold additional listening sessions.

A revised version was released in April that addressed many of those concerns, and town officials held additional listening sessions in May to gather feedback. The newest version, released this month, incorporates that feedback, Town Planner David Cole said.

“We’ve made changes to the narrative and various graphics, including recommendations for tree preservation and planting, preserving the community’s existing character through architecture, enhancing future recommendations for traffic calming and traffic flow, and calling for robust public engagement before any proposed projects become a reality,” he said.

The plan will be presented by town staff tonight, but no vote will be taken. There will be time for public comments following the presentation.

New commissioner named tonight?

Also on tonight’s agenda is recognition of former Commissioner Todd Sansbury’s service to the town. Sansbury served on the board for five years and won three elections, but is relocating to Georgia for work.

The agenda also includes a request for board action to name Sansbury’s replacement. The process requires a candidate recommendation from a board member, followed by board discussion and a vote. If a replacement is approved, he or she will be administered the oath of office and serve the remaining 18 months of Sansbury’s term.