The Big Picture: Another Workshop Set for Rockland's 'Comprehensive Plan'

Rockland County is getting set for the final public workshop in its ongoing project that takes a "big picture" look at the future of the county to come up with a plan to help guide public officials as they make decisions affecting the community.

Rockland Legislative Chairwoman Harriet Cornell and County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef said Thursday the final session in a series of public workshops is set for Wednesday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. at the Rockland County Fire Training Center, 35 Firemen's Memorial Drive, Pomona.

At the workshop, a draft version of the county's "Comprehensive Plan" is to be presented. Vanderhoef said the purpose of the workshop is to get input on the draft Comprehensive and to encourage the sharing of ideas.

In preparation for the workshop, new draft chapters for Infrastructure (chapter 12), Services & Information Resources (chapter 13), and Preliminary Recommendations (chapter 14) have been posted to the project website at www.rccompplan.com. The plan's previously presented draft chapters have been updated to reflect public input and have also been posted to the project website, Vanderhoef said.

To view the chapters, click on "Plan Progress" from the homepage and scroll down to the individual chapters. Chapter 14, Preliminary Recommendations, is a summary of recommendations, with a complete narrative of recommendations by subject is found at the end of each chapter in the Workshop Draft of the Comprehensive Plan, entitled "Rockland Tomorrow."

The workshop is set to include roundtable discussions of the two newest chapters – Services & Information Resources and Infrastructure.

"We are extremely pleased with the level of public participation we have seen so far with the Comprehensive Plan project, and we look forward to having interested residents and stakeholders remain engaged in the project and help us see it through to its completion," said Vanderhoef.

The workshop will include a slide presentation with an overview of the project to date and a discussion of the two newest chapters (Infrastructure and Services & Information Resources). There will be a brief demonstration of the New City Government Center computer model that the project's Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) is developing, in partnership with the Planning Department and the project consultant, BFJ Planning, using GIS computer modeling software. The workshop will conclude with a session for all attendees on the Plan's Preliminary Recommendations.

"Our goal has been a totally transparent process which has given every interested citizen the ability to read working drafts and comment," said Cornell."The input received to date from residents, stakeholders and elected officials has been invaluable and will surely help to make the Plan a useful guide and planning tool for the County of Rockland."

The first workshop in this series took place last December.

The Comprehensive Plan is designed to serve as a guide for the county government's planning and development issues for the next 10 to 20 years.

Written comments on the Plan's draft chapters may be submitted electronically through the project website - www.rccompplan.com, via email to rcplan@co.rockland.ny.us, or by mail to the Rockland County Comprehensive Plan Project, Building T, Pomona, NY 10970.

Following the workshop, the county is soliciting comments on the draft chapters of the plan through Sept. 17, so that a Final Draft Comprehensive Plan can be prepared and presented.