Recent survey results will be used to update comprehensive plan

By Lauren Young

Staff Writer

Town of Nelson residents love their community as it is, but also would not mind some additional amenities in the town, such as more restaurants and businesses, according to the results of a recent town survey.

The 2017 Comprehensive Plan Survey was sent to Nelson residents to find “some direction for updating the comprehensive plan, as it guides zoning regulations and what we can and can’t do in the Town of Nelson,” said Jennifer Marti, member of the Nelson town board and co-chair of the Smart Growth committee that created the survey with the help of Madison County planners.

When constructing an image of town residents, about half of them said they have lived in the town for over 20 years, and about 90 percent of residents said they would remain there for the next five years. According to 92 percent of residents, agriculture is essential to Nelson’s character. “Preserving the rural community” is a key element of Nelson’s identity, said Marti. “I think the biggest trend [in the survey] was that people really love Nelson the way it is.”

However, the survey showed that residents have a “strong desire to find somewhere where they can have lunch or dinner,” said Marti. About half the residents said they were dissatisfied by the lack of restaurants and food choices, and about 76 percent of residents said they would like to see more businesses move to the town.

“We hope to make the Town of Nelson more welcoming to new businesses,” said Marti, adding that the town has been supportive of establishments new to the area, such as Peaks Coffee Company, which opened for business in 2015.

The town additionally looks forward to crafting the Route 20 corridor, which was awarded a $1 million upgrade last year with construction set to begin this spring, as a “business-friendly district,” said Marti. About 54 percent of residents support this redevelopment, officially known as the U.S. Route 20 Safety Improvement Project.

Over 60 percent of residents said housing and/or property in disrepair
is a problem in the town, and 54 percent said the same for abandoned houses. Currently, the town board is discussing the possibility of securing grant money to help residents improve their homes and has additionally considered concerns by emergency responders regarding accidents, such as fires, within abandoned houses.

Due to current laws, the town cannot demolish abandoned properties, but are trying to find “some incentive for demolition of dilapidated housing,” said Marti. As of now, many abandoned properties remain in Nelson, and “the laws that we have right now are allowing that to happen,” said Marti.

Nearly half of Nelson residents also agreed that the town should enhance its visual appearance, improve buildings and add safer street crossings and sidewalks. Marti also added the interest residents have expressed for community events, with 63 percent of residents saying they would like to see a farmer’s market in Nelson and almost half being interested in outdoor recreation events and festivals.

The full survey can be found online at townofnelson-ny.com.

The Nelson Town Board will begin looking at the survey data next week at their February meeting, and the updated comprehensive plan is set to be completed by July of this year.