NYS Department of State announces completion of North Tonawanda's comprehensive land use plan

Plan will guide future land use decisions based on principles of smart growth; funding provided through $100,000 grant from Department of State’s Smart Growth Community Planning

√ Full North Tonawanda smart growth comprehensive plan available here

Submitted by the New York State Department of State

The New York State Department of State announced the completion and adoption of the City of North Tonawanda’s new smart growth comprehensive plan. Smart growth is a forward-thinking approach to planning and development that supports and integrates four key themes: equity, economy, environment and energy/climate. North Tonawanda’s plan will guide future land use, development and infrastructure decisions, based on the principles of smart, sustainable and equitable growth. 

The Department of State (DOS) Smart Growth Community Planning program provided $100,000 in funding to develop the plan. 

“North Tonawanda is kicking off the new year on the right foot with this visionary smart growth plan, which will guide land use decisions and improve economic development, housing and quality of life for this Erie Canal community well into the future,” New York Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley said. “The city’s commitment to downtown revitalization, brownfield redevelopment, affordable housing and creating accessible public spaces can serve as a model for communities throughout the state. The Department of State is proud to support the city on so many fronts as it charts and implements a path toward a vibrant and prosperous future.”

City of North Tonawanda Mayor Austin Tylec said, “North Tonawanda’s comprehensive plan reflects our community’s vision for residents, businesses and visitors alike. It provides a clear roadmap for smart growth, made possible through New York state’s continued partnership in our city’s success.”

As a follow-up to the comprehensive plan, the city is also currently developing an updated land use zoning code – funded through a $135,000 grant from the DOS Smart Growth Community Planning program – which will help implement the plan by aligning development regulations with the community’s vision for the future.

North Tonawanda has received and implemented several other program awards from DOS in the past, including:

√ $10 million from the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI);

√ $130,000 to update the plan for the city’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP); 

√ A total of $1.35 million for LWRP implementation projects over the past 13 years; and

√ $423,450 for its Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) plan for the redevelopment of vacant, underutilized areas with known or suspected contamination.

The community’s vision for the future contained in the comprehensive plan states: “North Tonawanda is a progressive city with a unique sense of place that is welcoming to all.” 

This plan, and the DOS Smart Growth Community Planning program, are funded through the state's Environmental Protection Fund, which Gov. Kathy Hochul increased from $300 million to $400 million in the enacted budget for fiscal year 2022. The DOS, through the Environmental Protection Fund, provides matching grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities.

Since its inception in 2021, the program has provided nearly $12 million in funding for 129 awards. Some of the smart growth planning principles include the following:

√ Walkable, bikeable and transit-accessible streetscapes;

√ Compact, mixed-use development; 

√ Diversity of housing options at all price points; 

√ Safe, accessible and inclusive parks and public spaces; 

√ Age-friendly community design and amenities; 

√ Climate resiliency and greenhouse gas reductions; and

√ Strategic open space preservation and natural resource protection.

Learn more at dos.ny.gov/nys-smart-growth-program.