The Planning Committee came into its April 24th meeting with a revised draft of the comprehensive plan enabling legislation that tried to accommodate expressed concerns about getting the broadest range of representation and about having a balance of people who might be perceived as answerable to the mayor vs. the Common Council.
The revision read as follows:
Resolution Number 25.31.07R
RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL ENABLING THE PREPARATION OF A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE CITY OF ALBANY
WHEREAS, significant decisions and actions affecting the immediate and long-range protection, enhancement, growth and development of the state and its communities are made by local governments; and
WHEREAS, among the most important powers and duties granted by the state legislature to a city government is the authority and responsibility to undertake comprehensive planning and to regulate land use for the purposes of protecting the public health, safety and general welfare of its citizens, as authorized by Section 28-A of the NYS General City Law; and
WHEREAS, the development and enactment by the City of Albany of a City-wide comprehensive plan which can be readily identified, and is available for use by the public, is in the best interest of the people of the City of Albany; and
WHEREAS, the participation of citizens in an open, responsible and flexible planning process is essential to the designing of an optimum city comprehensive plan; and
WHEREAS, the City of Albany should develop a comprehensive plan that is a means to promote the health, safety and general welfare of the people of the City and to give due consideration to the needs of the people of the Capital Region; and
WHEREAS, the comprehensive plan should foster cooperation among local, regional and state governmental agencies in the planning and implementation of capital projects that may be directly affected thereby; and
WHEREAS, the comprehensive planning process should gather input from various neighborhood and community organizations and the public at large via numerous media, including, but not limited to, a website designed to disseminate and receive information; and
WHEREAS, the comprehensive plan should provide a framework for future decision making, and should therefore be designed to be regularly updated to reflect new trends affecting the immediate and long range health, safety and general welfare of the people of the City; and
WHEREAS, the Common Council and Mayor Jennings recognize the need for a well constructed comprehensive plan for the City of Albany; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that in accordance with Section 28-A of the NYS City Law, the Common Council establishes a “special board” to be known as the “City of Albany Comprehensive Plan Board” and charges this special board with the preparation of a Comprehensive Plan; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the “City of Albany Comprehensive Plan Board” shall reflect community diversity among it members, including, but not limited to, income level, race, ethnicity, age, gender and geography; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the “City of Albany Comprehensive Plan Board” shall consist of thirty (30) members as follows:
ten (10) members shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Common Council;
ten (10) members shall be appointed by the Common Council;
five (5) members shall be the members of the Common Council Standing Committee on Planning, Economic Development and Land Use;
one (1) member each shall be the: Chief of Police; Commissioner of Development and Planning; Commissioner of General Services; Director of Albany Community Development Agency; and
one (1) member of the Planning Board.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Chair of the Common Council’s Standing Committee on Planning, Economic Development and Land Use shall serve, and is so designated, as the Chair and that the Commissioner of Development and Planning shall serve, and is so designated, as the Vice Chair of the City of Albany Comprehensive Plan Board.
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