TABLE OF CONTENTS  

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INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………………              2           

I           THE VISION……………………………………………………………………….          4 

II          CITY PROFILE…………………………………………………………………….          6         

III        HISTORIC PRESERVATION……………………………………………………..         10 

IV        PARKS, RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE…………………………………….      13 

V         HOUSING…………………………………………………………………………..        26 

VI        CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT………………………………………………..         33 

VII       ECONOMY…………………………………………………………………………         38 

            1.      Introduction………………………………………………………………………   38
            2.      Economic Development…………………………………………………………  39
            3.      Commercial Development………………………………………………………   40
            4.      Industrial Development…………………………………………………………    46 

VIII      TRANSPORTATION……………………………………………………………….          49 

IX        LAND USE PLAN………………………………………………………………….          56 

X         PERIODIC REVIEW OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN……………………………..      57
 

INTRODUCTION 

A Comprehensive Plan identifies the goals, objectives, principles, guidelines, policies, and standards for the immediate and long-term protection, enhancement, growth and development of a city.  Section 28-a of the General City Law authorizes cities to prepare and adopt a Comprehensive Plan.  The City of Johnstown’s first Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 1962. 

Over the past 45 years, the City has experienced major changes in its economy, population, and public facilities.  For example:   

        1)   In the 1960’s, the leather and glove industry and its associated businesses were the predominate employers in the area. Today, the leather and
            glove industry has been dramatically reduced and represents only a small portion of the local economy. Abandoned leather mills are now scattered
            throughout the City and new businesses abound. 

        2)  The Cayadutta Creek was once used as a source of water and sewer disposal for local industries. The Creek became nationally recognized as one
            of the most polluted water bodies in existence. The Gloversville-Johnstown Joint Wastewater Treatment Plant was constructed to treat industrial
            effluent in lieu of discharging the effluent into the Cayadutta. Today, the Cayadutta Creek has been reborn and currently supports fish
            propagation. This beautiful natural resource now represents an asset of the City.

       3)  The FJ & G Railroad that once served the area was closed, its rail line was abandoned and now has been converted into the popular FJ & G Rail
            Trail. 

        4)   The Johnstown Hospital closed and the building has become an adult home.

        5)   Two (2) blocks of the Central Business District have been torn down. 

        6)   Two (2) elementary schools, a high school and a Community College have been built.

        7)   Two (2) industrial parks were built in the City to provide sites for new and expanding businesses to locate.    

Today, the City is faced with new challenges such as how to deal with a declining, aging population, high property taxes, transportation problems on main arterial roads and aging infrastructure.  So much has changed since 1962.   

As a result of these changes and new challenges, the City of Johnstown Common Council appointed, in 2000, a Master Plan Committee.  This 12-member Committee was charged with developing a new Comprehensive Plan for the City of Johnstown.  The Mayor and Common Council asked City residents, with vested interest in the City, to prepare a new Comprehensive Plan.  The members of the 2000 Master Plan Committee were: 

Edward Bradley                     Earl Johnson                          Brett Preston
             Jack Coughlin                        Noel Levee                             Veronica Quinn         
       Terri Easterly                         Evamarie Mraz                        Ronald Robinson
        Robert Gould                         Jeff Niles                                Sarah Slingerland

The Master Plan Committee identified and evaluated the City's problems and needs, and assessed its strengths and weaknesses.  In 2002, a new Comprehensive Plan was prepared.  The new Plan represented a blueprint of how the City should develop and grow over the foreseeable future.  The Common Council eventually adopted this new Comprehensive Plan in November 2004. 

In May 2006, Mayor Sarah Slingerland created a Comprehensive Plan/Zoning Advisory Committee.  This Committee was charged with updating the City of Johnstown’s Zoning Ordinance.  Given the legal requirement that a Zoning Ordinance be based upon a Comprehensive Plan, the Zoning Advisory Committee was also charged with first updating the City’s Comprehensive Plan.  The City wanted to ensure that the updated Zoning Ordinance would be based upon a current Comprehensive Plan. 

The members of the 2006 Comprehensive Plan/Zoning Advisory Committee were: 

                                                    Chris Foss                              Robert Gault                          Richard Vedde
                                                    David D’Amore                      Joseph Hanchar                     Ruth B. White           
                                                    April Douglass                       Bruce Heberer                       Chris Swatt
                                                    Kathy Dougherty                   Jeff Niles 

The Comprehensive Plan/Zoning Advisory Committee reviewed the 2004 Comprehensive Plan and proposed certain new initiatives to address weaknesses and promote the City’s strengths.  In 2007, the Committee drafted an update to the City’s 2004 Comprehensive Plan.  This update was presented by the Committee at two (2) public hearings and was reviewed by both the City and County Planning Boards.  The input received from the public and the two (2) Planning Boards was received by the Comprehensive Plan/Zoning Advisory Committee and changes and modifications to the updated plan were made by the Committee.  The Updated Plan was presented to the Common Council in late 2007.  The Common Council conducted its own public hearing on the proposed plan before formally adopting the Plan.
 

CHAPTER I 

“THE VISION” 

A Comprehensive Plan is a vision of how a community wants to develop.  It's a look to the future.  The Plan is an expression of where a community wants to be in 10, 15, or 20 years.  That vision can be expressed through the establishment of goals.  Goals are intended to help guide day-to-day decision making.  Day-to-day decisions made by City government should be consistent with these goals.  If this occurs, the vision expressed by these goals can be achieved.

1.      Vision:

The City of Johnstown should remain a small community featuring a high quality of life, safe neighborhoods with a vibrant community spirit.  Our rich history and heritage must be preserved for future generations to experience and enjoy.  Johnstown should be a community where people feel safe any time of day.  Our community should have a lively, distinguishable downtown or central business district featuring special shops, restaurants, boutiques and other diverse attractions.  Residents of the City should have available housing options to fit a variety of lifestyles as well as a healthy economy affording individuals of all ages an opportunity to earn a living.  Our families and children should have ample opportunities to recreate and enjoy family-oriented activities.  The City’s unique and wonderful natural resources should be protected and preserved.   

While the City was officially incorporated in 1895, the area was originally founded almost 250 years ago.  During these past 250 years, the City has been called home to many individuals and businesses.  It is the vision of this Comprehensive Plan to preserve many of the qualities and attributes that have allowed this community to persevere for so many years.  The City of Johnstown represents everything that is good about small town America.  Twenty (20) years from now, it is hoped that the attributes that brought success to this community to date will continue to exist and serve as the cornerstone of an exciting area to live and do business. 

2.      Goals: 

        A.   Preserve the City of Johnstown’s small town quality of life featuring safe residential neighborhoods and a cooperative community spirit. 
        B.   Identify, promote and strengthen the City’s Central Business District to ensure it retains its stature as the center of activity in the City of
              Johnstown. 
        C.   Develop a new Center City Park as the centerpiece of a comprehensive system of parks, open spaces and trails to meet the community’s diverse
              recreational needs and protect its natural beauty and resources. 
        D.   Protect, preserve and promote the City’s rich history and heritage. 
        E.   Promote a variety of affordable housing choices to meet the different needs that currently exist and future needs as the community’s population
              ages. 
        F.   Diversify and strengthen the City’s economy by attracting new, clean businesses to the City and providing a healthy business climate to
              encourage existing businesses to grow and expand.

CHAPTER II 

CITY PROFILE 

The City of Johnstown’s population grew from 10,130 in 1900 to 10,923 in 1950.  After 1950, the City’s population began to decline.  By the Year 2000, the City’s population declined to 8,511, a decrease of 2,412 or 22% from 1950. 

The City’s population decline is not unique to the City of Johnstown.  Similar declines during the past 50 years have been experienced in cities throughout the northeast.  With the advent of the automobile and residential and commercial development in suburban areas, many cities, in general, have experienced a steady population decline.  For example, the City of Gloversville experienced a similar trend in population to the City of Johnstown.  From 1900 to 1950, Gloversville’s population increased 27% from 18,349 to 23,634.  After peaking in 1950, the City of Gloversville’s population has declined 35% from 23,663 to 15,413 in 2000.  

In addition to experiencing a declining population, the City’s population is aging.  As shown in the following table, the average age of City residents increased from 33.1 in 1980 to 39 in 2000.  This spike is probably a result of the “baby boomer” population. The population per household decreased from 2.98 residents in 1960 to 2.4 residents in 2000, a drop of 19.5%.   

POPULATION TRENDS  

1960-2000 

 The City of Johnstown’s 65+ population has held relatively steady since 1960.  On the other hand, the 75+ population and 85+ population have shown significant growth.   

While the City of Johnstown’s 65+ population has increased slightly, its percentage of the County’s 65+ population has declined from 22.3% in 1960 to 18.2% in 2000.  An even more pronounced decline has occurred in the City of Gloversville, which dropped from 48.5% of the 65+ population to 30.6% of the 65+ population.  During that same time period, one of the reasons for this drop in the percentage of 65+ individuals living within the two (2) Cities could be the lack of suitable housing for this age group.  Typically, individuals in the 65+ age bracket are looking for maintenance-free housing.

POPULATION BY AGE 

1990-2000 

The City of Johnstown’s population, between 1990 and 2000, declined by 547 residents, or 6%.  During that timeframe, there were three (3) noticeable movements in population figures for age categories.  The age 20-24 category saw a decrease of 204 residents or 32.2%.  The 45-54 age group saw an increase of 328 residents, or 41% and the 65-74 age group saw a decrease of 253 residents, or 27.2%. 

Between 1970 and 2000, the number of housing units in the City of Johnstown increased by 286, or 7.7%. This increase can be attributed to moderate new housing growth and the conversion of some older, larger single-family homes to two-family and multi-family units.  The number of vacant housing units in the City of Johnstown increased dramatically during that timeframe from 229 units to 400 units, an increase of 74.7%. As of the 2000 Census, the Town of Johnstown had a housing vacancy rate of 10.1%. An even more dramatic increase in vacant housing has taken place in the City of Gloversville, which, as of the 2000 Census, has a 13.7% vacancy rate. One of the reasons for this sharp decrease could be the rapidly aging and deteriorating conditions of many housing units within the City. This statistic also shows that there does not appear to be a shortage of housing units in the community, but rather a shortage of acceptable, well-maintained residences for the varying demographics of the community.   

 HOUSING TRENDS 

1970-2000 

According to the United States Census Bureau, the number of owner-occupied housing units in the City of Johnstown reached its peak in 1980 at 2,293 units.  Since that time, the number of owner-occupied units has declined by 157 units or 6.9%.  Since 1970, the number of renter-occupied housing units in the City of Johnstown has risen 228 units or 18.8%.  However, the actual number of renter-occupied units decreased between the 1990 and 2000 Census, which probably contributed to the noticeable rise in the number of vacant housing units within the City.   

HOUSING UNITS 

1990-2000 

In terms of the breakdown of household types in the community, there has been very little change between the 1990 and 2000 Census.  The number of 1-unit detached dwellings increased slightly as did the number of 2 to 4 unit residences.  Once again, this could be attributed to the moderate growth in new residential construction and the trend by homeowners to create additional residences in older, single-family homes within the community.   

  CHAPTER III 

HISTORIC PRESERVATION 

A.    BACKGROUND:

The City of Johnstown has a rich history dating back to the 17^th Century.  The City’s distinguished history and heritage represents a significant asset that needs to be preserved.  The City’s colonial era and Victorian architecture is prominently on display.  Efforts must be taken to preserve and protect structures featuring this architecture.  Building new is not always better.  The City should adopt a philosophy to “preserve the past.”  

The story of Johnstown’s history is contained within the City’s numerous historically-significant buildings and sites.  Each of these buildings/sites has its own story in the City’s long history.  The existence of so many historically-significant buildings illustrates the importance of the City’s heritage.  A list of these buildings/sites follows:

1.     Johnson Hall:

        Johnson Hall was built by Sir William Johnson in 1762.  This baronial mansion is the major historic landmark and tourist attraction in the area. 

2.     Marked Historical Sites:

        -Fulton County Courthouse – N. William St.
        -Fort Johnstown – Corner E. Montgomery & S. Perry St.   
        -Drumm House – W. Green & W. State St. corner              
        -James Burke’s Inn – 200 S. William St.     
        -Sir William Johnson Grave – St. John’s Episcopal Church yard
        -Union Hall – 2 Union Place
        -Colonial Cemetery – West Green St.         
        -Johnstown Cemetery – N. Perry St.
        -Johnstown Battlefield – Johnson Ave.
        -1812 Army Encampment    - North Comrie Ave. (between Rte 29 & Prindle) 

3.     Non-Marked Historical Sites:

        -Black Horse Tavern – 805 S. Melcher St.              
        -General Edger Dudley – 14 N. William St. (home)
        -Knox Mansion – 104 W. Second Ave.
        -Elizabeth Cady Stanton – 51 W. Main St. (birthplace)        
        -Gov. Enos Throop Home    - 14 N. William St.
        -St. Johns 1^st Church – stood next to Drumm House (cemetery)
        -First School – S. William & Main St. corner
        -Judge Cady Law Office – 43 W. Main St. 
        -Wells Estate – 201 W. Madison Ave. 

4.     Privately-Owned Historical Homes:

        -Att. Gen. Matthias B. Hildreth – 10 S. William St.
        -Mrs. Henry – 9 S. William St.
        -Att. James D. McLaren – 1 E. Green St.
        -Rev. Simeon Hosack – N. Market St. (east side)
        -Dr. Benjamin Chamberlain – 100 S. Market St.       

While steps have been taken to preserve and protect some of these historical sites and buildings, additional efforts should be made by City officials, businesses, local organizations and citizens to enhance interest in and utilization of these assets. 

B.     RECOMMENDATIONS: 

1.      Johnson Hall and its grounds should be identified, maintained and promoted as the City's historical centerpiece. 

2.      The City should work with the Johnson Hall Administration to secure grants to: 
            -Maintain and improve existing buildings and grounds.
            -Develop a Visitor Center, rest area, and museum at Johnson Hall.
            -Fund archaeological excavations designed to discover the perimeters and usage of the 18^th Century buildings.
            -Install and/or replace sidewalks.
            -Remove dead trees, brush, and debris.
            -Develop landscaping consistent with 18^th Century usage.
            -Organize local volunteer groups to assist with ongoing maintenance and restoration of the Facility. 

3.     The City of Johnstown should keep the City-owned property adjacent to Johnson Hall, as well as Hall Avenue, well maintained in order to provide an
        aesthetically-appealing entranceway into Johnson Hall.   

4.      The City Common Council should adopt a Historic Preservation Law that would:
            -Create a Historic District in the Central Business District area.
            -Create other Historic Districts within the City as deemed appropriate.
            -Designate Historic sites and buildings as landmarks.
            -Encourage the preservation of all buildings to aesthetically enhance the City. 

5.      The City should participate in the New York State Office of Historic Preservation's Certified Local Government Program. 

6.     The City should work with and encourage the owners of historic homes, sites and buildings to participate in guided tours.  The City of Johnstown
        should also encourage passive self-guided tours of historic properties in the community by providing additional signage and educational displays. 

7.      The City should place appropriate signage at historic sites to acquaint and inform visitors and tourists about their historical significance. 

8.      The City should encourage the upkeep and continued restoration and enhancement of all historic properties within the community.
 

CHAPTER IV 

PARKS, RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE 

1.  BACKGROUND:    

An adequate supply of outdoor recreational activities and facilities is an integral component to a vibrant community.  Today, many people seek out and participate in a multitude of outdoor recreational activities.  Outdoor recreational activities provide benefits that extend far beyond a basic walk in the park.  Participating in outdoor recreational activities can stimulate people both mentally and physically, provide a means of physical conditioning, be a means for social interaction and provide opportunities for family functions.  The importance of people participating in outdoor recreational activities is now evident in local communities, schools, the workplace and at home.   

The City of Johnstown must develop and maintain an adequate supply of parks, recreational activities and facilities and open spaces to meet the current and future needs of its citizens.  These facilities and open spaces must be appropriately distributed to service the entire community.  These outdoor recreational facilities and spaces should present a source of community pride, provide opportunities for strengthening family ties and represent an opportunity for economic enhancement by attracting visitors to the community to utilize these facilities. 

The City of Johnstown contains approximately 3,093 acres of land. At present, approximately 819 of these acres are classified by the City Assessor as being open/vacant.  This represents approximately 26% of the total land mass of the City of Johnstown.  There are 459 individual parcels of land in the City of Johnstown that are classified as open/vacant.  These open/vacant parcels of land range in size from 1.78 acres to a 133 acres of land.  These 819 acres of open/vacant land represent the opportunities for providing the outdoor recreational facilities and open space for the citizens of the City of Johnstown.  The City of Johnstown should develop, implement and enforce the appropriate land use controls to ensure that an adequate inventory of open space is maintained and made available to its citizens for utilization for outdoor recreational facilities and activities.         

The City of Johnstown has several outstanding recreational resources:  

    1.      Rail Trail 
    2.      Cayadutta Creek
    3.      Hale, Matthew and Hall Creeks

The Cayadutta Creek represents a tremendous recreational resource for the City. This Creek has a great history. Its existence was the primary reason why this area was originally settled and why this area attracted the leather and glove industry.  The creek then, for an extended period of time, became famous for all of the wrong reasons. For years, the Cayadutta Creek was the receiving waters for all of the effluent discharged by the industries that located along its banks. During the 1960’s and 70’s, the Creek became famous for its colors that varied daily due to the various effluents being discharged into it. At one point, the Cayadutta Creek was labeled as one of the most polluted streams in the State of New York.  

Today, the Creek is again famous but for a far different and better reason. Through years of hard work, the Cayadutta Creek is once again a beautiful water resource that has completely shed its image of a polluted stream. The Cayadutta Creek is now classified as a trout stream and provides excellent fishing opportunities and locations for anglers.  

Hale, Matthew and Hall Creeks also represent outstanding natural resources that can serve as vital outdoor recreational resources.    

The FJ & G Rail Trail has been constructed within the right-of-way of the former FJ & G Railroad. This Trail has been developed from Union Ave Extension north through the City of Johnstown to Dennies Crossing. The Trail is widely used by walkers, joggers and bicyclists. There are several locations within the City of Johnstown where the Trail and Cayadutta Creek are close to each other. These locations represent excellent opportunities to develop destination stops for people using the Rail Trail. 

While the City of Johnstown possesses many existing recreational resources, it does not have a centrally-located recreational resource to serve as a focal point of recreational activity in the City.  The creation of this centerpiece would serve as a focal point of activity in the City and provide a recreational resource available for everyone in the community.  

At present, the following City-owned lands in the City of Johnstown are used as public parks: 

2.  INVENTORY OF EXISTING OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL FACILITIES:  

        1.   State of New York Facilities: 

                a.   Sir William Johnson State Park 

        2.   City of Johnstown Facilities: 

                a.   Rail Trail             
                b.   East State St. Park 
                         1.  Park
                         2.  Basketball Court 
                c.   Sir William Johnson Park 
                d.   Fairgrounds Park 
                e.   Schriver Pond 

    3.   Greater Johnstown School District Facilities: 

            a.   Pleasant Ave.                                   
                    1.    Passive Equipment
                    2.    Playground
                    3.    Recreational Fields
                    4.    Basketball Court
                    5.    Nature Trail 

            b.   Warren Street 
                     1.   Passive Equipment
                     2.   Playground
                     3.   Recreational Fields    
                     4.   Basketball Courts 

            c.    Jansen Ave 
                    1.    Passive Equipment
                    2.    Playground
                    3.    Recreational Fields
                    4.    Basketball Court                                   

            d.   Glebe Street 
                    1.    Passive Equipment
                    2.    Playground   
                    3.    Recreational Fields
                    4.    Basketball Courts 

            e.   Knox 
                    1.    Passive Equipment
                    2.    Tennis Courts
                    3.    Basketball Court
                    4.    Track
                    5.    Recreational Fields
                    6.    Walking Trail 

            f.    High School 
                    1.    Tennis Courts   
                    2.    Basketball Court
                    3.    Recreational Fields 

3.  RECOMMENDATIONS:   

    A)  Center City Park: 

        1)      Introduction:

                The City should develop a “City Center Park” at the former Karg’s Tannery site on the east side of North Perry Street.  Center City Park should
                be developed as a multi-activity outdoor recreational facility.  Center City Park should include the Schriver Pond area to the south.  The City
                should also work with the Greater Johnstown School District to include the “Briggs Street” playfields/courts as part of the City Center Park.     

        2)      Site Description:

                -The proposed Center City Park site consists of ten (10) individual parcels of land totaling approximately 12.17 acres of land: 

             -Two (2) of these parcels (*) contain existing buildings that are currently being utilized.  One building, owned by the City, is used as the City’s    
              Department of Public Works Garage. The other building, owned by the Crossroads Incubator Building, is leased to the Greater Johnstown School
              District. The School District uses this building to store its fleet of school buses. 
            -The intent of the Comprehensive Plan would be to allow these buildings to continue to be used.  If these buildings became vacant and were no
             longer utilized, the vision of the Comprehensive Plan is to have these buildings demolished and the lands included into Center City Park.
            -Six (6) of the parcels are currently privately owned.  The City of Johnstown should acquire these parcels. 

        3)      Potential Recreational Activities:

                The following list represents the types of outdoor recreational activities that should be provided at the Center City Park: 

                -Bandshell/stage with spectator area for outdoor concerts/performances.
                -Basketball Courts.
                -Soccer Wall.
                -Skateboard Park.
                -Walking Trails.
                -Grassed field for various recreational activities.
                -Linear park and trail along Cayadutta Creek featuring: 
                -Direct access to Creek for fishing.
                -Locations for dedicated trees to be placed by community.
                -Locations for dedicated benches to be placed by community.
                -Access to Shriver Pond and Briggs Fields. 

        4)      Potential Design Features:

                The following list represents the type of key features that should be included in the design of Center City Park: 

                -A promenade type entrance on E. Fulton Street.  This entrance would be pedestrian only except for special events.  Entrance would be tree       
                 lined with lights with a brick walkway.
                -At the end of the entrance would be a statue, fountain, sculpture or other attraction.
                -Diagonal parking should be provided along the east side of N. Perry Street.
                -A small off-street parking area off Canal Street.
                -New sidewalks constructed and trees planted along West Fulton Street to provide link to Rail Trail. 

        5)      Mixed Use

-Center City Park should include dedicating a parcel fronting onto E. Canal Street at its intersection with North Perry Street for Residential or Commercial use.  The parcel could be approximately 400’ x 110’ deep or approximately 1 acre of land. This parcel could provide space for a 300’ long x 60’ deep building that could house commercial or professional businesses. The site should also dedicate a 90’ x 110’ (.23 acre) deep lot at the intersection of E. Canal Street and Crescendoe Drive for residential development. 

        6)      Potential Phasing:

                -Center City Park should be developed in phases.  Phase I would consist of the City acquiring the properties needed to develop the Park. The   
                second phase would be to develop that portion of the Park not currently occupied by the existing buildings on Crescendoe Road. This would    
                result in approximately 6.66 acres of land being developed.  Of this 6.66 acres, approximately 1.0 acre would be dedicated for commercial use
                and .23 acre for residential. The following table summarizes how this initial 6.66 acres of land would be developed: 

                              Center City Park                                 5.35 acres
                              Residential/Commercial Lot                 1.31 acres
                                Total                                                6.66 Acres     

                If, in the future, the existing buildings on Crescendoe Road are abandoned and no longer utilized, it is recommended that these buildings be
                demolished and the land upon which the buildings sit be incorporated into the Center City Park.

 Proposed Center City Park 

    B)   Linear Park at Intersection of W. Main Street and Cayadutta Street: 

        1)  Introduction: 

            -The City should develop a linear park/trail on the City-owned parcel at the intersection of West Main Street and Cayadutta Streets.  This site is
            currently utilized by the City of Johnstown for: 

                a)      A yard waste drop-off site in the summer.
                b)      Snow drop-off site in the winter.

        The site, however, also borders the Cayadutta Creek and the Rail Trail. It is recommended that the City of Johnstown develop a trail spur off the main
        Rail Trail that would run immediately adjacent to the Cayadutta Creek. This trail would provide users of the Rail Trail direct access to the Cayadutta
        Creek for fishing, observation or even to initiate a rafting trip downstream.  A berm/mound should be constructed behind the trail to visually screen the
        trail from the interior of the site which would continue to be used for a yard waste/snow drop-off site. 

        2)  Site Description:

            -This site is comprised of two (2) parcels of City-owned land: 

                   Parcel fronting on West Main Street   :           2.2+/- acres
                   Parcel fronting on West State Street   :           2.8+/- acres
                   Total                                                 :           5.0+/- acres 

            -This acreage includes the FJ & G Rail Trail.
            -Approximately 700’ of the western border of the parcel fronting on West Main Street oversees the Cayadutta Creek.
            -There is adequate space at the site for the yard waste drop-off operation.
            -The site does not always provide enough space for snow disposal.  When the site fills up in the winter, the City uses other locations to dispose of
             snow removed from City streets/properties. 

        3) Proposed Linear Park Layout:

            -The proposed linear park would consist of the following: 

                -700’+/- long Rail Trail spur off the main Rail Trail.
                -Dedicate a 40’+/- wide strip of land from the edge of the Cayadutta Creek for the linear park.
                -This 700’ and 40’ strip would comprise approximately .65 acre of land, leaving approximately 1.55 acres for a yard waste drop-off and snow
                 disposal area.
                -A 6’ high berm could be constructed behind the Rail Trail spur to screen the yard waste drop-off area. 

            -The City shall, if it so desires, continue to use the remaining portion of this property for the City’s yard waste drop-off and snow disposal area.
            -The small, land-locked parcel of land adjacent to the Rail Trail should be acquired by the City of Johnstown.
            -The linear park should also include off-street parking.
            -In the event that the City of Johnstown discontinues the use of this site as the yard waste drop-off and snow disposal area, consideration should
             be given to converting the entire site to a public park.  

Proposed Linear Park

     C) Rail Trail Access at Site of Former Alliance Leather Building: 

        1)  Introduction: 

            The former Alliance Leather building is located on the east side of North Perry Street across the street from North Perry Street’s intersection with
            Elmwood Avenue.  This former industrial building is located in a residential neighborhood.  It is recommended that this site not be redeveloped or
            reused for industrial use. Rather, given the site’s direct access onto the Rail Trail and the overall lack of public access points in the City to the Rail
            Trail, it is recommended that: 

                a)         The existing building on the site be demolished and removed.
                b)         A portion of the site be redeveloped to provide a public access point to the Rail Trail along with off-street parking.
                c)         The balance of the site be targeted for either residential or commercial use. 

        2)  Site Description:

             -Site has approximately 275’ of frontage on North Perry Street.
             -Lot is approximately 240’ deep.
             -Rear property line borders Rail Trail. 

        3)  Proposed Site Layout:

            -The site could be designed to accommodate a combined park area and lot(s) for residential/commercial development as follows: 
   
                -.8 acre park with access driveway and 11 off-street parking spaces and direct access to Rail Trail.
                -.15 acre buffer area.
                -.34 acre lot for residential/commercial development.
                -.35 acre lot for residential/commercial development. 

Proposed Rail Trail Access Site 

     D) The City should incorporate into the Zoning Ordinance a new Open Space Zone to: 
            a. Establish a buffer strip on both sides of Cayadutta, Hall, Hale and Matthew Creeks in the City to ensure that development does not encroach
                upon said streams. 
            b. Preserve existing undeveloped areas that have high value for open space and outdoor recreation. 

    E) The City should develop destination stops along the Rail Trail to provide access points from the Rail Trail to the Cayadutta Creek for passive recreation
        and activities. Three (3) potential destination stops include: 
            a. City-owned land located on the east side of the Rail Trail between Townsend Avenue and Harrison Street.
            b. City-owned land located on the west side of the Rail Trail between West Main Street and Union Avenue Extension.
            c. City-owned land located on the west side of the Rail Trail south of Union Avenue Extension to the City line. 

    F) The City should work with the Greater Johnstown School District to encourage expanded use of the following school grounds for more community
        activities: 
            a. The fields/grounds behind Johnstown High School.
            b. The cross-country trail behind Johnstown High School.
            c. The Wilson Nature Trail adjacent to Pleasant Avenue School. 

    G) The City should develop accessibility points along the Rail Trail for the elderly and handicapped.  In addition, the City should develop off-street parking
         at strategic locations for people to access the Rail Trail in the City.    

    H) The City’s Zoning Ordinance should be amended to require certain amounts of green space be provided in arterial, commercial and industrial park
        areas, as well as new parking lots.   

    I)  The City should encourage existing residential property owners, community businesses, organizations, churches etc. to develop and maintain green
        spaces on their existing properties.   

    J) The City should encourage and promote public responsibility for keeping the City of Johnstown clean and litter free. This effort should be enforced with
        heavy fines. 

    K) The City should enhance the aesthetic appearance of all major entry points into the City through the utilization of green space and signage and
        stricter zoning regulations for corridor areas that act as entry points into the City of Johnstown. 

    L) Land areas in the City that cannot be developed, either commercially or residentially, because of inaccessibility, terrain or are classified as wetlands
        should be considered for designation on the City’s Zoning Map as open space.
 

CHAPTER V 

HOUSING 

A.  BACKGROUND: 

    In November 2003, the “City of Johnstown Strategic Plan” was completed by Shelter Planning and Development of Glens Falls, New York.  The
    preparation of this Plan was made possible through funding provided by the NYS Governor’s Office for Small Cities.  This Plan discussed, at length, the
    current housing stock in the City, evaluated Census data and identified other local and regional housing trends.  The following are excerpts from the City
    of Johnstown Strategic Plan Report: 

    1.  An Analysis of the Available Census Data for the City 

    Housing in the City of Johnstown is significantly older than the housing stock in the remainder of Fulton County or upstate New York State.  With over
    80% of the housing stock built before 1960, there will continue to be a need to make the preservation and upgrading of the housing stock a priority. 

    As shown in Table 1, more than 60% of all of the housing in the City was built in 1939 or earlier, nearly twice the State average.  While this older housing
    stock has been and is in need of improvement, from another point of view, this older housing stock can also be seen as an asset.  Much of this was built
    to a very high standard.  With proper maintenance and improvements such as energy conservation improvements, this housing can be preserved for a
    substantial period into the future.   

Table 1

City of Johnstown

                                  Age of Housing

                                    (Source – 2000 Census STF 3A data) 

    In addition, some of this housing has historic significance.  Maintaining and improving neighborhoods with older housing can support a revitalization effort
    which emphasizes the historic character of the community.  This historic character has been used in other areas as a means of attracting middle and
    upper income households to the City.

                                       Table 2
                                       City of Johnstown
                                         Age of Housing

                                            Owner-Occupied Units Since 1960

                                    (Source – 2000 Census STF 3A data) 

    Table 2 indicates two (2) important points. While the rate of new construction in the City has been less than that of the County, it is significant and
    consistent.   

    This table also highlights that there has been significant new construction throughout the County. The significance of this fact is that there is a broader
    demand for new housing that the City may be able to tap. That is, if the City took actions to make additional housing sites available and attractive, there
    would be demand. 

    The housing stock is heavily concentrated in one and two-family structures and is dominantly owner-occupied. 

Table 3

City of Johnstown

Type of Structure

                                    Source – 2000 Census SF.A data) 

    Table 3 shows that nearly 60% of the housing in the City is owner-occupied, which is a relatively high percentage.  By contrast, only 48% of the housing
    in Glens Falls is owner-occupied.  Other areas cities also had lower owner-occupancy rates including Amsterdam (51%) Gloversville (54%) and Saratoga
    (55%).  Generally, high rates of owner-occupancy indicate relatively stable neighborhoods. 

    As would be anticipated, most owner-occupied housing is in one and two-family structures.  However, in Johnstown almost as many of the renter-
    occupied units (858 of 1444 or 59%) are also in one and two-family structures.  In addition, 293 rental units are in two-family owner-occupied structures. 

    Finally, 81.5% of all housing units (2915 of 3576 units) are in one and two-family structures. 

    Of the 313 units in structures of five (5) or more units, 168 can be identified as being located in two (2) projects – 96 in the complex of buildings known
    as Trackside and 72 in Maple Knoll. 

    2. A Summary of the Programs That Have Provided Housing Assistance to City Residents 

        A. Housing Rehabilitation:

            The City of Johnstown has administered seven (7) Small Cities Housing Rehabilitation and three (3) HOME Housing Rehabilitation programs
            since 1982.  The City structured its Housing Rehabilitation Programs as 100% grants to income-eligible homeowners and matching (50-50) grants
            for rental properties with income eligible tenants.  In addition, the City has received six (6) Rental Rehabilitation grants as well as New York State
            Affordable Housing Corporation Grant. 

            During this twenty-year period, the City has received over $6,300,000 in grants for Housing Rehabilitation and has rehabilitated over 750 units (more
            than 20% of the 3576 housing units in the City). The City has recently been awarded two (2) additional Housing Rehabilitation Grants – each in the
            amount of $400,000 from the Governor’s Office For Small Cities and from the NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR). 

Some neighborhoods clearly have experienced very noticeable improvement both in the condition of the housing and of the neighborhood.  These neighborhoods were primarily owner-occupied.  Therefore, almost all of the income eligible owner-occupants received grants.  In addition, there is some evidence that non-income eligible property owners made improvements. 

In other cases, neighborhoods with largely investor owned rental properties, responded much more slowly.  In a few areas, rental property owners who declined to participate in the 80’s were ready to participate a decade later.  To some extent, this reflects a change in the rental market as property owners felt the need to improve property to remain competitive. 

Often it was only after a second grant was completed that the neighborhood achieved the overall revitalization that had been the program goal. 

Utilizing rehabilitation funds on a citywide basis has been a very effective technique in Johnstown.  It has permitted the rehabilitation of the “worst house on a good block”.  That is, it has accomplished the goal of neighborhood revitalization by benefiting the entire neighborhood through the use of its citywide housing rehabilitation efforts. 

        B. Demand for Housing Rehabilitation Assistance/Owner-Occupied Units:

Demand for housing rehabilitation assistance continues to be strong in the City.  The housing rehabilitation Office maintains a waiting list of property owners applying for assistance. 

There are currently a list of over one hundred properties whose owners have requested assistance. 

        C. Rental Assistance:

The Johnstown Housing Agency currently provides Section 8 Rental Assistance to over 120 income eligible tenants. 

Since the 2000 Census identifies 1444 rental units in the City, this indicates that 8% of all rental units in the City are currently being assisted through this program.   

The City program is unique in that the same agency that provides the rent subsidy also administers the housing rehabilitation program.  Therefore, there is an opportunity to coordinate the program.  For example, owners of rental units that do not meet the Section 8 standards can be encouraged to bring units to standard with rehabilitation grant funds. 

        D. Demand for Housing Rehabilitation Assistance/Rental Units:

In past years, there was a substantial waiting list for participation in the program.  In recent years, this has not been true.  One problem that has been encountered is that owners that previously had routinely made the repairs needed to bring the unit into compliance with Section 8 standards have been increasingly reluctant to do so.   

This appears to support the conclusion that there is a demand for rental assistance, but there is a limited supply of existing units that meet the Section 8 Housing Conditions standards. 

        E. 1^st Time Homebuyer Program:

Since 1995, the City of Johnstown has provided grant assistance to income eligible homeowners to purchase homes in the City. 

The City has received four (4) grants (three Small Cities and one HOME Grant) to assist income eligible homebuyers to purchase homes in the City.  The total amount of funds received from those programs exceeds $800,000.  (The City has received an additional $200,000 from the NYS Affordable Housing Corporation to expand the Homebuyer Program.)  Funds can be used for down payment assistance, to pay closing costs and to make necessary repairs to purchase homes in the City.  A total of 42 homebuyers have been assisted (more than 1% of the entire housing stock in the City.) 

These HUD financed programs have been the core of the City’s Rehabilitation efforts and will continue to be in the future.  However, there are factors that are likely to affect these programs in the future.    

    3.  A Summary of the Potential for the City to Expand its Housing Stock 

        A. Homeownership:

There appears to be demand for new single-family housing and there appears to be available land on which to locate this housing. 

Census figures for the County also indicate that the construction of new single-family homes was substantial throughout the County.  There were 1859 units (or 186 per year) built throughout the County, which is also consistent with long-term trends in which 4653 (or 155 per year) units were built over the previous three (3) decades. 

The rate of new construction in the County represents the underlying demand for new construction.  In the 1990’s, the City captured just over 2% (99 of 1856) of the market.  If the City only doubled that rate to 10%, it would increase the number of new homes built to 20 per year. 

The City also appears to have the available land.  There are two (2) potential situations that could support new construction: 

    1.  One would be through new or expanded subdivisions.  There are areas that have partially developed subdivisions or that contain tracts
         of land suitable for subdivision.  There may be a need to assist in the extension of the needed public infrastructure to these areas to
         spur development. 
    2.  There are also opportunities for infill development in several neighborhoods.  If some of the negative influences, such as older,            
         underutilized industrial structures identified in the neighborhood were addressed, there may be the opportunity to attract new
         construction to the area. 

In the case of the subdivision development, the market for this housing would be middle to upper incomes.  For the infill development, varying on the location, a wide variety of incomes could be attracted.  There would be a demand for affordable single-family new construction and there may be sources to finance such a project. 

    B.  Rental Housing:

As part of their application to the Housing Trust Fund to create a 24-unit apartment complex for seniors, Sermar Management Corporation, the developer, undertook an analysis of the demand for rental housing. That analysis was specifically aimed at evaluating the demand for additional subsidized rental housing for seniors.  Yet, the analysis also evaluated the broader demand for rental housing.  The study assesses the demand not only from current City residents but also the ability of housing in Johnstown to attract residents from a broader region. 

The study concluded that there was:

1. A substantial increase in total demand in the region for rental housing to meet the needs of persons over 55 regardless of income.

2. An unfilled demand for affordable (subsidized) Senior Housing of over 1600 units in the region.

The study demonstrated the demand sufficiently so that the Housing Trust Fund approved the project. 

It is likely that the Johnstown/Gloversville area in general could be able to retain its existing senior population and attract additional seniors from elsewhere in the region. The availability of medical and commercial facilities conveniently located make these areas more attractive to seniors than locations that are located in more remote areas. 

The demand for additional rental housing for households with higher incomes is particularly important. While there has been subsidized senior housing, housing that addresses the need for households above the subsidized income levels are less available. There are funding sources that provide subsidies, in the form of tax advantages for housing projects that subsidizes as little as 20% of the units and for projects that restore historic properties. 

B. RECOMMENDATIONS: 

1. The City should promote and encourage the development of various types of housing to meet the diverse needs of its population, including
    single-family, apartments and condominiums. 

2. The City should continue to pursue, or encourage other entities to pursue, State and Federal funding for programs that will offer financial
    assistance to City home owners, for housing rehabilitation and repair for first-time homeownership, to preserve the City’s existing housing
    stock and continue to stabilize neighborhoods and the residential tax base.  These programs would initially be targeted to low and
    moderate income households and expanded to other income groups if feasible under funding source guidelines and requirements. 

3. The City should develop a Policy to encourage and promote the construction of new housing on currently vacant sites located throughout
    the City.   

4. The City should develop and implement a program to track and monitor parcels of land that become City owned through tax foreclosure.
    This Program should identify and group together smaller individual parcels of land into larger parcels for the purpose of offering these larger
    parcels to buyers interested in redeveloping them.  

5. The City should pursue offering financial incentives to parties interested in purchasing and renovating residential properties acquired by the
    City through tax foreclosure. 

6. The City should develop an aggressive marketing program to promote the availability of infill sites for housing. The City should initially seek
    the assistance and expertise of the Fulton County Economic Development Corporation in the development of this Program. 

7. The City should continue its Sidewalk Replacement Program.  This Program should be modified to allow for new sidewalks to be provided
    along existing homes. 

8. The City should enter into discussions with the Town of Johnstown regarding the potential annexing of certain lands generally identified on
    the Land Use Plan that could be utilized for housing or other forms of development. 

9. The existing City-owned park located between East State Street and Prospect Street should be divided into two (2) parcels.  The portion
    bordering Prospect Street should, once the Center City Park is completed, be sold off for residential development.  The portion bordering
    East State Street shall remain as a City Park. 

10. The City of Johnstown should encourage Fulton County to sell the 20+/- acre parcel of land it owns on the west side of Maple Avenue and
    zone it for single- family residential development. This currently undeveloped tract of land could represent an excellent opportunity for an
    upscale residential subdivision to complement the existing residential development in the immediate vicinity of this parcel. 

11. In the event that NYSDOT abandons its Maintenance Facility on Pennsylvania Avenue, this parcel should be zoned for residential
    development. 

CHAPTER VI 

CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT 

A.     BACKGROUND: 

A central business district (CBD) is defined as the city center or downtown hub containing retail, financial, legal and office functions and is typically the busiest location in the City.  It is the hub of a community. 

For the City of Johnstown, the CBD is generally described as the area encompassed by the following boundary: 

Point-of-Beginning – At the intersection of West Main Street and North Melcher Street commencing in a northerly direction along the centerline of said North Melcher Street approximately 903 feet to the intersection of West State Street.  Thence in a southeasterly direction along the centerline of West State Street 500 feet to the intersections of West State, William and West Green Streets.  Thence in an easterly direction along the centerline of West Green Street 1,110 feet to a point, said point being 20 feet north of the northwestern most corner of parcel 174.8-3-4.  Thence in a southerly direction 20 feet to the northwestern most corner of parcel 174.8-3-4 and following said parcel in a southeasterly direction to the northwesterly most corner of lands owned by the City of Johnstown; thence following said lands 50 feet to the northwesterly most corner of parcel 174.8-3-6 and continuing along said parcel a distance of 80 feet to land owned by the City of Johnstown.  Thence southerly along the southernmost boundary of said lands owned by the City of Johnstown to the northwestern most corner of parcel 174.8-3-35, thence easterly to the northeasterly corner of said parcel a distance of 68 feet, thence southerly 350 feet to the centerline of Main Street, thence following the centerline of Main Street a distance of 380 feet to a point; said point being 20 feet from the northeastern most corner of parcel 174.8-8-2, thence southerly along said parcel a distance of 108 feet to the southeastern most corner thence westerly a distance of 120 feet to the centerline of Union Place, thence continuing along Union Street to the intersection of East State Street following the centerline of East State Street a distance of 400 feet to the intersection of Hoosac Street, thence westerly along the centerline of Hoosac Street a distance of 1,400 feet to the intersection of South Perry Street, thence southerly along the centerline of South Perry Street 377 feet to the intersection of West Clinton Street, thence westerly along the centerline of West Clinton Street and crossing South Market Street a distance of 800 feet to the intersection of South William Street, thence northerly along the centerline of South William Street 308 feet to a point; said point being 40 feet from the northeastern corner of the easternmost boundary of parcel 174.7-15-11, thence following said parcel boundary to the northwestern most corner the following distances; westerly 133 feet, southerly 135 feet, westerly 63 feet, northerly 73 feet, westerly 30 feet, northerly 65 feet, easterly 25 feet and northerly 32 feet to the southwestern most corner of parcel 174.7-15-10 and following said parcel in a northerly direction 101 feet to the southwestern most corner of parcel 174.7-15-9 and following said parcel in a northerly direction 56 feet to parcel 174.7-15-31.2, thence following said parcel 44 feet to the southeastern most corner of parcel 174.7-15-32, thence following and continuing said parcel boundary to the centerline of South Melcher Street a distance of 117 feet, thence along the centerline of South Melcher Street a distance of 245 feet to the place or point of beginning containing 54.44 acres of land. 

A survey was conducted in November 2006 to identify the existing land uses of all parcels of land located in the City of Johnstown’s Central Business District.  The survey found that there are 181 individual parcels of land located within the above-defined Central Business District.  The following is a summary of the existing land uses in this area. 

DISTRIBUTION OF EXISTING LAND USES IN

CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT

The City of Johnstown’s CBD is currently strong with few vacancies on 1^st floor building spaces and a diversity of uses. It is critically important for the future of the City that its CBD remains healthy and vibrant.  Without a healthy CBD, the City of Johnstown would suffer economically. 

While developing and maintaining a strong, vibrant CBD is desirable in all communities, not all communities are successful in achieving this goal. There have been numerous studies conducted to assess why certain CBD’s are successful and some are not. 

In a 1999 article for the Brookings Institution entitled “Ten Steps to a Living Downtown”, Jennifer Moulton identified ten (10) characteristics to a successful downtown: 

1.  All parties should agree that housing is a downtown priority.
2.  Downtown must be legible, that is it should be well-defined or branded place.
3.  Downtown must be accessible, with physical infrastructure maintained and beautification undertaken.
4.  Downtown must have new and improved regional amenities, traffic generators that will attract users from throughout the region.
5.  Downtowns must be clean and safe.
6.  Downtown must preserve and reuse old buildings.
7.  Downtown regulations must be streamlined and be supportive of residential growth.
8.  City resources should be devoted to housing. Incentives should be available to promote housing.
9.  The edge of downtown should be surrounded by viable neighborhoods.
10.Downtown is never done; management continues on a daily basis. 

In 2001, an article was written by Kent Robertson of St. Cloud State University titled “Downtown Development Principles for Small Cities.”  In his article, Professor Robertson specified eight (8) principals for successful downtown: 

1.  There needs to be a strong private/public partnership.
2.  A vision/strategic plan for downtown needs to be developed.
3.  Downtown should be multi-functional, embracing many different uses.
4.  Downtowns must take advantage of their own particular heritage.
5.  Downtowns should be linked to the city waterfront, wherever possible.
6.  Downtowns should be pedestrian friendly and walkable.
7.  Downtowns should have established design guidelines.
8.  The importance of parking should not be overstated. 

In 2005, the Cornell University Civic Fellows Program conducted a research initiative to assess the attributes of successful downtowns in small and mid-sized cities.  Their research key findings were: 

1.  No single organizational model exists.
2.  Successful downtowns tended to have multiple traffic generators that supplement the presence of larger institutions all within short walking
     distance.
3.  Successful downtowns are beloved by their citizenry.
4.  Great downtowns are able to overcome challenges and obstacles.
5.  Great downtowns are walkable. They have pedestrian scale.
6.  Great downtowns have a commitment to mixed use development.
7.  There is broad public/private investment in the future of downtown.
8.  Downtown retailing in an era of flux: 
        -Food and beverage is replacing traditional retail.
        -Local, independent retailers dominate downtown. 
9.  Entertainment is a driving market segment. 

-Anchor projects (movie theater, performance hall).
-Extend life of downtown beyond 5:00 p.m.
-All have strong and growing restaurant sectors. 

10.  There are strong, adjacent residential neighborhoods within walking distance of downtown. 
11.  Downtown housing was either prevalent or underway. The market for housing in downtown was strong and growing. 

In all of these research initiatives, it was determined that there are a number of attributes critical to the success of a community’s CBD. If enough of these positive attributes exist, the likelihood will be a successful CBD.   

Based upon the research reference above, the City of Johnstown’s Central Business District has the following positive attributes: 

1.  Downtown is accessible, the physical infrastructure is maintained and beautification undertaken.
2.  Downtown is clean and safe.
3.  The edge of downtown is surrounded by viable neighborhoods within walking distance of downtown.
4.  Downtown is multi-functional, with mixed use development.
5.  Downtown is pedestrian friendly and walkable.
6.  There exists multiple traffic generators supplementing the presence of larger institutions all within short walking distance. 

In order for the City of Johnstown to sustain its Central Business District, the following additional attributes need to be promoted: 

1.  A vision/strategic plan for downtown needs to be developed.
2.  Downtown should have design guidelines to achieve the vision in the downtown strategic plan.
3.  There needs to be a strong private/public partnership.
4.  The vision/strategic plan must include preserving and reuse old buildings.
5.  City resources should be devoted to housing. Incentives should be available to promote housing.  (HUD, Community Block Grants)
6.  Downtown must take advantage of its heritage.
7.  Downtown retailing should emphasize: 

-Food and beverage in conjunction with traditional retail.
-Local, independent retailers. 

B.     RECOMMENDATIONS: 

1.  The City Planning Board should develop a vision/strategic plan for the Central Business District.   

2.  The City should create a zoning district just for the Central Business District to protect and preserve the District’s diverse architectural
     history and environment.   

3.  The City should prepare and adopt, as part of the City’s Zoning Ordinance, Central Business District Design Standards.  These Standards
     should serve to achieve the goal of preserving and enhancing the historical and architectural spirit of the buildings and open spaces in the   
     Central Business District.   

4.  The City should encourage and promote the rehabilitation and reuse of 2^nd and 3^rd floor spaces of multi-story buildings in the Central
     Business District by: 

a)  Having the City’s Zoning Ordinance allow and promote the utilization of 2^nd and 3^rd floor spaces.
b)  Providing financial incentives for the owners of these downtown buildings to invest into the renovation and utilization of 2^nd     
     and 3^rd floor spaces.
c)  Seeking State and federal funding to help fund the rehabilitation of 2^nd and 3^rd floor spaces into usable housing. 

5.  The City should encourage and promote the utilization of Central Business District buildings for housing. 

6.  The City needs to maintain an adequate supply of accessible, public off-street and on-street parking.  In addition, the City should: 

a)  Install attractive signage at appropriate locations to direct drivers to the three (3) City-owned, off-street parking lots on South
    Market Street, North William Street and behind City Hall. 
b)  Reconstruct the three (3) City-owned, off-street parking lots to make them more physically attractive and aesthetically
     pleasing. 

7.  The City should regularly review the level of commercial/residential/retail uses within the Central Business District area and calculate the
     number of parking that needs to be available to properly service these uses. 

8.   The City should implement a free wireless internet network for at least the Central Business District of the City and preferably throughout
      the entire community.

CHAPTER VII 

ECONOMY 

1.  INTRODUCTION:

The City of Johnstown’s economy has, over the past twenty (20) years, gone through a significant transformation.  In 1980, the City’s economy was dominated by the leather/textile industries.  At that time, the following leather tanning/finishing and textile industries were located within the City: 

¨      Am-Tan
¨      Apex
¨      Care
¨      Pro
¨      Carville
¨      Craft
¨      Classic
¨      Gordon
¨      Crescendoe
¨      Crescent
¨      Crown
¨      Diana
¨      Fashion Tanning
¨      Fleming Joffee
¨      Hudson
¨      Johnstown Knitting Mill
¨      Johnstown Leather
¨      Kargs
¨      Leavitt and Berner
¨      Lee Dye
¨      NuFam
¨      Peerless
¨      Rulisons
¨      Simco 

Of these 24 leather/textile industries, only two (2) remain operational in 2007: Carville and Simco.  This means 22 of these 24 industries, or 92%, have closed or moved over the past 20 years.   The loss of these leather/textile industries has resulted in a change in the City’s economic base.  In 2007, there are new businesses and industries in the City including: 

¨      Wal-Mart Food Distribution Center
¨      Electrometrics
¨      Euphrates Cheese
¨      FAGE Yogurt
¨      Finkles
¨      Benjamin Moore
¨      Univar
¨      Exel
¨      Catalyst International NY, LLC
¨      Pioneer Window

Over the past twenty (20) years, the City has been transformed from a 1-industry dominated economy to one featuring a diversity of business and industry groups. 

The City’s economy currently features industrial, warehousing/distribution, commercial, retail and other businesses.  These businesses provide jobs for local residents, are a source of property taxes for local governments and also generates sales tax revenues for local governments.  It is important for the City of Johnstown to support and promote a healthy local economy. 

2. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: 

A.     Background:

The City of Johnstown was once the home of numerous leather, glove, and textile mills.  Due to foreign competition, environmental regulations, and other reasons, many of these mills have either relocated or closed.  The City has, in recent years, diversified its economy.  This has occurred with the development of the Johnstown Industrial Park. Constructed in 1988, this Park is now the home of many new businesses ranging from a manufacturer of electronics to a food distribution center. In 2007, approximately 1,400 people were employed in the 12 different businesses located in this Park. This number will grow further with the eventual completion of the FAGE yogurt manufacturing facility. This facility is expected to be completed in 2008. 

One of the primary reasons the City has been able to attract new businesses into the Industrial Park has been the existence of an adequate inventory of serviced industrial sites. However, due to the successes the City has experienced in attracting new businesses into the Johnstown Industrial Park, the amount of land remaining for additional development is limited.    At present, there are only five (5) lots remaining in the Park. These five (5) lots comprise an estimated 45 acres of land. 

B.     Recommendations: 

1.  The City should continue working with the Fulton County Economic Development Corporation to market the City to new
     businesses and encourage existing businesses to expand to create new job opportunities for its residents.   
2.  The City should: 

a. Formally request that the Fulton County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and the Fulton County 
    Industrial Development Agency (IDA) immediately commence a process to identify and acquire lands and make
    them available as potential sites for business development.
b. Identify infill sites within the City that could be made available to new and expanding businesses. 

3.  The City should continue to encourage the diversification of businesses. 
4.  The City should encourage cooperation with the City of Gloversville, all Town governments, the County of Fulton and all local
     economic development organizations.   
5.  When industrial buildings become City-owned, the City should evaluate their condition, location and opportunity for
     combining them with adjoining lot/buildings to develop larger, more viable sites for development.   
6. The City should work to improve the quality of housing available, dining establishments, downtown atmosphere, and the City's
    overall appearance to those businesses and individuals looking to move into the City.  
7. The City should identify and evaluate ways to internally consolidate services within various departments to stabilize expenses
    and taxes. 

3. COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT:

A key component of the City’s economy is commercial development.  There are three (3) main Commercial areas in the City: 

A.   Route 30A from the County line north to the City line.
B.   North Perry Street from Main Street north to the City line.
C.   The Central Business District. 

A.  North Perry Street Corridor:

The first corridor of commercial development in the City is North Perry Street.  Along this 2.05 mile stretch running from Main Street to the City line, there are 207 parcels of land totaling 147.14 acres of land bordering North Perry Street.  A breakdown of the existing land uses along North Perry Street is as follows: 

As shown above, despite a perception that North Perry Street is a commercial corridor, the fact is that 52% of all properties are residential. In comparison, only 25% of all properties are used for commercial uses.  However, with respect to the total number of acres of different land uses, commercial uses, at 34%, are the 2^nd most dominant land use along the North Perry Street corridor. 

To take a closer look at this corridor, North Perry Street was broken into three (3) different zones: 

                        Zone 1: Main Street to Briggs Street
                        Zone 2: Briggs Street to Townsend Avenue
                        Zone 3: Townsend Avenue to City line 

The following tables provide a breakdown of existing land uses in each zone: 

ZONE 1 

 ZONE 2 

 ZONE 3 

As shown above, residential uses represent the largest land use in the North Perry Street Corridor.  Commercial uses are still the 2^nd most prevalent use in each zone.  Zone 3 contains the greatest number of commercial uses with 18, with Zone 2 having the fewest with 13.   

Recommendations: 

(a) The North Perry Street Corridor should be promoted to have orderly and organized development.  This is necessary to preserve this corridor as a primary transportation corridor. 

(b) The City should adopt zoning changes to implement the following concepts for the North Perry Street Corridor: 

i.   Main Street to Fulton Street:  Create a residential/professional type zoning district to allow and promote the use of existing residential units for professional offices for doctors/attorneys/dentists etc.  Several properties on the east side of North Perry Street adjacent to East Main Street should be designated commercial.  Two (2) properties on the north side of the intersection of North Perry and Water Street should also be included into this commercial zone.  

ii.   Fulton to Water Street:  This should be an area for commercial activity to support the professional offices located adjacent to this zone to the south and the proposed Center City Park on the east side of North Perry Street at the former Karg’s site.  The former garage in front of the former Karg’s site should be included in the Center City Park and not redeveloped. 

iii.   Water Street to Briggs Street:  The east side of North Perry Street in this area should be primarily a Residential area.  The west side of Perry Street in this area should be primarily a Commercial area. 

iv.   West Side of Perry from Baker to Matthew Street and East Side of North Perry Street from Briggs to Glenwood:  This area would be a residential area. 

v.   East Side of Perry from Glenwood to North Side of Townsend and West Side of North Perry Street from Matthew to Existing Commercial Property at Intersection Perry and Townsend:  This would be a commercial area. 

vi.   Townsend to Adams/Daisy Lane:  This would be residential. 

vii.   Adams/Daisy Lane North to City Line:  This would be commercial.   

(c)       All future commercial development along the North Perry Street Corridor should be subject to a Site Plan review by the City Planning Board. 

(d)      All site plans for commercial development on the North Perry Street Corridor should be reviewed for impacts on: 

        1.   Design:

          A.   Structures   

-Plans
-Elevations 

B.     Architectural Features
C.     Signs
D.     Landscaping
E.     Fencing/Buffers 

        2.   Circulation:

        A.     Vehicular               

-Ingress and egress
-Parking
-Loading
-Traffic control 

        B.     Pedestrian

-Walkways
-Safety 

    3.   Regional and Local Environments:

A.   Relationship to Comprehensive Plan
B.   Compatibility with surroundings
C.   Accessibility

-Pedestrian
-Automobile
-Trucks
-Public Transportation 

D.    Economic/Fiscal Impact
E.    Availability of Public/Private Services/Utilities
F.    Visual Compatibility.

    4. Natural Features:

A.    Topography
B.    Open Space
C.    Surface Drainage
D.    Erosion
E.    Wetland
F.    Flood Hazard Areas

(e)  The City should partner with private property owners to improve the physical appearance of the North Perry  Street Corridor.  Key improvements needed include: 

¨      Sidewalk replacement.

¨      Landscaping.

¨      Streetlights. 

B. NYS Route 30A Corridor:

Route 30A is the primary State route traversing through the City of Johnstown.  It is a primary access route connecting the NYS Thruway to the south and the Adirondack Park to the north.  It also serves as a primary transportation route for accessing points in and around the Cities of Johnstown and Gloversville. 

The Route 30A corridor is the City’s primary concentration of commercial development.  In particular, this commercial development is concentrated in the 1.8 mile long stretch of Route 30A between NYS Route 67 and the City line to the north.   Along this stretch, there currently exists a variety of land uses.  The following table summarizes existing land uses along this section of NYS Route 30A: 

As shown above, 37% of all parcels located along this corridor are currently used for commercial purposes.  Commercially used properties are the #1 use along this section of Route 30A. 

The existing development along this segment of Route 30A has not occurred problem free.  Route 30A has evolved into a very busy traffic corridor.  The commercial development along this corridor has created significant traffic volumes utilizing this corridor. 

In order to properly manage existing and future land uses along this segment of the NYS Route 30A Corridor, there are numerous land use controls and tools that can be used.  Some of these include: 

           i.      Minimize the number of new access points onto Route 30A.
           ii.      Deeper setbacks.
          iii.      Require larger lot sizes and frontage requirements to: 

1. Control strip development.
2.  Allow for greater spacing between driveways.
3.  Prevent creation of irregular and long, narrow lots. 

          iv.      Driveway spacing, location and design: 

1.  Alleviate traffic problems caused by too many driveways.
2.  Reduce the number of driveways.
3.  Improve community character by discouraging haphazard placement of driveways along corridors.
4.  Provide for adequate sight distance.

         v.      Shared driveways and cross access to: 

1.  Discourage direct access to individual lots.
2.  Provide access to the rear side of commercial properties through an additional rear access road and the arterial. 

          vi.      Install parallel service roads: 

1.  Collects traffic and accesses the main corridor at planned locations. 

           vii.    Signal spacing and linkage requirements.  If signals are too close, flow of traffic is disrupted and the ability of traffic decreases, travel speeds
                   decrease, traffic delays and queues may develop at intersections, opportunity for crashes increase. 

Recommendations: 

(a)       The City should plan for and promote orderly development along this Corridor. 

(b)      The City’s Zoning Ordinance should: 

    1.  Allow for commercial development within defined areas along this Corridor.
    2.  Require a Site Plan review by the City Planning Board of all commercial uses along this Corridor. 

(c)       All site plans for commercial development on Route 30A should be reviewed for impacts on: 

    1.   Design:

A. Structures

¨      Plans
¨      Elevations

B. Architectural Features
C. Signs
D. Landscaping
E. Fencing/Buffers 

    2.   Circulation:

A. Vehicular

¨      Ingress and egress
¨      Parking
¨      Loading
¨      Traffic control

B. Pedestrian

¨      Walkways
¨      Safety 

    3.   Regional and Local Environments:

A. Relationship to Comprehensive Plan
B. Compatibility with surroundings
C. Accessibility

¨      Pedestrian
¨      Automobile
¨      Trucks
¨      Public Transportation 

D. Economic/Fiscal Impact
E. Availability of Public/Private Services/Utilities
F. Visual Compatibility. 

            4.   Natural Features:

A. Topography
B. Open Space
C. Surface Drainage
D. Erosion
E. Wetland
F. Flood Hazard Areas 

4.  INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT: 

A.     Background:

During its long history, the City has been the home for different industries, but the primary one has been the leather industry.  Numerous leather industries were located throughout the City.  Many were located adjacent to or near the Cayadutta Creek or the FJ & G Railroad.  The Creek served as a source of water supply and a means to dispose of industrial effluent.  The Railroad served as the primary means for industries to receive raw materials and to ship finished product. 

These former industries generated noise, odor, dust and other objectionable attributes.  It is no longer desirable to have heavy industries located within or immediately adjacent to residential areas in the City. 

In the 1970’s, the Cities of Johnstown and Gloversville jointly developed the Glove Cities Industrial Park.  Portions of this Park are located in both the City of Johnstown and City of Gloversville.  This small industrial park is located in the north end of the City just off of North Perry Street.  The following is a list of businesses currently located in this Industrial Park:

In 1988, the City of Johnstown, in conjunction with the Fulton County Industrial Development Agency, constructed the Johnstown Industrial Park.  This project was intended to provide serviced sites for new businesses interested in locating in Fulton County and the City of Johnstown.  Since its creation, 14 new buildings have been constructed in the Park totaling almost 1.76 million sq. ft. of space.  The following is a list of businesses and industries located in the Johnstown Industrial Park.

The creation of the Johnstown Industrial Park provided a location, on the outskirts of the City to attract and locate new industries to the City.  This has occurred without disrupting residential neighborhoods. 

B.     Recommendations: 

    1.      The City of Johnstown should attempt to have industrial uses located to the two (2) industrial parks. 

    2.      The City of Johnstown should commence discussions regarding obtaining additional lands to either expand the Johnstown Industrial Park or to
             construct a new industrial park.

    3.      The City of Johnstown should discourage heavy industries from locating in the City. 

    4.      There are several old, heavy-industrial buildings/lots currently in the City of Johnstown located in residential neighborhoods. These include: 

¨      Former Allied Split
¨      Former H & J Leather
¨      Former Rulison’s Tannery

          The City should not allow these buildings/lots to be reutilized for heavy industrial uses.         

    5.      If it is determined that these properties could be redeveloped, the City should allow uses that would be compatible with the surrounding
             neighborhoods and land uses.                 

CHAPTER VIII 

TRANSPORTATION 

1.  BACKGROUND: 

    The City of Johnstown’s transportation system is a collection of local, collector and arterial streets.  These different types of streets are defined as
    follows: 

Local Streets:  A street that is primarily used to gain access to the property bordering it.  These streets are the most numerous and serve the primary function of providing direct access to adjoining properties. 

Collector Street:  A street that provides circulation within and between neighborhoods as well as providing direct service from local areas to arterial streets.  There are several key collector streets in the City:   

A.        North/South Perry Street:

                    Perry Street is the primary north/south collector street in the City.  Perry Street serves several purposes including: 

¨      Main access route to City of Gloversville.
¨      Direct access to Route 30A.
¨      Direct access to properties along Perry Street. 

        B.        South Melcher Street and Madison/Chestnut Streets:

South Melcher Street and Madison/Chestnut Streets serve to collect traffic from adjoining local streets and provide a direct access route to NYS Route 30A. 

        C.        Townsend/Briggs Streets:

Townsend and Briggs Streets serve as primary links between Route 30A and North Perry Street.  Both are highly traveled collector streets channeling vehicles to and from the Arterial highway. 

Arterial Street:  A major thoroughfare used primarily for through traffic rather than for access to abutting land that is characterized by high vehicular capacity and continuity of movement.  There are several “arterial” streets in the City: 

1.      NYS Route 30A (Comrie Avenue).
2.      NYS Route 29 (Main/West State Street).
3.      NYS Route 67 (East State Street and West Main).
4.      County Road 122 (Maple Avenue). 

2.  ARTERIAL ROADS: 

        A.           NYS Route 30A: 

            1.         Traffic Counts:

       NYS Route 30A has experienced significant traffic volumes increases over the past 20 years. The following table identifies traffic counts on Route 30A at three (3) points along the Corridor. The data shows the changes that have occurred since 1986. 

 As shown above, traffic volumes on Route 30A have grown significantly.  At the Route 30A/Main Street intersection, traffic volumes increased by 78% between 1986 and 2006. 

            2.         NYS Route 30A Mobility and Access Study:

In March 2002, the NYS Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) completed a report titled, “NYS Route 30A: Mobility and Access Study.”  The following are excerpts from this report describing the purposes served by NYS Route 30A as well as current and future issues the report identified with respect to that portion of NYS Route 30A that traverses through the City of Johnstown. 

        1.      Highway Description and Geometry: 

Route 30A is an arterial highway which varies from two to three lanes, including a center turning lane, with shoulders and/or curb sections throughout.  Major intersections are all at-grade and signalized, with many having dedicated left turn lanes.  The mobility of vehicles through this corridor is included by:  (1) the surrounding commercial/residential environment, (2) traffic signalization, and (3) traffic volumes and vehicular movement.

The “cross streets” intersecting Route 30A serve both local, east-west moving traffic, and as collectors for Route 30A and other regional routes in the Johnstown and Gloversville areas.  In particular, NYS Route 29 carries traffic that is mostly external to local neighborhoods and serves as one of the major east-west cross points into the Central Business District (CBD) of the City of Johnstown.  Route 30A, as a whole, currently operates under stable traffic conditions.  Traffic flow during non-peak periods is judged to be acceptable.  Delays during peak periods are typical for the type of land development found along this corridor. 

Projected volumes, based on growth over the next 20 years, may result in an AADT of 22,100, which would degrade delays and operational characteristics noticeably, unless appropriate transportation and land use actions are taken. 

2.      Route 30A Corridor Accident Analysis:

In the Fall of 1999, an Accident History Analysis was progressed by NYSDOT for four (4) intersections along a section of Route 30A for a period from 10/93 – 9/96.  The intersections analyzed were:  South Melcher, South Perry, Glebe and FonClaire.  The accident rate was shown to be 4.11 Acc/MVM (accidents per million vehicle miles), compared to a Statewide Average of 4.61 ACC/MVM, for similar highway segments across the State.  While slightly lower than the Statewide average, that analysis did recommend that center left turn slots be installed at all four (4) intersections along Route 30A to help mitigate some of the reoccurring rear-end type accidents which were found at those intersections.  This analysis can be found in Appendix B. 

3.      Short and Long-Term Options:

NYSDOT has some observations concerning the reconfiguring/consolidation of several access points (driveways) along Route 30A between East State Street and Townsend Avenue.  While it appears that many of the newer developments have access management precepts built into their lot configuration, many of the older developments have driveway configurations which may warrant modification.  The observations include: 

The convenience store/gas station at the corner of East State Street has four (4) entrances (two on each side).  These could be consolidated/relocated as far away from the intersection as possible. 

The Route 29/Main Street intersection has several properties with driveways in close proximity to the intersection, which compromise safety and operational efficiencies. Any major capacity improvement to the corridor would likely require the acquisition of all or part of those properties.  

Between Main Street and Briggs Street on the western side of Route 30A, each business has several driveways, creating traffic conflict points.  Opportunities for consolidation and/or reconfiguration should be investigated in this area.  Also, it is our understanding that at least one high volume commercial development has been proposed on the eastern side of this section. Careful consideration should be given to the subdivision of the land on this side of the road in terms of providing access to Route 30A. Considering the volume and congestion present in this section, numerous new driveways would not be a desirous option from an operational perspective. 

Between Briggs Street and Townsend Avenue, the access control is good on many of the newer developments, however, there are many older locations with multiple and/or poorly defined entrances. It also appears that opportunities for consolidation and/or reconfiguration exist.  In addition, the gas station at the Briggs Street intersection has an extremely long curb cut. The opportunity may exist to shorten/reconfigure this driveway away from the intersection, which would reduce conflict points and thus heighten safety and improve efficiency. These suggestions would permit full access to all these properties without the compromising conflict with through movement that currently exists. 

    B.  NYS Route 29: 
        The following table identifies how traffic counts, at four (4) points along NYS Route 29 in the City of Johnstown, have changed since 1987:

  C.           NYS Route 67: 

The following table identifies how traffic counts, at four (4) points along NYS Route 67 in the City of Johnstown, have changed since 1986: 

3.               TRANSPORTATION ISSUES: 

A.    Traffic congestion on Route 30A during peak hours has become a major concern.  At peak hours, traffic can often be backed up on Route 30A from Briggs Street to East Main Street.  The congestion on Route 30A is resulting in vehicles using local/connector roads in the City to bypass Route 30A.  This is creating congestion on City streets.

B.    The intersection of NYS Routes 30A and 67 has become very congested during peak hours.  The geometry of the intersection restricts turning movements, especially for northbound tractor-trailers on NYS Route 30A turning right onto NYS Route 67.  The absence of turning lanes on NYS Route 67 also causes excessive delays and traffic stacking at this intersection.  The pavement on NYS Route 67 from NYS Route 30A to South East Avenue is in poor condition and is currently a safety hazard.

C.    The intersection of Route 30A, Chestnut Street and Union Avenue Ext. is a bottleneck and safety concern.

D.    Traffic congestion at the entrances/exits to/for the Johnstown Industrial Park has become significant.

E.    Traffic safety problems exist at the Union Avenue Extension and Route 30A intersection as vehicles attempt to bypass the Enterprise Road
by trying to get out onto Route 30A at the Union Avenue Extension intersection.  This is a poorly designed intersection that NYSDOT needs
to be addressed.

F.     No pedestrian walkways exist along Route 30A north of Briggs Street.  In addition, there are not enough pedestrian crosswalks across Route 30A. 

G.    There is significant traffic congestion at the Main Street/Perry Street intersection.

H.    No signage exists at crosswalks in the City directing drivers to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in a crosswalk. 

4.               RECOMMENDATIONS: 

A.    The City of Johnstown should request and encourage the NYS Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) to develop a Corridor Plan for dealing with the congestion, safety, pedestrian and other issues along the Route 30A Corridor in the City of Johnstown. The NYSDOT should work with City of Johnstown officials in developing an appropriate plan for dealing with these issues. The City of Johnstown should then encourage the NYSDOT to appropriate the necessary funds to implement the changes identified in said plan.
 

B.    The City of Johnstown should encourage the utilization of biking and walking to and from work and utilizing the bike path as may be practical in that regard.

C.    The City of Johnstown should work with the Gloversville Transit Authority in establishing additional public transportation services to the Johnstown Industrial Park.

D.    The City of Johnstown should look to prohibit truck traffic in certain residential neighborhoods.

E.    The City of Johnstown should purchase and install appropriate signage to direct motorists to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians using or located in a crosswalk.

CHAPTER IX 

LAND USE PLAN

A Land Use Plan represents a community’s vision of how it wishes to look in the future. The Land Use Plan brings together all of the various components of a Comprehensive Plan and visually displays them on a map. The Land Use Plan is the vision. A community must then put in place the appropriate land use controls, i.e. zoning, site plan review, subdivision regulations, etc., to guide land use development in a way necessary to achieve the vision depicted in the Land Use Plan. 

The proposed Land Use Plan for the City of Johnstown represents the picture of how the City should look in the future.  Key elements of the Land Use Plan include:

1)      Preserving Johnstown’s small town quality of life.

2)      Maintaining strong neighborhoods.

3)      Recognizing the City’s Central Business District.

4)      Providing recreational opportunities and open spaces.

5)      Preserve key natural resources including the Cayadutta, Hall, Hale and Mathew Creeks.

CHAPTER X 

PERIODIC REVIEW OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

The Comprehensive Plan shall be annually reviewed, by the City Planning Board, at their January meeting.  The Planning Board shall review all of the activity/issues they discussed and were involved with over the past year. The Planning Board shall seek input from the City Code Enforcement Official, Zoning Board of Appeals, City Engineer and City Attorney on whether any issues or concerns have been identified over the past year with the content of the Comprehensive Plan.  At its January meeting, the Planning Board shall develop and submit a recommendation to the Common Council on whether the Comprehensive Plan needs or should be formally updated or modified.

If the Planning Board recommends no update is necessary, no action shall be taken by the Common Council.  If the Planning Board recommends that the Comprehensive Plan should be updated or modified, the Common Council shall appoint a Comprehensive Plan Committee of community volunteers to prepare an update to the Comprehensive Plan.

The Comprehensive Plan shall be updated no later than every five (5) years.  All updates to the Comprehensive Plan shall be prepared by a Comprehensive Plan Committee consisting of community volunteers and one or more members of the City Planning Board appointed by the Common Council.