Comprehensive Plan Task Force irons out issues: Move forward on transportation, health and safety sections

Patience and communication won out at a meeting last week between the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee and Comprehensive Plan Task Force.

There had appeared to be unrest between members of the Advisory Committee (CPAC) and the Task Force. Councilwomen Meg Larsen and BJ Ianfolla and Senior Building Inspector Reed Karen spoke about the role of the Advisory Committee in formulating a draft of an updated Comprehensive Plan.

But the effort was kept on course through an open discussion without rancor.

At issue for the 10-member Advisory Committee were questions about:

• A timeline to estimate when their work would conclude?

A preliminary timeline will likely be available later this month and the group could finish its work in June 2023.                             

• Whether work they are doing on some parts of the plan would have to be redone as a result of information from Town committees, including the Community Housing Board, Community Housing Fund Advisory Board and Water Advisory Committee?

Careful monitoring and outreach to the committees is allowing for adjustments to be made along the way as the effort is to “marry” the work of the committees with an overall Comprehensive Plan.

• Although all Comprehensive Plan meetings are open to the public, when would forums be held to gain input from the residents?

Likely to start by mid-July.

• Why is the Plan Task Force looking to share a consultant with other committees, instead of having its own dedicated consultant?

To save money. When some data needed by individual committees is the same as the Plan group, it makes sense to ask a consultant to share information with both. This doesn’t preclude bringing in a consultant later to assist with drafting the Comprehensive Plan that would be submitted to the voters in a referendum.

• Whether the plan would be advocating for still unresolved issues and how it would be used if adopted?

The Comprehensive Plan group isn’t charged with writing any legislation, but taking a broad view of what residents would like to retain, eliminate or revise for the Town to 10 or more years from now.

A new Comprehensive Plan is meant to provide a vision, not be a document advocating for legislation, Ms. Larsen and Ms. Ianfolla said. The intent is to guide this and future Town Boards in considering actions and resolutions in line with what the community wants.

Following resolution of the questions, the group turned its attention to reviewing open issues relating to transportation needs in the Town, as well as health and safety. Much of the section on transportation needs has been addressed.

Work on health and safety measures has begun with outreach to Town departments, committees, Shelter Island School and others looking for input on issues about what constitutes a threat to safety; what resources exist or need to be created to deal with needs of children, senior residents and the community at large, including mental health needs and food insufficiency.

CPAC members will be examining sources of information and suggestions while the Task Force will continue to reach out for information on what should be addressed and what is needed.

That’s expected to be the subject of the July 27 meeting.