1.

Project Background & Planning

Process
2. Planning Process
3. Study Area Issues, Trends, and
Opportunities
4. Public Engagement
5. Strategic Sites
6. Next Steps
7. Questions
8. Open House/Public Feedback!
Previous Planning Work
Comprehensive Plan, Downtown Connections Plan, Waterfront Concept Plan

2022 Grant Application

Goals: Economic Development, Pedestrian Connectivity, Gateway Enhancements

NYSDOS Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) Program

Program Background
Three Steps: BOA “Nomination” (the plan), BOA Designation, Pre-Development
Program Benefits
Evaluate issues & opportunities

Establish a vision

Identify priority sites/areas

Develop recommendations for

investment & revitalization
Winter/Spring Summer/Fall
Summer 2023 Winter/Spring
2023 2023 Fall/Winter 2023
Public survey 2024
Kick-Off & Study Strategic site Public visioning &
launch & public Recommendation
Area identification & goal setting
engagement & Plan
Inventory/Data property owner workshop
events Development
Collection outreach

Regular Project Advisory Committee Meetings

 The Village’s population has declined in
recent, contrary to County-wide trends. Geography 2011 2021 % Change
Opportunities to build on external growth and
Village of Scotia 7,725 7,305 -5.4%
attract new residents should be explored.
Town of Glenville 29,352 29,313 -0.1%
The Village’s low median age is of note and in Schenectady County 153,935 157,515 +2.3%
contrast to County-wide and general upstate
NY trends.
Households in the Village are smaller than
they have been historically. Examining the Geography 2011 2021 % Change
adequacy of the housing options that are Village of Scotia 38.4 36.5 -4.9%
available will be key.
Town of Glenville 43.3 42.7 -1.4%
The Village of Scotia experienced a decrease
in the unemployment, indicating a positive Schenectady County 39.9 39.9 0.0%
trend in job availability or growth.
The core of the study area is an established
residential neighborhood, largely
comprised of single-family homes.

Mohawk Avenue, the Village’s commercial

core, forms the southern spine of the study
area and has seen recent development,
including chain retailers and mixed-use
apartment development.
.
Vacant parcels in the study area represent
an opportunity for infill development.
 The Village has a nuanced zoning code, with
eight district districts mapped in the study area.

While the Village has design guidelines to

ensure new development along and adjacent
to Mohawk Avenue is compatible with the
historic development pattern, recent
developers have argued that compliance is
not feasible.
 96 parcels, representing a combined 129
acres, were identified as vacant, underutilized,
abandoned, or brownfield sites.

Vacant, underutilized and brownfield sites are

concentrated along Mohawk Avenue – a high
visibility and heavily trafficked roadway – and
in clusters along other transportation
corridors.
 Most (97%) of the study area parcels are
privately owned, indicating a need to work
closely with property owners to identify
redevelopment opportunities.

Very few property owners own more than 2

parcels.

While only 18 of the study area parcels are

owned by the Village, several of these are
vacant or underutilized and offer an
opportunity to explore reuse.
 While the study area contains only a small
amount of park acreage, Collins Park runs
along the study boundary and is used by
residents of the study area and beyond.

Freedom Park and Scotia Landing are a unique

waterfront open space that hold popular
programming in the summer months.
 While much of the study area contains older,
historic structures, only one building is listed
on the National Register of Historic Places:
the US Post Office on Mohawk Avenue
.
There are opportunities to further highlight
Scotia’s historic role in the historic Barge
Canal to more meaningfully connect residents
with this chapter of Village history.

Much of the study area is sensitive to

archaeological resources, indicating that
further evaluation of the presence of artifacts
may be necessary as part of future ground
disturbance construction activities.
 Mohawk Avenue is the most heavily-trafficked
roadway and has also been the subject of traffic
calming studies and recommendations to address its
high crash incidence rate.
Recent studies have shown that there is available on-
and off-street parking capacity in the study area.
While served by two bus routes, transit use in the
study area remains low, particularly since the COVID-
19 pandemic.
Minimal bike infrastructure exists in the study area
today. There are several opportunities to enhance and
improve trail connections and bicycle connectivity
within the study area.
 The entirety of the study area is served by
water and sewer infrastructure, representing
an advantage and cost-saving to potential
developers.

The Village’s water and sewer systems are old

and in need of upgrades. The Village has a list
of priority projects that they are currently
moving forward.
 While only a small portion of the study area is
within the 100-year floodplain, increasing
flooding frequency and intensity suggest the
need to incorporate resiliency measures in
larger areas.

The southern end of the study area includes

wetlands and wetland check zones.
Development in these areas would require
NYSDEC consultation and potentially permitting.

The topography and soils present in the study

area generally do not inhibit the development
or redevelopment of underutilized parcels.
The Village and larger area have experienced
decreases in retail vacancy rates over the 14.0%
past decade, indicating strong demand and
opportunities for growth. 12.0%
13.0%

10.0%

The Village and surrounding area have seen 7.7%

8.0%
dramatic increases in home values in recent 7.5%
6.5%
8.1%
7.2%
years, which raise concerns around 6.0% 5.3% 5.1%
4.8% 4.8%
affordability. 5.5%
3.6% 3.7% 3.7%
4.0% 4.8% 3.4% 3.5%
3.1%
2.7%
2.3%
2.0%
Demand for multifamily residential has been 1.5%
2.0% 2.1%
1.5%
1.2%
rising consistently in the Village and 0.0% 0.8% 0.8%
0.5% 0.7% 0.7%
0.4%
1.1%
0.5%
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
surrounding area, as measured by rental and Village of Scotia Town of Glenville Schenectady County
vacancy rates.
 Village of Scotia Town of Glenville Schenectady County

% % %
2022 2027 2022 2027 2022 2027
Change Change Change

Households 3,210 3,159 -1.6% 12,202 12,141 0.0% 64,640 64,644 0.01%

Average
Household
Size 2.19 2.18 -0.5% 2.31 2.29 -0.01% 2.36 2.34 -0.9%

Looking ahead, significant increases in retail and residential are not projected;
however, shifts in housing types should continue to be examined.

Nine business type were identified as having the potential to grow or as having
“gaps” in their supply.
 • Bi-Monthly Advisory Committee Meetings
• Public Engagement Plan
• Public Engagement to-date
• Survey launched in July
Advisory Committee • Presence at local events
• David Bucciferro, Mayor • Stephan Martini, Business • Website
• Justin Cook, Trustee Owner
• Maria Schmitz, • Ravi Modasra, Business
• Press Releases
Clerk/Treasurer Owner & Developer • Stakeholder/Property Owner Interviews
• Newe Haile, Deputy Clerk • John Geniti, Elementary
• Eric Buskirk, Planning Board School Principal • Student workshops
Chair
• Bob Dietrerich, 1st National • Rotary Club presentation
Bank/Metroplex Board
Member
 • Most defining qualities: walkable, small community, Collins
Park
260 Responses • Pride in local parks and recreation, schools, and library
• Opportunities for improved waterfront access
Mix of ages
• Concerns around costs (living, housing, taxes)
62% Village residents • Grocery, convenience stores, and walkability are the draw of
Mohawk Avenue
75% have lived in Scotia • Interest in more stores & restaurants downtown
10+ years
• Indicated need for more single-family housing and senior
housing
 Several underutilized and vacant sites

Recent property transactions

Interested property owners & developers

Opportunities for new mixed-use infill

development & adaptive reuse

Incorporate recommendations from the

Mohawk Avenue Corridor Study
 Several underutilized and vacant sites

Recent property transactions

Interested property owners & developers

Opportunities for new mixed-use infill

development & adaptive reuse

Incorporate recommendations from the

Mohawk Avenue Corridor Study
 Several underutilized and vacant sites

Interested property owners & developers

Opportunities for mixed-use adaptive

reuse

Improve the northern gateway aesthetics

Evaluate opportunities for roadway

network improvements
Several underutilized and vacant sites

Auto-oriented land use patterns

Recent property transactions

Planned property improvements

Opportunities to improve pedestrian

connectivity for school/youth
population
 Several underutilized and vacant sites

Mix of auto, residential, and community

uses

Recent property transactions

Interested property owners & developers

Opportunities for streetscape

improvements

Explore Rails with Trail opportunities

 Finalize Plan Vision & Goals

Strategic Site Recommendations

Draft Plan for Public Review

 this is
Something
you say

Norabelle Greenberger, AICP

Senior Planner, LaBella Associates
Phone: (518) 824-1933
Email: ngreenberger@labellapc.com