Events

Manning Speaks on Scenic Byways to Durham Community Planners Meeting

Peter Manning, regional planner for the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development, spoke at the quarterly membership meeting of Durham Community Planners, Inc (DCP) on Thursday, October 16 on scenic byways in Greene County, including the Hunter and proposed Durham State-designated Scenic Byways.

"This was the first in our new series of quarterly, issue-oriented meetings on topics of importance in the Town of Durham, "said Alanna McKiernan, the president of DCP. "As the Town is developing a Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan, we thought a speaker with experience in this issue would be beneficial in informing the public regarding this issue."

Manning spoke on his experiences in the development of the Mountain Cloves Scenic Byway in the Town of Hunter, which the Catskill Center is developing the Corridor Management Plan for Mountain Cloves on behalf of. The Town of Hunter started with three New York State Scenic Roads, and created a 38-mile X-shaped road tour that will provide opportunities for tourists to see a variety of scenic aspects of the Catskills as well as provide places where economic development can occur. Once the Corridor Management Plan is approved by the State, Hunter will surpass Durham with the most miles of scenic road in one town in New York State.

In his presentation, Manning stressed that working closely with the New York State Department of Transportation and the public are critical for development of a successful Corridor Management Plan. Given the increasingly competitive and diverse tourism market, the Scenic Byway is one way the Town can advertise itself differently than other Catskill communities, Manning said. Updating the Scenic Roads for the 21st Century may be necessary in order to make them function as a true scenic economic development resource.

DCP's next Membership Meeting on Thursday, January 15, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. at the East Durham Fire House will likely feature a discussion of the possibilities for wind power in the Town, and DCP is currently working on speakers for that meeting. "The idea behind issue-oriented meetings," said McKiernan, "is to foster discussion and promote understanding of matters immediately important to Durham residents."

DCP is a not-for-profit community organization dedicated to promoting good planning and a better quality of life in the Durham Valley. Membership and all of its meetings are free and open to the public.

Catskill Creek in Summer.