Troy's New Comprehensive Plan Takes Shape

The city's consultant gives an update to the City's Planning Commission

Matthew O’Rourke from American Structurepoint, the city’s consultant on creating a new comprehensive plan, provided an update on their work at the last meeting of the Troy Planning Commission. The city’s last comprehensive plan was created in the mid 2000s and is in desparate need of being updated. The critical plan is designed to help guide future infrastructure, land use and to a lesser extent, social service programming, over the next twenty years.

The focus of the presentation was on sharing the current progress of the plan, which remains in draft form. O’Rourke emphasized that the presentation aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the work without delving into all details; the comprehensive plan is still under review and being guided by the plan’s steering committee.

The presentation touched on the completion of an existing conditions report that was completed around last Thanksgiving, which serves as a foundational piece filled with extensive data including housing demand analysis and park analysis, reflecting community feedback. This publication is planning to go in depth into the report in future editions of this newsletter.

The engagement with the community has been robust, highlighted by participation in local events, stakeholder meetings, and an online survey that garnered almost 700 responses, confirming the active involvement and positive outlook of Troy's residents on their community. O’Rourke said that his frim was hoping for 500 reponses throughout the community, the consultants are impressed by the level of civic engagement throughout the city.

Initial findings from the presentation revealed that the top assets of Troy include its location, quality of life, parks and recreation assets, the school system, and its employment base. Themes from public engagement prominently featured the themes of the downtown area, parks, and public transit. Downtown Troy, in particular, was praised for its development over the last twenty years, showing a strong attitude community pride and satisfaction.

A significant portion of the discussion with the City’s Planning Commission was dedicated to growth management, where it was clear that the community desires controlled and deliberate growth. There is a collective aim to preserve the small-town feel of Troy, with a preference for modest growth that maintains the town’s charming character and sense of community. This is reflected in the plan's vision and goals, aiming to keep Troy as a regional hub of activity, culture, and social interaction, while also focusing on maintaining its community-oriented character. The vision statement shared with the Planning Commission is pictured below.

O’Rourke also discussed a draft version of the future land use map that outlines expected growth areas and designates zones for various uses. A particular focus was given to differentiating between downtown mixed use and other mixed-use areas to preserve downtown's scale and character. Additionally, the importance of considering infrastructure needs and transportation improvements was highlighted, including actual implementation of the city’s complete streets plan and addressing potential needs for wastewater treatment expansion due to growth.

The presentation concluded with an overview of the next steps, including future community engagement events such as the Troy Strawberry Festival and an open house to gather more feedback. The comprehensive plan is expected to wrap up around August or September, with revisions to zoning ordinances continuing into the next year. The presentation emphasized a community-centric approach to planning, aiming to balance growth and development with preserving Troy's character and meeting the community's needs and expectations.

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