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Curious? Have feedback or ideas for us? Want to help? PLEASE JOIN US!Next scheduled meetings:Monday, November 21andMonday, December 5@ 6:30 pm690 East Main Street,Little Falls, NY
(For more details about our group, please see the back cover/p.4)
MSF Gazette
BRAINSTORMING:A Few Ideas for Jump-Starting our Local Economy
This is an excellent time to consider possible strategies for economic development and to seek opinions from residents on how to achieve a more vital economic climate in our city. No one person can have all the answers, but with thoughtful voices joining together, the economy of Little Falls could surely be strengthened.Here are a few ideas:Is it possible to find ten new, successful businesses in our area that have chosen to be
here? Those CEOs could be interviewed as to how and why they are here—and whether any of their suppliers might be wooed into moving to this area as well. (Those CEOs might have additional suggestions worthy of pursuing.)A personal contact could be made with the chair of the Governor’s Economic Task Force. What can we do for them? What do we have to offer?A package or press kit inviting potential
businesses to relocate here should be sent to the summer’s overnight guests of the marina.Personal contact could be made with the CEO of Bassett Hospital, expressing our desire to be a working partner and our eagerness to grow that partnership.“Green invention” incubator spaces could be established in the Gilbert Mill, which could be (continued on p. 3)
MSF PROJECT: Adopt-a-BlockIn the spirit of the successful national “Adopt a Highway” program, MSF has launched an informal local version. Some of our members have adopted the following parts of Main Street.
Our goal is to remove all litter on a weekly basis.
* Furnace St. to School St.
* School St. to Ann St.
* Ann St. to Second St.
* Second St. to Mary St.
* Mary St. to William St.
* William to Waverly Pl.
* Waverly to Ward St.
You do not need to be a member to join in.
If you would like to adopt a section or help out, please send an email to [email protected].
FALL/WINTER 2011Volume 1, Issue 1A quarterly publication
Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.
-- Will Rogers
Fr ee
Smart Growth is a group of relatively new ideas within the field of Municipal Planning, but it is also a revival of some very old, tried-and-true, successful ideas. It uses practical planning principles to tap community resources in the most effective and cost-efficient ways.
Specifically, Smart Growth is a set of principles that seek to foster a strong, sustainable, and walkable community. It seeks to concentrate resources on the maintenance and improvement of existing public infrastructures, and to focus development efforts to renew existing downtowns and Main Streets, rather than encouraging expensive new development on the outskirts of town.
Smart Growth is the opposite of the increasingly expensive automobile-dependent “sprawl” development that has been the pattern for over 60 years in this country. In an age of ever-increasing gas prices, it no longer makes sense to develop so that people need a car to get virtually everywhere. Pedestrian-friendly, bicycle-friendly, and mass-transit friendly design and planning principles are what our times require now.
In fact, recent NYS law requires communities to have Smart Growth plans in place to receive state infrastructure grants. Communities such as Little Falls that have no Smart Growth municipal
plans in place are going to lose out on many funding opportunities to communities who do have such plans.
The Ten Principles of Smart Growth
• Create a range of housing opportunities• Create walkable neighborhoods• Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration• Foster distinctive, attractive communities
with a strong sense of place• Make development decisions predictable, fair and cost-effective• Mix land uses• Preserve open space, farmland, and critical environmental areas• Provide a variety of transportation choices• Take advantage of compact building design• Direct development
towards existing communities
The first steps in implementing Smart Growth here will involve community participation to develop our own goals and plans for the city. Fortunately Little Falls, because of what we already have--especially our beautiful walkable downtown--is in a far better position than most communities to put these principles into practice.
Alan ChaceM.A., GeographyLicensed Land Surveyor
This article was adapted from a presentation made to the Little Falls Rotary Club in November 2010 and was also published in the Little Falls Times as a Letter to the Editor in September 2011.
COMING TO TERMS: What Does “Smart Growth” Mean?
“Fortunately Little Falls, because of what we already have—
especially our beautiful walkable downtown—is in a far better
position than most communities...”
Page 2 of 4
UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS
marketed to graduates of engineering schools.The recreational trail should be completed and enhanced with a bicycle shop (sales and service), bed & breakfasts, and trailside eateries. Bicyclists bring business. Tourists bring business. As a community we need to be ready for visitors.
Finally, local farmers ready to vertically integrate agricultural products should be encouraged and helped.Creating a certified public kitchen would boost this endeavor, as would the development of a microbrewery, cheese factory, hops growers, garlic growers, wineries, and orchards. With promotion of our area’s agriculture we also need to invest in the “branding” of Mohawk Valley food products distributed into metropolitan areas.
Jayne Ritz
This article was originally published in the Little Falls Times as a Letter to the Editor in September 2011.
DECEMBER* 3rd, Saturday, from 6 - 9 pm, Wine Tasting & Art Auction,
Masonic Temple, Little Falls. Tickets available at the Herkimer County Humane Society. All proceeds benefit the the Herkimer County Humane Society.
* 9th, Friday and 10th, Saturday, Christmas in Little Falls. Events, special sales, decorations, scavenger hunt, and more—throughout downtown and Canal Place.
* 10th, Saturday, from 9 am-3 pm, Knight’s Inn, Little Falls Indoor Farmer’s Market. Contact Christine Van Meter at 823-9200 or [email protected] to reserve a vendor booth or table.
* 10th, Saturday, from 6 -11 pm, Knight’s Inn, Herkimer County Chamber of Commerce Dinner Dance. Music By "Cleen Street" 8-11pm. For tickets or more information call Bonnie at 315-866-7820.
* 10th, Saturday, from 8 -10 pm, Black Box Theatre. An evening of great music and laughs with Two of Hearts and Friends (Formally Downtown). Contact Richard or David at 315-823-0208 for more information.
* 14th, Wednesday, from 8 - 10 a.m, Senior Citizens Breakfast, at the Little Falls High School cafeteria. The Future Business Leaders of America and Service Learning class will host the 21st annual event.
Page 3 of 4
BRAINSTORMING: A Few Ideas for Jump-Starting our Local Economy (continued from p. 1)
These are the sorts of things we discuss and plan at our meetings. Join us! Bring your ideas, skills, and energy and help us reach these and other good goals for our community.
* Plan a lecture series.
* Update our website.
* Prepare and distribute articles expanding on our Statement of Principles.
* Urge city officials to approve alternate-side parking on a trial basis on Main and Albany Streets this winter.
* Advocate for the creation of a bike lane on the Burke (Rte. 167) bridge.
MSF’S LONG-TERM PLANS* Work with city officials to develop a comprehensive Municipal Plan.* Work with city officials to promote residential revitalization.* Create a certified Community Kitchen.* Continue to urge the owners of Shoppers Square to improve/expand on their site.
MSF’S SHORT-TERM GOALS
Main Street First is a nonpartisan group whose interests are to help revitalize our city and to work constructively towards a better future.
In August, we mailed our Statement of Principles to every home and business within the city in an effort to create dialogue among the citizens of Little Falls.
If you missed or misplaced it and would like a printed copy, please let us know and we’ll get one to you.
Or you may read the full text online at our website.
Our first principle (there are a total of six):
“We support the economic revitalization of Little Falls.
* Smart Growth
* Walkable Community
* Revitalization of our core business district
* Use of existing infrastructure such as our utilities and roads.”
We expanded upon elements of our first principle in this issue—and will expand upon the others in future issues.
Additionally, you will see occasional Letters to the Editor in the Little Falls Times from our members and others on these principles. We welcome your feedback and ideas!
MAIN STREET FIRST’S“STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES”
HOW TO JOIN MSFIf you would like to get
involved, have questions or ideas,
or are thinking of joining, we invite you to come to
our meetings—everyone is welcome!
We’re on the Web!Email us at: [email protected]
Visit our website at: www.mainstreetfirstny.comVisit our blog at: http://mainstreetfirst.wordpress.com/Facebook: “like” the Main Street First Facebook page
To receive a copy of our quarterly newsletter electronically, please send your request to: [email protected].
Licari Motor Car • Herkimer, NY
P O B o x 5 8 1 • 6 9 0 E Ma i n S t • L i t t l e Fa l l s • N Y • 1 3 3 6 5 t e l e p h o n e : 3 1 5 - 8 2 3 -4 2 9 1 • e m a i l : u r i c h @ v e r i z o n . n e t
Little Falls Construction continues to build locally with a social commitment as well as bricks and mortar. Join us in rebuilding our community along with your homes and businesses.
Frederic (Chico) UrichProud sponsor of this newsletter
