New Scotland Comprehensive Plan

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The Town's 1994 Comprehensive Plan[1] provides strong language promoting hamlet development and recommends pro-actively regulating zones to preserve key land from uncharacteristic developers' plans:

p. 143, "Light Density Residential zones should act as transition zones between Residential-Hamlet and Residential-Agriculture zones."

p. 144: “it is recommended that agricultural lands with soils classified as primary and secondary be protected by zoning regulations which require preservation of agricultural lands to the greatest extent possible.”

p 153: [Designate Town center areas, allowing for residential lots at higher densities.] "Development in these centers is intended to taper out at progressively lower densities until densities blend with the rural residential character of outlying areas."

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Preservation of open space & rural character

p3 §B.1.A.: "The Town's people expressed great concern over the rural character of the Town. It was perceived that present development trends are allowing too much of the Town's open space to be lost to development and that this development is not in keeping with traditional growth patterns. Suggestions for improving this condition included: limiting population densities, re-distributing housing
densities, preserving open space through clustering and creating a citizens advisory committee for review of open space policies.
p132 §c.: "Adjustments to the Town's land development regulations should not only address the community development issues discussed here but also serve to preserve rural character and protect environmental resources. Regulatory mechanisms (open space set asides, cluster zoning, density transfers) which protect the Town's valuable natural resources, without excluding residential development, are recommended."
p148 §I.a.Issue: (similar...)
p158 para. 3: "Limitations on clearing of forest cover, control over new road cuts and driveway access, as well as buffer standards, are specifically intended to mitigate suburban development conditions which contrast rural character. Required open space requirements, planning to incorporate "greenway" concepts, recommendations for improving traffic impacts and considerations for other municipal services are proposed. These tools can be used to promote growth that is sensitive to environmental conditions and the Town's rural character."

Preservation of agricultural land

p16 §I.C.: "Goal: Land Use and Development, Policies: To modify zoning in the Town such that environmentally critical and sensitive areas and land use for agriculture and forestry are protected and maintained."
p35 §E.1.: "As land values climb within the Town many local farmers may find it more economical to subdivide or sell their land to developers rather than actively farm it. Agricultural land adds considerably to the Town's open space and rural character. Careful management of these lands will help to preserve Town character which is one of the primary goals of this Comprehensive Plan."
p36 para. 1: "There are two principal means by which the Town of New Scotland may preserve its agricultural character. The first is to ensure that the Town's current Agricultural Districts are properly established within State guidelines. The Town can enact zoning regulations which support farmers and protect agricultural land."
p43 §6: "A pro-active policy approach to agricultural land preservation should emphasize innovative open space techniques such as mandatory land setaside regulation and/or cluster zoning. In addition, large lots, the size of which would depend upon the quality of the land as categorized by the land (as categorized by the Soil Conservation Service) and existing land uses should also be relied on in these districts to promote agricultural character. Lower density development is recommended. Zoning in agricultural districts should be written to encourage farming and related use. Residential development, where allowed, should be limited to strategic locations where agriculturally significant soils are not in question and where conflicts between residential and farm uses such as noise and odors are minimized."
p48 §5: "Category 4, Minimal Environmental Restrictions This category includes any remaining areas in the Town where conditions are most favorable for more intensive development. Many of these lands lie within areas of prime agricultural value and need to be considered not only for their development suitability but also for their contribution to the Town agricultural base and open space character. Regulation of these lands are proposed in the Comprehensive Land Use Plan."
p149 §b.: (similar)
p157 §2 para. 1: "Agriculture and forested lands should be protected by zoning which encourages continuation of farming and forestry management while discouraging creation of large scale residential subdivisions."
p158 §C para. 3: "Residential Hamlet and Commercial Hamlet densities are intended to encourage and protect existing hamlets in the Town. Low density areas are recommended to encourage agricultural activities, preserve rural character and protect environmentally sensitive outlying areas."

Development of hamlets as priority

p14 §III.C.: "Policies: Townscape, To encourage development in hamlet areas and discourage sprawl"
p15 §III.A.: "Policies: Hamlets, To promote definite hamlet boundaries and encourage higher intensity use of these areas through restoration of community center character allowing for appropriate mixes of residential, commercial, office uses and public service uses."
p16 §II.B.: "Policies: Residential, To encourage infill and higher density uses in hamlet areas where appropriate infrastructure may be placed and where transportation systems can be improved to handle increased traffic."
p74 §6 para. 4: "Natural conditions enable each hamlet to safely accommodate additional development at a density of one unit per acre. If at any time both water and sewer facilities were introduced in one of these hamlet areas, safe density could jump to one unit per quarter acre."
p75 para. 1: "New Scotland is still an essentially rural community. While long lost in many Capital District suburbs, the traditional development pattern, [where] buildings are clustered in hamlet areas and outer areas remain open, is still dominant in New Scotland. This development pattem gives the Town an historic context. Scattered throughout, the many residential structures, farms, inns, schools and churches provide more apparent historic charm, as do several of the compact hamlets."
p153 §b.: "Recommendation: Designate... New Scotland... as Town center areas and preserve and foster the traditional development pattern in these zones with land use regulations which allow for residential lots at higher densities, mixed use structures, offices, and commercial establishments. Development in these centers is intended to taper out at progressively lower densities until densities blend with the rural residential character of outlying areas. Infrastructure and other improvements must be added along with new development to support development at higher densities."
p155 §b.: "Promote rental housing by allowing two family and mixed use structures in hamlets and higher density residential zones. Using zoning, promote construction of smaller units with less land acreage in hamlet areas, and enable innovative mixed density development utilizing average density development and other propessive techniques."
p156 §B para. 3: "The first design concept is intended to reestablish town hamlets as the focus of development. To a reasonable extent, construction of new development will be encouraged to locate within or near existing hamlet areas in the Town of New Scotland."
p157 §1 para. 2: "If [New Scotland Town Center is] to continue to atract development at densities and uses in line with the traditional development pattern, zoning must be provided to allow mixed use buildings and denser residential development within and adjacent to these hamlets. By providing areas which accommodate development on relatively small lots, these centers should help to alleviate development pressures facing rural areas and ensure that the Town's land use regulations are not overly restrictive."