Rockland Planners Hold Final Public Meeting

Public meetings that helped gather input from the public for Rockland’s 2025 Comprehensive Plan Update and Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS), held their final meeting with members of the community on Thursday evening, June 5, at St. Thomas Aquinas College in Sparkill. BFJ Planning of New York City has held a meeting in each of the county’s five towns since February to hear views, ideas and concerns from the public about the future of the county.  

The update to the County’s 2011 Comprehensive Plan was stalled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but all its agencies and elected officials are presenting their ideas to BFJ Planning, and the public’s input was deemed invaluable to help define what its citizens’ priorities are. 

Many of the attendees expressed concerns over the lack of workforce and senior housing and how the County will mitigate that issue.  Water, which has been a problem for New York’s smallest county, was also an area of concern.  For Rockland to continue to grow and prosper, addressing those quality-of-life issues was paramount to residents, and there’s no doubt the County wants to see the younger generation have access to equitable housing and employment opportunities–as well as senior housing for those who need to downsize– making it possible for them to remain in Rockland.

Susan Favate, a Principal at BFJ Planning, said the draft of the updated Comprehensive Plan is expected to be completed by early next year and finalized by June 2026.  To learn more, visit www.envisionrockland.com to see the proposals being made to update the Plan.