Washingtonville holds public hearing on draft comprehensive plan; committee to deliberate before recommending to board

Bonnie Fransen, the planner retained by the Village of Washingtonville, presented a draft comprehensive plan to the comprehensive plan committee and the public on the committee’s public hearing, describing goals for land use, housing, environmental protection and downtown design.

The plan, presented as a 2024 draft, describes the village as roughly 2.54 square miles with a 2020 population of about 5,657 and says much of the built area is residential. The draft notes roughly 200 acres of vacant or agricultural land within about 1,554 total acres and that about 88.4% of parcels are residential; the draft says about 54.6% of dwelling units are single‑family detached and highlights existing multifamily and manufactured‑home stock.

The planner said the document sets a 10–20 year vision and would be used to align zoning with that vision and to support grant funding such as New York Forward and the Downtown Revitalization Initiative.…