Planning department wins CFA grants; planner position advertised and countywide strategic plan set to start April 1

Cayuga County planning staff reported two grant awards and staffing moves that will expand county planning capacity. The County-wide Brownfields Opportunity Area (BOA) project and a countywide strategic plan (36 months) both have funding and are scheduled to start April 1.

"We did receive, our grant award notifications for both of the CFAs that we submitted last year," Carrie, the county planner, said. The BOA grant will start April 1; the countywide strategic plan is a 36-month project that will incorporate BLRA/Bella results (staff referenced "Bella" materials) into the plan.

Staffing and contracting: Planning staff said the county authorized a planner position that has been advertised for about 10 days and has already produced three applications that are civil-service and HR approved; the planner position will support the countywide plan and other projects. Staff also said the department will respond to an RFP from the City of Auburn for an update to Auburn's comprehensive plan if selected; any contract with the city would require a resolution at the legislature.

Small municipal work: Carrie said the planning department has already accepted a few small paid requests from municipalities this year and that there has been no pushback to charging for that work.

Why it matters: The BOA and countywide strategic plan funding will allow the county to pursue development and remediation strategies and coordinate countywide growth and infrastructure decisions over the next three years.

Ending: Staff will return with updates and a formal resolution as needed if the county is selected for consultant work or chooses to contract with the city.