Consultants kick off Oswego comprehensive‑plan update; commissioners press on downtown, Route 34, housing and infrastructure

Consultants from the Lakota Group presented the kickoff of an update to Oswego’s comprehensive plan at a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, and commissioners used the session to press for solutions on downtown viability, Route 34 traffic, housing diversity and underground infrastructure.

"Well, my name is Suraj Asvahani. I'm a senior vice president with the Lakota Group," Suraj Asvahani told the commission as he introduced the firm and its subconsultants. Hannah Bader, vice president with the Lakota Group, said the process will center public engagement already under way — stakeholder interviews, a steering committee and a six‑question online survey linked on oswegocompplan.com.

The consultants described a three‑phase approach: Phase 1 will document existing conditions; Phase 2 will set a community vision and goals; and Phase 3 will develop action steps, partners, timelines and funding strategies to carry the plan into implementation. "It's gonna be a community vision," Asvahani said, emphasizing that concepts are illustrative and meant to be flexible.

Commissioners responded with a series of priorities and concerns. Several members said Oswego’s charm — a compact downtown, festival culture and riverfront setting — should be preserved even as the village grows. "It still feels like a small town, with obviously a lot of growth that's happening," Tom Collins, a commissioner, said in support of protecting that character.

Traffic on U.S. Route 34, which runs through downtown, drew sustained criticism as a barrier to walkability and downtown investment. One commissioner argued that the four‑lane state highway creates safety and access problems and suggested exploring long‑term bypass or road‑reconfiguration options to slow traffic and enable wider sidewalks and on‑street parking.

Commissioners also raised development‑pattern and infrastructure concerns. Several said recent growth has been overwhelmingly residential with limited commercial anchors to broaden the tax base; aging underground water and sewer lines were cited as a constraint on repurposing older downtown buildings for restaurants and other uses. David Rood, a commissioner, characterized a recent large development as ill‑fitting for the community, saying, "Hudson Crossing is a horrible development," a view that prompted disagreement from other members.

Housing mix was another recurring theme. Commissioners noted a shortage of "missing‑middle" housing types — small multiunit or bungalow‑scale units that fall between single‑family homes and large apartment complexes — and discussed senior housing and potential market instability tied to aggressive up‑pricing by some builders.

The group also explored non‑residential opportunities to diversify revenue, including indoor recreation/turf facilities, sports tourism and agritourism concepts, while flagging limits such as utility capacity and highway access that reduce suitability for heavy industrial or data‑center development.

The consultants said they will prepare an existing‑conditions report (described as a "State of Oswego" deliverable) early next year, incorporate outreach feedback and analyze comparable communities to identify implementable options. Bader said the team will return with data‑driven recommendations paired with community input.

Procedurally, the commission approved minutes from its September 4 meeting by motion earlier in the session. No members of the public signed up for the public forum. The meeting closed after a brief chairman’s report and a motion to adjourn.

The Lakota Group and commission encouraged residents to take the online survey and attend upcoming outreach events, including a pop‑up at the community Christmas Walk, as the next steps in shaping the comprehensive‑plan update.