Rhinebeck’s comprehensive plan wins APA Vernon Deans Honor Award; village says plan is already being implemented

Deputy Mayor Rick Lewitt opened the meeting and asked Lydia to report. Lydia said she and Matt Johnston attended the American Planning Association’s Small Town & Rural Planning Division ceremony in Detroit, where Rhinebeck received the 2026 Vernon Deans Honor Award for its 2024 comprehensive plan. "They really like the fact that the plan is already being implemented," Lydia said, noting an active implementation committee and near‑complete comprehensive zoning code overhaul supported by a New York State Smart Growth grant of roughly $150,000.

Lydia told trustees that the implementation committee — described in the meeting as 13 members with numerous subcommittees and thousands of public responses during the planning process — is prioritizing goals, pursuing continued outreach, researching pattern books and grant opportunities, and advancing implementation strategies. She cited plan‑driven outcomes including adaptive reuse projects, infrastructure investments and new housing as signs that the plan is moving from adoption to action.

Trustees and attendees congratulated committee members and volunteers. The board framed the award as recognition of local volunteer hours and staff work that translated community input into an actionable plan. The session emphasized that the zoning code rewrite and implementation activity are proceeding in parallel and that the village has already secured grant support to help fund code and implementation work.

The village did not present a detailed funding breakdown in the meeting beyond the Smart Growth grant reference; trustees said additional grant awards and projects have followed the plan’s priorities. The award and implementation status were presented as reasons the village should continue outreach and follow its implementation schedule.