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Little Falls steering committee moves ahead on comprehensive plan after Herkimer Next presentation
Summary
At its June 10 meeting the Town of Little Falls Board heard a Herkimer Next presentation advising that a comprehensive plan and zoning would help the town control future development and unlock grant funding; the steering committee signaled it will proceed with a plan and host a town hall.
Supervisor Dan Casler opened the June 10 Town of Little Falls meeting and introduced Michelle Hummel of Herkimer Next, who gave a briefing on comprehensive planning and zoning. Hummel said towns that adopt a plan position themselves to apply for state grants and exercise more control over development, adding, "zoning is a way to control the town’s future before someone comes in and makes that decision for you."
Hummel told the board Herkimer County’s population trends and the county’s multiple local governments mean smaller towns should consider planning to avoid losing leverage with state authorities and potential consolidation. She said comprehensive planning typically makes towns eligible for a wider set of state grant programs and that without a plan "the state won’t even look at you twice."
Town Attorney Nicholas Macri pushed back on one of Hummel’s specific claims during a back-and-forth about solar facilities, saying he disagreed that local zoning could always block such projects and asserting that state-level actions have limited home-rule protections. Councilman Kevin Sullivan said he was trying to "get his head around everything" and that he supported moving forward on a comprehensive plan. Councilman Mitch Soules noted the town already has a planning board and a site-plan law.
Supervisor Casler summarized high-priority themes from the town survey — agricultural preservation, infrastructure investment, maintaining a rural identity, and vocational training — and said the steering committee intends to continue with the comprehensive plan, review several draft plans, and hold a future town hall. Casler said the committee may proceed without pursuing grant funding immediately but would return to the board for approval if consultant dollars or outside assistance are required.
The meeting record shows no formal vote on adopting zoning at this session; the board instead directed the steering committee to continue work on a comprehensive plan and to seek community input at a town hall. The board also discussed grant pathways and potential funding sources the committee could pursue once a plan is in place.
