SCOTIA — There’s been a change in venue for a public meeting that will see Scotia officials outline details surrounding a yearlong planning effort to drive future economic development in the village.
The final public meeting regarding the Envision Scotia initiative will now take place Monday at Village Hall — 4 N. Ten Broeck St. — beginning at 6 p.m. The meeting was originally slated to take place across the street at the Mohawk Taproom and Grill, but officials changed course due to accessibility concerns, according to Mayor David Bucciferro.
The meeting is an opportunity for residents to learn details and provide feedback on the draft plan officials hope will unlock opportunities for state grants that can be used to spur private investment in the village that is home to around 8,000.
A group of stakeholders made up of elected officials, business owners and village residents drafted the plan using feedback collected through surveys and a series of public meetings over the past 12 months.
The initiative dates back more than a year ago, when the village was awarded a $200,000 New York Department of State grant for the Brownfield Opportunity Area program. The program has historically been focused on sites in need of environmental remediation, but has shifted over the years to focus on underutilized, abandoned and vacant sites.
Officials are hoping to attain a BOA designation from the state, a move that would give the village an edge when applying for state grants.
The plan focuses on a 263-acre portion of the village, including its main business district along Mohawk Avenue and major corridors like Sacandaga Road and Ballston Avenue, otherwise known as state Route 50. The focus area includes 1,206 total parcels.
The draft plan can be viewed online at envisionscotia.com.