Erie Canal LWRP

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an LWRP?

The Erie Canal municipalities of Shelby, Ridgeway, Albion, Gaines, Murray, Albion (village), and Holley (village), aided by the County, have begun the process of preparing a joint Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) – a planning document prepared by the community, and the program established to implement the plan. An LWRP may be comprehensive and address all issues that affect a community’s entire waterfront, or it may address the most critical issues facing a significant portion of its waterfront.

In addition to landward development, water uses are subject to an ever-increasing array of use conflicts. These include conflicts between passive and active types of recreation, between commercial and recreational uses, and between all uses and the natural resources of a harbor. Increases in recreational boating, changes in waterfront uses, coastal hazards, what to do with dredged materials, competition for space, and multiple regulating authorities can all make effective harbor management complex. These conflicts and a lack of clear authority to solve them have resulted in degraded natural and cultural characteristics of many harbors, and their ability to support a range of appropriate uses. An LWRP can be used to analyze and resolve these conflicts and issues. 

What are the benefits of an LWRP?

An approved LWRP reflects community consensus and provides a clear direction for appropriate future development. It establishes a long-term partnership among local government, community-based organizations, and the State. Also, funding to advance preparation, refinement, or implementation of Local Waterfront Revitalization Programs is available under Title 11 of the New York State Environmental Protection Fund Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (EPF LWRP) among other sources. In addition, State permitting, funding, and direct actions must be consistent, to the maximum extent practicable, with an approved LWRP. Within the federally defined coastal area, federal agency activities are also required to be consistent with an approved LWRP. This “consistency” provision is a strong tool that helps ensure all government levels work in unison to build a stronger economy and a healthier environment.

Public LWRP Documents
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Meeting agendas, minutes, draft LWRP components, maps, and charts will be posted here as they become available.

The final open house for the Orleans County Canal Corridor Waterfront Revitalization Plan was held at The Lockstone, 160 N. Main St, Albion, NY, at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 29, 2020.

A video of LaBella’s presentation can be viewed here

If you were unable to attend the meeting, and would like to provide input for the final plan, please complete our online survey which can be found here: 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PP3SLPK

The Erie Canal LWRP Steering Committee selected LaBella Associates with Elan.3 Consulting and Prospect Hill Consulting as the lead consultant from a number of very strong proposals.

On Tuesday May 28th, 2019, a Kickoff Meeting with the Erie Canal LWRP Steering Committee, the Orleans County Department of Planning and Development, and LaBella Associates was held as the official start to the project. The draft meeting minutes can be found here.

On Tuesday January 21, 2020 at 7pm, the second public meeting for the Erie Canal LWRP was held at Hoag Library (134 S. Main St, Albion, NY 14411). A presentation was given by LaBella Associates, who then asked attendees to vote on a list of potential projects, which were displayed during the meeting and may be viewed here.

At the first public meeting, held on October 29th, 2019, LaBella Associates made a presentation during the meeting, which highlighted key aspects of the project. Photos from the meeting can be viewed here.
Study Area

The Waterfront Revitalization Area (WRA) will be decided by the Erie Canal LWRP Steering Committee. The current working (unofficial and unadopted) WRA is depicted below (click image to view larger version).

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