The Syracuse city government has released the first draft map of ReZone Syracuse, an initiative that hopes to comprehensively revise and update the city’s zoning ordinance and map. This is the first of three draft maps to be released through the initiative.

ReZone Syracuse will be the first revision to the city’s zoning policies in 50 years, since they were last revised in 1967. The project will rezone every parcel of land in the city limits of Syracuse. Some objectives of the project include the creation of more predictable zone regulations, development or improvement to the city’s “urban design” and the promotion of historic preservation, among other things, according to the ReZone Syracuse website.

Owen Kerney, the assistant director of City Planning for Syracuse, said Syracuse’s zoning needs revision, considering the first plans for the city were made over 100 years ago.

“The city has done minor updates, but this is a project that is saying rather than attempting to fix the plan, the city needs to comprehensively update and revise it entirely,” Kerney said. “We need the plan to be a part of the twenty-first century.”

He said part of the process for drafting a new map is to consider what aspects work well for Syracuse, and which ones have not worked in a beneficial manner.

“The zoning code controls how the city grows and establishes itself. Our goals and priorities have changed since the original document was drafted,” he said. “The way we live and the way we work has changed, too. Our code has not kept up with the times.”

As far as the public’s reaction regarding the release of the drafted maps, Kerney said people are most concerned with personal property lines when it comes to rezoning Syracuse. He said people want to verify that personal property is not lost and the city protects what is theirs.

The ReZone Syracuse initiative began in the fall of 2015, and Kerney hopes the project will be completed by the end of this year. ReZone will be used to facilitate the Syracuse Land Use and Development Plan 2040, which emphasizes efficient land use, historic preservation and a high-quality design of the city, according to ReZone’s website. The project’s website also states that “the current Zoning Ordinance, with its strict separation of land uses, lack of effective design standards and complex administration does not reflect the City’s visions.”

Kerney said the public has been receptive to the efforts to improve the city’s plans. The city will also host four public forum meetings around Syracuse to answer the public’s questions regarding the project and maps.

“Hopefully, the impact will mean that it will be easier and more straightforward when it comes to doing business with the city, as it relates to zoning,” Kerney said, referring to the initiative. “Zoning is incremental changes, and this new process will have a better result for those who will invest in and improve the area.”

Published on February 14, 2017 at 10:13 pm

Contact Jessica: jzuk01@syr.edu