LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PLAN

A vital component of the land use legislation for our Village is the Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan (LWRP).  The LWRP is a management plan which, in addition to the Village’s Master Plan, is applicable to all coastal areas of Village.  The entire Village has been designated a coastal area.  The plan identifies 44 policies for protecting the coastal area, and any action coming before the Board of Trustees, Zoning Board of Appeals or Planning Board must be consistent with those stated policies prior to any approval being granted by those Boards.

Another significant benefit derived from the adoption of the LWRP is that it allows local government to influence, and in many cases control, any capital project or permit issued by State or Federal agencies.  This is significant because absent the LWRP, Federal and State agencies are generally immune from local control.  Consequently, land use decisions concerning Caumset Park, Target National Wildlife Preserve, Coindre Hall Park, and the former State parkway rights-of-way, can now be significantly influenced or controlled by the Village.

History of LWRP Legislation:

In 1972, the U.S. Congress passed into law what is commonly referred to as the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972.  The Coastal Zone Management Act resulted from Congress’ finding that protection of coastal areas is in the national interest.  There are important ecological, cultural, historic and aesthetic values in these coastal zones which are essential to the United States and the well-being of all citizens.

Almost half of the total population of the United States now lives in coastal areas.  By 2010, the coastal population will have grown from 80 million in 1960 to 127 million.  Along with this increase in population has come a degradation in coastal areas.  Studies indicate that 50 percent of the Nation’s coastal wetlands have already been destroyed, or degraded in part, due to run-off from fertilizer and sewage.  Brown tides, which factor into loss of fish and shellfish harvests, are believed to be linked to poorly planned coastal development.  It appears that there is a clear relationship between land use and coastal water quality.

In response to concern about coastal areas, the Federal and State governments gave local governments a powerful tool to control land use through the implementation of an LWRP.  Lloyd Harbor was one of the first municipalities in New York State to enact a LWRP, which protects 100 percent of the acreage in the Village.  It took more than ten years of study, drafting by Village committees and consultants, and legal work to enact the LWRP as law in our Village in 1996.  Both Federal and State governments had to approve the plan.  As a result, we now have the backing of the United States Department of the Interior and the New York State Department of State in supporting the preservation of this critically important legislation.

PUBLICALLY OWNED PARCELS PROTECTED

BY ZONING OVERLAYS

Link to map of Local Water Revitalization Program Public Lands

Notes::

CONS/REC = Conservation/Recreation District

CONS/REC (PP) = Conservation/Recreation District, Park Preserve Overlay

Parcel No. refers to numbers shown on map (adjoining page)