Planning Department

Stephanie Yezzi, CFM

Director of Planning
Community Rating System (CRS) Coordinator

Johnson City Planning Department

60 Lester Ave
Johnson City, New York 13790

The Village of Johnson City Planning Department aims to remain up-to-date on economic development efforts within the community in an effort to provide continuous support for residents, business owners and developers. In addition to the incessant economic development efforts of the Department, planning support includes site plan review and special use permit guidance, recommendations for variance requests, and in-depth communication with code enforcement and other department heads. This page provides further insight on the Department’s strategy for community revitalization and grants assistance.

Planning Services

Planning Board Submittals

The Planning Department offers guidance to applicants on completing the Site Plan Review and Special Use Permit processes. In addition, Planning Department Staff provides full guidance reports for each application addressed by the Planning and Zoning Boards including comments from Broome County Planning and other agencies reviewing under Section 239 of the General Municipal Law, comments from department heads within the Village, State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) guidance, and State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) comments for properties in and adjacent to the Village of Johnson City Historic District. As such, the Department serves as the guiding agency for all involved entities.

Land Use Regulations

Planning Department Staff continually reviews local laws and regulations from communities throughout the United States to ensure Comprehensive Plan goals are being met with the most efficient and up-to-date land use policies. Implementation of electric vehicle supply equipment regulations and review of off-street parking regulations are some of the topics most recently addressed.

Grants

The Planning Department also provides assistance to other Village departments, developers and other community organizations in grant writing and grant administration for projects such as infrastructure improvements, housing activities, and economic and community development projects. When in-house grant programs arise, the Department effectively publicizes a call for applications in order to review local projects and assist private owners through the construction and grant administration process.

In addition, The Town of Union provides financial assistance to start-up and expanding businesses through the Local Development Corporation of the Town of Union. The Town of Union Business Assistance (TUBA) Program, Central Business District (CBD) Program, Commercial Facade Program, Emerging Enterprise/Emerging Market Entrepreneurial (E³), Microenterprise Program, Section 108 Program and Site Preparation Program Funding are several of the loan programs offered through the Local Development Corporation of the Town of Union. For more information, contact the Town of Union Economic Development at (607) 786-2945 or email Joseph Moody at jmoody@townofunion.com.

Streetscapes Enhancements – Considerations and design for stormwater and streetscape enhancements along Main Street at Avenues A, B, and C including curb bump-outs, street trees, street furniture, updated lighting, and trash receptacles.
Historic Arch Restoration – Structural analysis, redesign, and historic preservation of the historic Square Deal Arch.
Park Improvements – Enhanced facilities at Baker Street Park, final construction at Jenison Park, and full site analysis and redesign at Workers Park.

Wilbrow Alley – Redesign of Wilbrow Alley to create a vibrant public space downtown to include new lighting, seating, pavers, landscaping, and public art.
Streetscapes and Gateways – Construct previously designed improvements to streetscapes and multi-modal transportation systems along Main Street at Avenues A, B, and C. In addition, wayfinding elements and gateways will be improved.
Parks and Public Spaces – Public parks and open space improvements including art installations in Jenison Park, street art, and the completion of Workers Park.
Small Projects Fund – The Village will establish a building renovation program to provide matching grants to individual downtown buildings to upgrade facades, install new signage, and undertake interior renovations.

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Assistance

The Village of Johnson City values new businesses and developments throughout our community! Let your business be seen by requesting assistance in organizing and publicizing your business’s Ribbon Cutting Ceremony from the Planning Department.

We offer free assistance with planning tasks from drafting and finalizing your press release to distributing your outreach materials to social media and media list servs.

If you would like to discuss your Ribbon Cutting Ceremony plans, please contact the Director of Planning, Stephanie Yezzi at (607) 798-7861 ext. 5234 or planningdirector@villageofjc.com

Current Plans and Studies:

Smart Growth Comprehensive Plan

For information on our current comprehensive planning process, go to: https://www.villageofjc.com/smart-growth-comprehensive-plan/

Downtown Parking Plan and Feasibility Study

In the fall of 2023, the Village of Johnson City sought a comprehensive assessment of parking conditions and operations to support the continued renaissance of its downtown. The Village awarded the contract to execute this study to the team at DESMAN Inc. in early 2024.

With the construction of the Binghamton University Health Sciences Campus, expansion of the UHS Wilson Medical Center campus, designation as an Innovation District (“iDistrict”), and other redevelopment initiatives, the Village needs to align its public parking infrastructure with these and other improvements to the downtown.

Though the planning process is ongoing, completed reports can be found below:

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