To the editor: 

How do the town of Liberty and the hamlet of Parksville work together to promote the arts? In answering this central question, there is no shortage of ideas, plenty of momentum, and “an experienced group of creatives” already engaged in pursuing opportunities and meeting some of the associated challenges. 

 Jordan Harvey, one of these creatives and spokesperson for the Parksville Priorities group, recently addressed a public meeting of the Town and Village of Liberty Comprehensive Plan project. The project, begun earlier this year, is being partially funded by a New York State Local Government Efficiency grant. The award recognizes and supports municipalities that work together for mutual benefits. 

This is “a catalyst moment,” exclaimed Harvey, “Parksville is a massive opportunity for an unwritten space.” Foremost in the visioning process is building a collaborative community around the arts to drive economic development and attract visitors to the area. Harvey was quick to point out that this initiative is already happening and has been for quite some time. Importantly, these efforts to develop and promote Parksville’s arts identity can now be integrated into the developing comprehensive plan. 

 The Parksville Arts Center on Main Street is evolving within a former house of worship. The PAC “aims to foster the local creative arts by developing and producing unique, interdisciplinary art exhibitions, events and performances featuring theater, dance and music by members of the local community and beyond.” The PAC is complemented by nearby New Memories, an art collective, music venue, gallery, and creative workspace that hosted the recent comprehensive plan meeting. With collective efforts being anchored by the proactive Parksville Priorities group, an arts district for the hamlet is the holistic vision for continued revitalization.

 The group envisions an arts walk, more gallery space, workshops, youth involvement, and reinforcement of the arts identity via an arts overlay zoning district. The overlay district would include a statement of purpose and be structured to encourage arts-related establishments. The O&W Rail Trail is a strong asset in supporting these visions, as it serves as a landscape datum, combining recreation and the arts and attracting visitors. Another opportunity being explored is the potential use of excess properties that resulted from the rerouting of Route 17. Held by NYSDOT, these properties are to be eventually transferred to the county and/or the town. Recommendations related to these properties would fit within the longer-term scope of the comprehensive plan. This point was reinforced by Harvey, who made it clear that the plan will include some actions that could span fifteen or more years. 

 Challenges identified in striving toward Parksville’s envisioned future include restrictions to development along the protected Little Beaverkill, property maintenance, revitalization of existing building infrastructure, and central water and sewer. Discussions around these topics were bolstered by Frank DeMayo, Liberty Town Supervisor, who shared valuable information with the group. DeMayo emphasized that “enthusiasm on the public side is key” and he encouraged the group to continue to “focus on the positive.”

 NYS Town Law §272-a and Village Law §7-722 encourage but do not require that municipalities create comprehensive plans. In citing the benefits of a comprehensive plan, these statutes also recognize “The participation of citizens in an open, responsible and flexible planning process is essential to the designing of the optimum town comprehensive plan.” In this vein, the town and the village of Liberty strongly encourage and welcome even greater public participation in the development of this plan, which will continue throughout this year and into 2027. More information is found on the town’s website within the Documents and Forms page.

The next meeting of the Liberty Joint Comprehensive Plan project will be held July 8, 6pm at the Senior Center on Main Street in Liberty. The focus of the meeting will be Housing. Each of the plan’s topics are being handled by individual advisory groups, who will present assets, opportunities, and challenges and offer recommendations for incorporation into the plan. This inventory phase of the plan has included meetings focused on review of the existing comprehensive plan (2008) and town wide recreation. Future meetings will include the topics of Environmental Resources; Economic Development; History, Culture and the Arts, as well as other hamlet-focused sessions. 

Peter Manning

Principal of Genius Loci Planning, the community planner leading this project. He can be reached at geniuslociplan@gmail.com