Welcome

Anna Reynolds, Director
(518) 873-3895

areynolds@co.essex.ny.us

 7533 Court Street, PO Box 217
Elizabethtown, New York 12932
Fax: (518) 873-3751

The Office of Community Resources was developed to better serve the
residents of Essex County by combining the offices of Planning and Grant Administration. By combining these offices, the County is able to utilize staff to better manage the grants of the towns and county. Primary responsibilities are:

  1. To provide grant services to municipalities.
  2. To provide grant services to County departments.
  3. Claim administration.
  4. Project management.
  5. Fiscal services for grants.
  6. Report to the County Manager and Board of Supervisors on the status of all grants.
  7. Environmental permitting and review.
  8. General Municipal Law 239M review.

Contact us: The Essex County Office of Community Resources is here to help. Please contact us at the above phone number or email with any questions you may have concerning any grant program or potential project in your community. Our extensive network of funding agencies will help to assist you in meeting your project goals.

 

Planning

View from Poko Moonshine

Garrett Dague, Associate Planner
(518) 873-3452
gdague@co.essex.ny.us
Lynn Donaldson, Community Development Coordinator, (518) 873-3687
ldonaldson@co.essex.ny.us
Hannah Jacques, Administrative Assistant, (518) 873-3686
hjacques@co.essex.ny.us
Robert Wick, Project Management Specialist, (518) 873-3426
rwick@co.essex.ny.us
Jessica DesLauriers, Grants Administrator, (518) 873-3303
jdeslauriers@co.essex.ny.us

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE *
(meets the 2nd Monday of each month)

Chairman: Merrihew
Vice-Chair: Politi
Supervisor: Depo
Supervisor: Harrington
Supervisor: Marnell
Supervisor: Miga
Supervisor: Moore
Supervisor: Morrow
Supervisor: Tyler

* includes:
1. IDA
2. Community Resources
3. R.O.O.S.T.
4. Publicity
5. Historian
6. Cooperative Extension

Planning, a Sub-Division of the Community Resource Department

7533 Court Street, P.O. Box 217
Elizabethtown, New York 12932
Fax: (518) 873-3751

If you are inquiring about a town land use class, building permit or zoning regulation, please visit the specific TOWN code enforcement officer.

Our mission is to provide tools and services required to implement community development goals for Essex County municipalities. Technical assistance is provided by researching, writing, and administering grants for upgrades, implementation, and expansion of community facilities, such as water and wastewater, parks and recreation areas, and habitat restoration. Assistance also includes issues of historic preservation, housing rehabilitation, Smart Growth implementation, energy efficiency, zoning, and comprehensive planning.

American Planning Association’s What is Planning? website.

Essex County Fairgrounds – the marketing and rental of the Essex County Fairgrounds in Westport.

Purpose and procedure for municipalities to refer zoning actions to the Essex County Planning Board (fillable)

General staff activities – office staff serve as the county representatives for several local and regional organizations, including:

  • Lakes-to-Locks Passage Scenic Byway
  • Champlain Valley Heritage Network
  • Champlain Watershed Improvement Coalition of New York (CWICNY)
  • Greater Adirondack Resource Conservation & Development Council (RC&D)

Environmental permitting & review – office staff evaluate proposed projects, determine what permits may be needed, and submit permit applications as required. The staff conducts environmental assessments of proposed projects for grant applications, and to fulfill grant program requirements in accordance with New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) rules and regulations. There is an NRCS/USDA soil survey of Essex County available for public viewing; digital copies may be requested.

General Municipal Law 239M, N Review – under NYS General Municipal Law Section 239, municipal planning actions specified by these sections are subject to review by the Essex County Planning Board, which has been designated as the County Planning & Economic Development Committee. All Essex County municipalities entered into an agreement stating that only the following proposed actions shall be subject to referral by the towns to the County:

  • adoption or amendment of a zoning ordinance or local law affecting property within 500′ of a County road or County property;
  • issuance of a special use permit affecting property within 500′ of a County road or County property;
  • approval of site plans affecting property within 500′ of a County road or property;
  • granting of use or area variances affecting property within 500 of a County road or property;
  • approval of preliminary and/or final subdivision plat, or a proposal to develop an undeveloped plat already filed in the Essex County Clerk’s office, affecting property within 500′ of a County road or property.

All other proposed actions under consideration by the town shall be deemed to be of a local nature and therefore exempt from referral to the County, despite provisions of General Municipal Law 239M and/or 239N.
Partners

 Helpful Agencies

 Resources

Fairgrounds

Essex County Fairgrounds
Westport, New York

Essex County Planning, a division of Essex County Office of Community Resources
Attn: Lynn Donaldson
7533 Court St., PO Box 217, Elizabethtown, NY 12932
Phone (518) 873-3687 | Fax (518) 873-3751
Email: ldonaldson@co.essex.ny.us

Fairgrounds Forms:
For campground reservations, please call (518) 962-8733