Over the past 20 years, the Village of Williamsville has matured and developed, the housing market has evolved, community services have become more essential while the costs to deliver these services has increased, and quality of life issues have come to the forefront. The Village faces the next decade as a mostly built out community that needs to invigorate and sustain the Main Street business district and build on recreational and open space assets, while recognizing the importance of preserving community character and maintaining the neighborhoods that are the building blocks of the community.
In 2010 the Village adopted the Williamsville Community Plan, which was amended in 2015, that established a path for the future. It is now time to revisit the Community Plan to ensure it has kept pace with the changes that have occurred over the past eight years and provides the guidance necessary to achieve the vision for the future. As part of this effort, it is important to reach out to Village residents and other stakeholders to understand the valued characteristics and opportunities facing neighborhoods and the community at large. Public outreach is essential for effective community planning, particularly in municipalities that, due to a lack of available developable land, can only continue to prosper through opportunities for redevelopment.
To help identify important issues and opportunities in the neighborhoods, a series of five (5) Neighborhood Visioning Forums have been scheduled. These forums provide a chance for Village residents, property owners, and others to discuss existing conditions, examine local issues and concerns, recognize opportunities for improvement, and express a vision for the future. It is hoped that by conducting these forums, the Village can establish the foundational “civic infrastructure” to support the update of the Community Plan and gather the public input necessary to help keep Williamsville, and its neighborhoods, a strong, quality place to live, work, and play.
The Neighborhood Forums will be held during the month of April to establish a stronger connection on a neighborhood level. All of the forums will be held in the cafeteria at Mill Middle School on Mill Street, with the first scheduled for Wednesday, April 10th, at 6:30 PM. Subsequent forums will be held on April 11th, 18th, 24nd, and 29th, 2024.
The Village is excited to have the opportunity to meet with residents and other stakeholders in an interactive fashion and is hopeful that the input gathered at these forums will support the continuing efforts to better understand and protect the various neighborhoods in the Village and to strengthen the Main Street business district.