The City of Ithaca is preparing to move forward with Phase II of its Comprehensive Plan, focusing on the Downtown Plan, a project five years in the making. The plan, which was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is now set for a public hearing on November 13, 2024, at 6 p.m., as part of a Committee of the Whole Study Session.
Developed between 2019 and 2024, the Downtown Plan aims to shape the future of three key urban areas: the West End, the West State/MLK Corridor, and the Downtown Core. Together, these neighborhoods represent some of Ithaca’s most densely populated and developed regions. The plan outlines 106 specific recommendations designed to address neighborhood-level issues while advancing the broader goals established in the first phase of the city’s Comprehensive Plan, known as Plan Ithaca.
The plan was created through a collaborative effort involving the City’s Planning Staff, the Downtown Plan Advisory Committee, the Downtown Ithaca Alliance, and over 1,500 community members who contributed through extensive public outreach.
An environmental review has already been conducted, and a Full Environmental Assessment Form (FEAF) is available on the City of Ithaca’s website. Residents and stakeholders are encouraged to review the draft plan and provide feedback before October 16, 2024, to ensure their comments are considered by the Common Council.
Hard copies of the plan are available at City Hall and the Tompkins County Public Library. For more information, the public can visit the City of Ithaca’s Downtown Plan webpage or contact Senior Planner Yamila Fournier at the Department of Planning and Development.
The Common Council is expected to consider the adoption of the Downtown Plan in December 2024.
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