Auburn officials are looking to move forward - and intend to have a plan to show the way.

The city will enter into an one-year to 18-month process to update the comprehensive plan, city manager Mark Palesh estimated.

A comprehensive plan can assist the city in examining Auburn's development patterns for the future, said Michael Long, director of capital projects and grants.

“You identify projects you would like to bring into fruition so you can go out for funding and capital grants,” Long said.

Palesh set aside $25,000 in the budget for such a project, and estimates the city will have to pay an additional $25,000. The Stardust Foundation of Central New York has promised to come up with additional amounts.

The Stardust Foundation announced last week plans to give a $58,000 grant to the city to hire a consultant for a comprehensive master plan, which would includes recent projects and ideas.

The pending project would incorporate ideas from the Call to Action: Blueprint for Our Region's Future group and projects sponsored by the Stardust Foundation.

The city's “current” plan was drafted in 1991. Before The Citizen staff report that, Auburn officials were working with the previous blueprint made in 1964, Long said.

The last city master plan focused on downtown, allowing the city to apply for and receive matching grants to fund building facade updates and street lighting improvements, he said. The 1991 contained action items, including target projects, such as the Schine Theater, Technology Park and historic sites.

The “terribly out of date” plan from 1964 focused on the estimated growth of Grant Avenue, he added.

Another reason to update a municipal plan is to review the city's zoning. People can decide where they want industry, businesses and residential areas. In the early 1990s, the city was amending the zoning ordinances, which pushed the city to update the master plan, Long said.

Staff writer Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext. 267 or

jessica.soule@lee.net