OGDENSBURG – Ogdensburg’s Planning Department processed 15 housing amnesty requests, wrote 13 grant applications, and received five grants totaling $960,000.

Planning Director Andrea Smith said the Department of Planning and Economic Development achieved several significant milestones in 2016.

Smith gave a presentation of the first annual report at a recent city council meeting.

“The accomplishments of the Department, its staff as well as Boards and Commissions, and sets a course for continued progress in 2017,” the report says.

The report includes many of the department’s achievements including the City’s Brownfield Opportunity Area Plan designation and successfully amending the Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan.

The department also closed-out the city’s 2010 RESTORE NY: Round 2 grant award and received reimbursement of $700,000. According to the report the funding y was then used to payback a portion of the $990,000 revolving Loan from the Ogdensburg Growth Fund for asbestos abatement and demolition at the former Shade Roller brownfield site.

The planning department also received several honors.

The Oswegatchie Blueway Trail Plan received statewide recognition and was issued two awards from the American Planning Association New York Upstate Chapter.

Those included awards for planning and regional planning.

Other efforts that have been undertaken include public outreach, and continued efforts to revise the zoning code which serves as the regulatory framework for development in the City

In 2017, the department will continue to work on our ambitious plan for revitalization of the downtown waterfront BOA, the report says.

The Department’s goal is to work collaboratively with the Department of Public Works to improve the water and wastewater capacity in the West End district, thereby improving service to existing residents, and strengthening the appeal for developers.

This year the planning department hopes to complete the replacement of existing water mains along Adams Avenue and Allen Street, finish an engineering report to address wastewater, complete the removal of metals-contaminated soils from Shade Roller and demolish 17 Main Street within the Marina District, using Round 4 RESTORE NY funds