In the year 2010, the Town of Corning is an attractive place to live and work with these notable features:

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1 VISIONS FOR THE TOWN - AN OVERVIEW: Within a generation, one consolidated municipality is formed serving the Three Rivers valley saving taxpayer dollars while retaining the identity of the established communities. In the shorter term, the town government and services would modernize to be ready for the twenty first century. The Town Manager runs an efficient staff who share computerized data bases and are linked electronically to state offices. The Town lowered its tax burden by providing shared services, such as police and highway, with neighboring communities. The Town Planning Board researches and recommends possible costs savings through the STCRPDB and the Department of State local government assistance programs. In the year 2010, the Town of Corning is an attractive place to live and work with these notable features: 1. A new commercial/industrial enterprise, a showcase of good development, is located on the former Gibson Junk Yard at the entrance to the City. The Town and Steuben County work jointly through the Clean Air/ Clean Water Bond Act to acquire the property, take advantage of the 75/25 state/local funding to finish clean up if necessary, and reclaim it for development. 2. A re-developed Gibson boasts improved water facilities as well as renovated homes as part of a joint Community Development Project undertaken with the City of Corning. The Gibson Alive organization, a grassroots revitalization group, with assistance from the Town, works with the City of Corning s new Planning and Economic Development Department to accomplish these changes. 3. A well designed, up-scale commercial/industrial park in the East Corning area is accessed by Route 352 to Route 17. Enterprises in the park will support businesses in the ceramics corridor and the Airport Corporate Park and other industrial centers.

2 The Planned Residential District is broadened to allow a mix of uses The Town works with the landowners to construct a road extension(s) to provide internal access. Site designs take the floodplains and drainage concerns into account. 4. Existing enterprises, such as the Corning Country Club, with the LPGA gaining national television coverage; Hunt Engineers, and others, have expanded. Since about 85% of new jobs are created at existing businesses, the Town of Corning, in partnership with Three Rivers Development, pays careful attention to the needs of its businesses and provides incentives and support as needed. 5. The Hickling Station, reclaimed for the long term, environmentally sound, energy recovery/disposal of waste materials (i.e. tires) or other adaptive reuse, is providing a steady tax income to the Town. The Town Board actively seeks involvement of top utility executives in devising a long term plan which benefits both the company and the Town. 6. Thriving businesses are located in the Route 414 industrial zone north of Corning, and well planned, low impact industrial development is sited on the Kamine property near South Corning which provide good jobs and town taxes. The Town Board in cooperation with Three Rivers Development and the County Industrial Development Agency actively markets existing industrial property. 7. A mix of single family housing and multi-family units is clustered around the picturesque lakes shaped from the previous mining operations also with easy access to Route 352. The Corning Manor Water District expands to serve East Corning and the new development keeping costs affordable. The Town Board, working closely with the large landowners, provides incentives which make the small package sewage treatment system cost effective for the new housing development as part of the mined land reclamation plans.

3 8. Corning Community College, with expanded cultural and educational facilities totaling approximately $20 million, is attractive to an increased enrollment and to retirees and new residents who live in secluded homes in the surrounding countryside. The Town improves Bailey Creek Road thus correcting the existing traffic problems and making the road safer for anticipated traffic increases. Bailey Creek Road and Spencer Hill Road, a county route, are the principal accesses to the college. The college repairs and upgrades its sewage treatment facility. (A connection to the Village of South Corning system is too costly to construct.) 9. Hiking trails, bike trails, selected parks, and river launch sites are developed in conjunction with the City of Corning and Town of Big Flats recreational plans for the Chemung River. The South Corning valley, currently in farming, flood plain and open space, remains as a green space defining the denser development in South Corning/Corning. The Town Planning Board encourages NYSDEC to expand and improve the boat launch site in the Town and takes an active role in local greenway organizations who are acquiring owner s permission and easements to establish the trail system. The Town Board supports the regional agricultural business retention and expansion study recommendations to retain farming operations. Site Plan Reviews emphasize visual impacts. 10. Residential areas on the gentle slopes in the Goff Road, Denmark Hill, Spencer Hill, Brown Road and Higman Hill areas are fully developed and served by improved Town roads. Steep hillsides, providing the scenic backdrop, are maintained in open space through conservation zoning. The Town Board programs immediate road upgrades to areas experiencing residential development. The Town takes part in the Cornell University Local Roads Program, a computerized road maintenance system, to plan long term road needs. Cluster development with extensive buffering requirements protect the scenic quality of the Town.

4 11. Motels, restaurants and other support businesses to Corning s April 2000" expansion are inviting to visitors with attractive signage, an appealing mix of uses and pleasing site designs. This development along 352 and East Corning Drive will reinforce the Town s image as embodied in its previous motto, the Gateway to the Corning Glass Center now expanded to the Gateway to the Crystal City. Well groomed, visually pleasing landscaping and signage on Route 414 improves Corning s other gateway into the Town. The Planning Board becomes more actively involved with the local Merchants Association and co-sponsors seminars on good site design and attractive signage. Local businesses and garden clubs beautify the area guided by concepts offered by local landscape designers. 12. The Spencer Crest Nature Center, the Observatory and Planetarium with active programs year round, are serving the schools and the public. The Nature Center trail system and building are fully developed and the natural areas used appropriately to protect flora and fauna for years to come. The Town approves subdivisions and site plans which are buffered from these natural areas to control noise, light and visual impacts.

5 MAKING THE VISIONS A REALITY: BACKGROUND FACTS THE TOWN OF CORNING S NATURAL SETTING The Town of Corning is 38.6 square miles of broad floodplain met by steep hillsides rising from 900 feet to 1900 feet. Forests cover the valley walls and are mainly deciduous. The hilltops, representative of the Appalachian Plateau, are generally level and are usually crowned by fields or pasture. Although about 5% of the Town is this area of level hilltop, access up the steep slopes and remoteness from services often limits its development. (See the Slopes map on page 9a) The valley floor is generally level and moderately to well drained. The Infiltration map (on page 9b) confirms what one would expect: that the steep hillsides are poorly drained and that the valleys, filled with outwash sand and gravels, have high to moderate infiltration rates. Infiltration, which is the rate which water percolates through the soil, is important when considering a site for on-site sewage disposal. However, floodplain and wetlands cover about 60% of the valley. The remaining bottom land is designated Primary Aquifer. This is the land area which serves as the reservoir for the Town s public and private wells. Activities located upstream of a well could contaminate groundwater which would be costly to reclaim. (See the Floodplains, Wetlands, and Primary Aquifer Map on page 9c. ) Because of these constraints to development posed by nature, only about 40% of the valley is suitable for development. Although this sounds like a small percentage, it represents about 1400 acres. Of those acres, existing intensive urban development accounts for only about 100 acres, leaving much of the acreage available for development. Therefore, the Town can more than double before using all of the developable land in the valley.

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9 THE TOWN OF CORNING S BUILT ENVIRONMENT WATER SYSTEMS The Town has three water districts serving the more densely populated areas of the Town including Gibson, Corning Manor and Corning Community College. (See Water Customers Map on page 10a.) The Pinewood Circle Water District taps the Village of South Corning water system. Corning Community College is the primary water user of the 59 connections. The District serves about 2500 people and pumps 25,000 GPD. Because of its location up the hill, there are some pressure problems on the higher floors of the college, and additional chlorination may be needed at the 300,000 gallon storage tank. The 4" transmission line is undersized (6" or more is preferred) and is constructed of asbestos. NYSDOH recommends that districts with asbestos pipe plan for long term replacement of the line. There is no immediate threat to water quality. The Gibson Water District is supplied by its own well which has a capacity of 200 gallons per minute (GPM) or about 288,000 gallons per day (GPD). There are 148 connections serving a population of about 500 (1996 NYSDOH records.) The storage tank has a capacity of 115,000 gallons. Since it is recommended that communities have enough water on hand to maintain a minimum of a two hour fire flow, their tank is slightly undersized (120,000 gallons is recommended.) Gibson is considering improving their chlorination system and has been advised by NYSDOH to install a back up well. Since Gibson is hemmed in by steep slopes to the north and is down gradient from the Gibson Landfill, nearby potential locations for the back up well are limited. The wider valley area to the east may be a better location for a back up well, but may be too far away to be cost effective. Another alternative may be too connect to Corning Manor, although the lack of developable land between the two systems may prevent the location of new services which could help pay the cost. The Corning Manor District depends on a well drilled in the 1950's with a capacity of approximately 100 GPM or 144,000 GPD. In 1996, there were 98 service connections providing water to about 300 people. Although the reported water consumption is about 10,000 GPD, this seems low since the average water use is about 75 gallons per person per day (15,000 GPD would be expected.) The existing water tank, with a capacity of 42,000 gallons has a limited fire flow capability. Because of the age of the system, the 100 GPM could not be maintained over an extended time, so daily capacity is much lower. However, it appears that the current system could accommodate from 50 to 75 new homes without major improvement. (See Water Supply Data, page 10b).

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