David Plante, NYPF President and Nina Peek, NYPF Awards Committee presenting the Comprehensive Plan Award to the Allegany County Planning Department’s Stacy Beardsley, Deputy Director and Kier Dirlam, Director
Town of Belfast and Allegany County Office of Planning Win Prestigious Award
During its Annual Conference on April 6-8, 2025, the New York Planning Federation (NYPF) honored recipients at its Annual Awards luncheon at the Otesaga Hotel in Cooperstown, New York. This year, NYPF received 22 award nominations for various categories. A winner of the NYPF Comprehensive Plan Award was the Town of Belfast in collaboration with Allegany County.
The Town of Belfast, New York achieved a remarkable milestone with its first-ever comprehensive plan. Adopted December 2, 2024, this groundbreaking accomplishment reflects outstanding and innovative planning practices that can be modeled in rural communities across New York State.
In a collaborative partnership, the Allegany County Office of Planning and the Town of Belfast Comprehensive Plan Committee championed an inclusive process that brought the Belfast community together through workshops, surveys, and public forums. This commitment to collaboration fostered a sense of ownership and unity that was instrumental in the plan's success.
Recognizing Belfast's rural character, the plan crafts strategies to preserve agricultural heritage, strengthen local businesses, and improve infrastructure. These efforts reflect a clear understanding of the community's values while addressing long-term economic resilience. Recommendations demonstrate a commitment to environmental stewardship with cutting-edge approaches to sustainability, natural resource protection measures, renewable energy, and green infrastructure.
Under the guidance of the Allegany County Office of Planning and with the steadfast efforts of the Town of Belfast Comprehensive Plan Committee, the process combined expertise, facilitation skills, and unwavering commitment to the community.
The New York Planning Federation congratulates the Allegany County Office of Planning and the Town of Belfast Comprehensive Plan Committee on this well-deserved honor.
The Belfast Comprehensive Plan may be viewed at: https://www.alleganyco.gov/wp-
Created in 1937, the New York Planning Federation provides training, educational and informational services to a broad range of members, enabling them to better assist themselves and their municipalities with development and land use decisions. NYPF has over 4,500 members from across New York State. For further information, please contact NYPF at nypf@nypf.org.
