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8 Town of Aurora REVIEW OF PAST PLANNING, POLICY 3. Preserve and promote recreational opportunities ACTIONS & INITIATIVES • Improve and maintain existing recreational Regional Comprehensive Plan Towns of Aurora, facilities and increase opportunities for Elma, Holland, and Wales and the Village of East diverse recreational activity in the Town. Aurora • Promote bike paths and interconnections between recreational facilities within the The Town of Aurora prepared its first Town and the region. comprehensive plan in 1981 and last completed a • Provide increased and easily accessible comprehensive plan in 2004 as part of the Regional recreational opportunities to address the Comprehensive Plan for the Towns of Aurora, Elma, needs of the Town’s youth. Holland, and Wales and the Village of East Aurora. The plan was funded by Erie County as part of a 4. Provide for economic development larger program seeking to encourage communities to work in a regional and cooperative manner • Designate sufficient areas to allow for a to capitalize on opportunities and jointly resolve measured amount of commercial and common issues. Although never officially adopted, industrial growth, at an appropriate size the plan has provided the Town with an extensive and scale, that is compatible with the inventory of existing conditions in the town along character of the surrounding community. with various recommendations that have helped • Effectively plan for new commercial guide the Town with their planning, policy actions, business in a manner that promotes and initiatives since. In the plan, six overarching new business but manages its growth to goals and their preceding strategies were identified prevent sprawl. for the Town of Aurora. Some key strategies • Provide for a diverse economy that offers for each of the goals from this previous plan to opportunities to workers of all skills. consider today include: • Encourage and promote opportunities for start-up businesses and local 1. Preserve community character entrepreneurial efforts. • Preserve the rural character of the 5. Protect environmental resources Town through proper planning and development. • Preserve natural habitat areas to maintain • Preserve and enhance existing cultural biological diversity and properly manage resources, including the library facilities. wildlife populations. • Preserve historic resources and promote • Protect groundwater aquifers, surface architectural development styles waters, and watershed lands such as consistent with the character of these wetlands and significant upland areas that resources and the area. recharge potable water sources. • Protect groundwater resources from the 2. Properly manage future growth and impacts of failing septic systems. development • Preserve and protect important scenic viewsheds and resources. • Encourage the use of alternative • Encourage the use of and provide development techniques that manage the incentives for alternative energy sources density and adverse impacts of residential to conserve natural resources. development, and control sprawl. • Provide adequate and accessible 6. Maintain and enhance the existing locations for affordable housing within the transportation system overall pattern of development, especially for the elderly. • Provide for a more pedestrian friendly • Properly plan development to preserve transportation system. areas identified as important open space, • Promote safe roads for automobile stream corridors, wildlife habitat and travel with pathways to effectively corridors, and farmland. accommodate bicycles, horses and • Allow for the provision of adequate pedestrians. infrastructure that addresses public needs • Increase land use density around without encouraging excessive growth. shopping and activity centers to promote • Promote the development of a diversity of pedestrian activity and alleviate traffic housing alternatives to accommodate all congestion. age groups and incomes.