HomeMy WebLinkAbout1966 - A General Plan for the Development of the Town O d '"°.., Y
xrz �
� ooz
° rri
zz9
2Y.
GORTLA \ DVILI , F,
A PLAN FOR
THE
DEVELOPMENT
OF THE TOWN
O .F
coRTLANDv / LLE
MAY , 1966
ARTHUR REED , LAND AND CITY PLANNING CONSULTANT
- , 770 JAMES STREET SYRACUSE , NEW YORK
1
•
The preparation of this report was financially aided through a federal
grant from the Urban Renewal Administration of the Department of
Housing and Urban Development under the Urban Planning Assistance
Program authorized by Section 701 of the Housing Act of 1954. This
report was prepared under the Urban Planning Assistance Program
for the State of New York Department of Commerce. It was financed
in part by the State of New York and in part by the Town of Cortland-
ville, Cortland County, New York.
I
r--
•
May 25 , 1966
Commissioner Keith S . McHugh
New York State Department of Commerce
112 State Street
Albany , New York
Dear Commissioner McHugh :
We are pleased to present herewith the report en-
titled " A PLAN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CORT -
LANDVILLE , NEW YORK" which was prepared under
the sponsorship of the Town of Cortlandville and the
New York State Department of Commerce with finan-
cial assistance from the United States Department of
Housing and Urban Development under Section 701 of
the Housing Act of 1954 , as amended .
Incorporated in the report are recommendations on
land use , traffic circulation , utility development ,
schools , parks and recreational areas to serve as a
guide for the future growth of Cortlandville for the
next twenty year period . These recommendations are
based upon sound planning policies and objectives
that express the long - range physical , social , and eco -
nomic goals of the town . This report , together with
the various interim reports submitted at monthly
meetings during the past two years , and the extensive
file of statistical data and maps place a valuable fund
of information at the community' s disposal to assist
in -making those decisions that will be the responsi -
bility of the officials and agencies concerned with
future growth problems .
•
The consultants have also prepared and submitted
to the town an amendatory set of subdivision regu -
lations , and an amendatory zoning ordinance to
serve as important tools for putting the proposals
of the plan into effect . It will be the major re -
sponsibility of the Cortlandville Planning Board to
use these tools , or modifications of them to trans -
late the objectives of the plan into reality .
This study would not have been possible without the
considerate assistance of many individuals , organ-
izations , and agencies . It would be impossible to
list all of the individuals and groups who have con-
tributed to this study , but especially we wish to
thank all the Town officials listed on the following
pages , and the many persons who expressed interest
in the program and who cooperated to make it possi -
ble . It has been a privilege and a pleasure to work
with the Planning Board and the citizens of the com -
munity . We have enjoyed our work and sincerely
hope that we have contributed to the well being of
the community and to the establishment of a con-
tinuing program of planning that will serve the com-
munity well in the years ahead .
Sincerely yours ,
C2.4
Arthur Reed , A . I . P .
TOWN OF CORTLANDVILLE
CORTLAND COUNTY
71
STATE OF NEW YORK
SUPERVISOR
Frank K. Taylor
TOWN CLERK DEPUTY , TOWN CLERK
Lelan M . Brookins Mildred M. Brookins
PLANNING BOARD
Gordon Hatheway, Chairman
Victor Metcalf Willard Griswold
William Clemens Karel Horak
APPEALS BOARD
Russell Parsons, Chairman
Raymond Thorpe Dexter Paddock
Charles Finn Edward Pettet
COUNCILMEN
Henry Wadsworth Sherman Griswold
JUSTICES
Ronald Fish Donald Eaton
•
TOWN ATTORNEY ASSESSOR
John Gardner Willis E. Becker
HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT WATER SUPERINTENDENT
Floyd Colegrove Fred Walker
•
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
The Planning Function in Town Government 1
THE GENERAL STUDIES
The Town and Its Setting 5
Population 7
The Economy of Cortlandville 23
Physical Characteristics . 44
Existing Land Use 57
Highways in the Town 64
Community Facilities 69
Finances 74
THE TOWN PLAN
The Town Plan 86
Planning Objectives 87
Land Use Plan 89
Neighborhood Plan 96
The Circulation Plan 99
Town Facilities 108
County Airport Plan 114
School Plans 118
Open Spaces and Recreation 121
r
PLAN EFFECTUATION Page
Putting the Plan into Effect 126
Zoning 126
Subdivision Controls 127
Official Map 128
Capital Improvement Program 128
Recommended Program 133
MAPS
Regional 4
Physical Characteristics Following 44
Soils Following 52
Existing Land Uses Following 58
The General Plan Following 86
Sewerage Study Drainage Areas 112
•
THE PLANNING FUNCTION IN TOWN GOVERNMENT
Basic to planning in any community is the use of the land contained
therein, whether publicly or privately owned. The planning function
concerns itself with the sequence of development, the locational
pattern and methods and techniques whereby these may be regulated,
guided and controlled to achieve a maximum of community benefit.
In achieving this guidance, it should be continually recognized that
change is fundamental to any urban area, and that recognition should
be made of physical relationships in time as well as in location.
This requires, then, that each decision will recognize the importance
of the past and relate it to the goals of the future. The attainment of
these goals are the 'raison d'etre' of the planning function and a town
succeeds or fails of such attainment only through the reflection of a
properly developed plan in the actions of its citizens and their elected
representatives. It becomes axiomatic that the more people who par-
ticipate in the process, who give serious thought to the goals of the
community, who, either as individuals or groups, comment on policy
matters, the more gainful will be the final outcome. This is not to
say that it can always be proven that there are monetary savings from
planning - but rather that there is achieved a good urban environment
as the first goal, and whatever financial gain does occur results in an
extra benefit.
•
In the exercise of the planning function of the town, two bodies play
the most vital roles: first, the Town Board as the primary framer of
policy and as the legislative body which adopts the town budget (capital
improvements) and the town's regulatory measures (zoning, official
map, etc.), and second, the Planning Board as the chief advisor to
the Town Board using the General Plan as a guide in their reports and
recommendations, as well as in the decisions they make in approving
subdivisions, where they exercise final authority.
It is the primary duty of the Planning Board to develop a plan for the
town so that it may intelligently make recommendations to the Town
Board for legislative action and policy decision. In most instances,
professional guidance from trained planners becomes necessary to •
assemble and to analyze data, develop the graphics, and prepare al-
ternative suggestions along with an indication of the probable conse-
quence of each.
As the plan develops, it is recognized to be more a foundation of basic
policy decisions, and as such, flexible in detail, rather than a rigid
- 1 -
pattern from which there can be no turning. And on this foundation
rest the codes, ordinances, and regulations which are referred to
as the 'tools' of the plan effectuation. These, the zoning ordinance,
subdivision regulations, official map, and capital improvement pro-
gram become part of the local framework within which all develop-
ment must occur. With this recognition of the importance of the
plan, advisory though it may be, in its role as a base on which rest
these more regulatory measures which directly control or influence
private and public development, Cortlandville will then be prepared
for the problems of tomorrow.
A word about enforcement. Proper interpretation of the regulatory
controls, proper guidance of the lay citizen as he seeks a building
permit or an appeal to the Board of Appeals, proper procedures,
clearly stated and objectively administered are all-important to the
planning function. In any community, the role of the building in-
spector is most difficult, yet it is his shoulders on which rest the
burden of good enforcement, and, in the last analysis, it becomes
his opportunity to create reality from what was once a plan.
Planning becomes less simple as our daily lives increase in a myriad
of concerns and issues. Yet to be effective, the local planning func-
tion must gain the support of the people and their elected officials.
The techniques utilized in the past by the Cortlandville Planning Board -
and the experiences shared as a result will stand them in good stead
as the planning function continues to establish its rightful place in the
town, and the town continues to grow and prosper.
- 2 -
. .
•
THE
G E N •...
E •IR- "A\ t • . .
•
• I.- .
• •
1 •
• . .
1.
.•
!. • • •
sTuDI •Es .
•
•
•
are
..
111,,."---„......„. %.' _ ; .: -••• - .• .
.6; . ./,..........—. .
• •
. •.• . i.,.. /60•
V.. .
••'
•
•
% ...
e \
- .•
•
.••
•
............„.
•
. -
, ,......
•
fir•
. \- 0 • . .
. . ‘. ;
......
• . . •
' :••• .
. . Z,... .
'p .
• -2.,,,,,•:-......
•
. . • ........._..
•
•••• ••
.
•
........ .........„.......
•
•
. ....................----...
••
• II ys ,
.
•
..-
,,i, •.• % ..
.
•
• .
•
• 0• '•
.
I .
•
• .
• •
1 . .
-1.
lidearal ...--'''.''..'.'-..-'-''s--:".-":2. •
' -I
. -
.- .-- 7.r..„........1"..'''0".^..."-Z',-'-'..,..-,--,;.<_,... • .. ,
...••• • - ,....' ••• •••,••••••.,..-.,..._.'=%.,t,:-0.5...',>.:'7,-,4•'..,..ie." -.
, -. '.....;_t 2"..;,-... .-....i...i.-.:.".-.5?„'•7_7:" '''..-,,.... .'-'-...,;1..<':'>'''.0e•-'4= ."....... ...--..1.4-.‘4Z.--a:.-- ..,-...‹-;••-- r
*s.......................;
---,
1
1
s.
1 '. .
, ..•,A,....3.-t,'• • •,-.... ----"''...si •••••
....
• • •
/ ..
••••-,_,...:....... '7.,
,,r.•',.'.:'',t,.,r..""s, .",
0 • 1
/ ••••,:k., a'
1 ... .
1 ,P
/ . . ...,,_. ''''',.. N-Na ...•.;i ' ..-- • -
/.
7.:''''''''''''' •, . , , .......""
...„............
A.,
.."- - •
•
• ...---•---;'' . .
. ...." . .
--•-•
'' ••
111111%
ip, c•-
• ' '''--..P'-.. ...<-7 woo°.
II
•
, .......•
.
• .
••-•
.
•
- -__
----;
ill .III -
: 1
1
•
• . / .
•
I .
..,
I'
ROUTE S. VAtlititlik%:*I%
O•• :1V.;00.: OUTE 5
$$
REGIONAL MAP '•-'•'-`=':;'1 'ttli SYRACUSE '
_ 1 _
TOWN OF CORTLANDVILLE A „.,...,
I . NORTH
VILLAGE OF McGRAW IIIII
-
O ,, SKANEATELES
i'?: -
Sr•::i`ti 41 .•.• V gii• •.
.• �"• •i• AUBURN rE
' O
Illig C-1 Q Q ` `::b`i: ROUT E
'4%
.i:iwi::::::..
c.) 0 ...........
:iil
wi:::::: _
.......• .:.,.,:.Ni,
‘ _ /
:iiiitt.§:i:i . ..... .
-,:8:.:.....
\ v .i:i:i:i:i:i:
.....,:c.,..„„ .
.:K:§:§. ..,
.„,, c.... ..:.::a:::m.:::.:, 4,4..4,:... .......
. .
. ..
. .
. ..
. ...
. .
c ::.:ki: .. ... 0 =
... :iililiill: 0
_ ......
v. .:io.iiii... .,,:.,..
, .-:.:.. . . , TULLY .
W {a<'::. ONO
NDAGA COUNTY
o `' C ORTLAND
1 COUNTY
MORAVIA I ^ W
coti
of J r.
O
I44 OrO
RpUrf 90 • Qp
J
HOMER
G A •
"`
CAY COU TY '•"J
TOMPKINS 1- - - -- `
COUNT '
P ;;,;:
���. ::•••••s...40,4, . • R O V r f
et 0
a CORTLAND '�
•
':,... ' I/7#/ ':;N*,A
/ . I1-
- G m .
C.,0
v s
c '.'Oka o -
CP :: E �� Z 0 1 2 3 4 8
£' ' J SCALE IN MILES c
It Y
:• G
J o_ H A
co A
.:e.••
• .-•..• O ITHACA . D R 4 co
F- C.7 f 22 r
THE TOWN AND ITS SETTING
The Town of Cortlandville is situated in the west central portion of
Cortland County. The town completely surrounds the City of Cort-
land, the county seat.
The topography of the town (with the exception discussed below) is
characterized by rolling hills rising to elevations as great as 1900
feet. Valleys between the hills are generally deep and quite narrow.
Streams in these valleys drain toward the Tioughnioga River valley
which runs through the town from the north central boundary to the
southeastern corner of the town.
The Tioughnioga River valley and the valley southwestward from
the southwest corner of the City of Cortland are the only large areas
of relatively flat.land within the town. The City of Cortland occupies
a great part of this flat land. It is also within this plain that the
greatest suburban development has occurred in recent years.
The Village of McGraw, the only incorporated village in the town
(with the exception of a small portion of the Village of Homer on the
north central town boundary) lies in the Trout Brook valley in the
east central portion of the town.
Highways of the state and federal systems serving the town include:
Interstate Route 81. This important link in the interstate
system enters the town at the Village of Homer and extends
through the town following the eastern side of the valley.
This limited access expressway is completed from the town's
northern boundary to an interchange at State Route 41 west
of the Village of McGraw. From this interchange southward
the highway will provide high-speed expressway services for
the town to the St. Lawrence River to the north and to
Pennsylvania and beyond to the south. At Syracuse, about
30 miles to the north, Interstate Route 81 intersects Inter-
state Route 90 (The Thruway) to provide connection with the
state's most important east-west highway.
U. S. Route 11 flows through the town in a path which is
roughly parallel to Interstate Route 81. This route has been
the primary north-south highway for the town, and even when
Interstate 81 is completed, it will remain the most important
north-south route for local travel.
- 5 -
State Route 281 traverses the Town of Cortlandville from
its beginning at Route 13 in the southwestern area of the
town to the western side of the Village of Homer. This is
an important route for local travel in the western portion of
the town and to Tully and the north, or south via Route 13
to the Ithaca area.
State Route 13 crosses the town, and the City of Cortland
generally on a northeast-southwest line. To the southwest,
it provides access to the Ithaca area; to the northeast, it
serves the Truxton and DeRuyter areas.
State Route 41 enters the town near the center of its eastern
boundary and extends westward, serving the village of
McGraw, to the City of Cortland and then north and north-
westward to Skaneateles.
Railway freight service is provided through the town by the Erie
Lackawanna Railroad by its line from Binghamton and beyond to the
south and Syracuse to the north. Freight service is still provided by
the Lehigh Valley Railroad to Ithaca.
Dairying, general farming and specialty crop farming is still im-
portant in the rich valley land in the central and western parts of the
town, although suburban residential, commercial and industrial de-
velopment near the City of Cortland continues to absorb an increasing
portion of this land. In the hilly eastern section of the town, the major
agricultural activity is dairy farming.
- 6 -
POPULATION
Introduction
This report is devoted to the population of the Town of Cortlandville
in terms of numbers, characteristics, and trends of population. The
study is presented as an important factor in the preparation of-a town
planning program. It relates these features of the population structure
to the town's economic and social base, and then provides a set of popu-
lation forecasts through the year 1985.
In planning the orderly development of a community, a projection of the
population is a primary need. A reasonable analysis and forecast of
the number and types of people in a community facilitates comprehen-
sive planning because it indicates the economic and social demands that
must be met if the community is to provide its citizens with satisfactory
living conditions.
Beyond furnishing a concept of a satisfactory community organization,
population data are determinants of future needs in relation to land use,
housing, commerce, industry, recreation, public improvements, and
general cultural life. A new or growing region, for example, should
have new schools and expanded shopping centers, recreational areas
and public utilities.
Thus., knowledge of population characteristics and trends aid in making
decisions regarding the future. Population growth may, in part, be en-
couraged or discouraged at the option of the_ locality, since responsible
plans for expansion of public and private facilities can be made on the
basis of desired future population size and distribution.
A technical note should be made regarding the definitions of areas used
in this report. For certain types of data, it was impossible to compile
information for the Town of Cortlandville, including the Village of
McGraw, and part of the Village of Homer, located in the town. We
have, therefore, also used the unincorporated portion of the Town of
Cortlandville as a unit of analysis. There are practical reasons for
using this unit, in addition, as it has experienced quite different rates
of growth than did the villages. Whenever areas are discussed in the
report they are carefully defined and the reader should use caution in
reading the footnotes and text.
- 7 -
TABLE 1
Population Trends for Town of Cortlandville, 1850 - 1965
Town of Cortlandville* Unincorporated Town**
Population Percentage Population Population Percentage .
Year Population Change Change Change Change
1850 4,173 . . . . . . 4,173 .
1860 4,810 637 15.3% 4,810 637 15.3%
1870 3,016 -1,794 -37.3 2,445 -2,365 -49.2
1880 -
3,064 48 1.6 2,427 -18 -.7
1890 2,861 -203 -6.6 2,128 -299 -12.3
1900 2,907 46 1.6 2,118 -10 -.5
1910 3,155 248 8.5 2,165 47 2.2
1920 3,237 82 2.6 2,137 -28 -1.3
1930 3,520 283 8.7 1,827 -310 -14.5
1940 3,823 303 8.6 2,555 728 39.8
1950 4,058 235 6.2 2,794 239 9.4
1960 5,660 1,602 39.5 4,331 1,537 55.0
1965*** 6,628 968 17.1 5,214 883 20.4
* Includes Village of McGraw and part of Village of Homer. City of Cortland excluded after 1860.
** Excludes Village of McGraw, and from 1910 to the present part of Village of Homer. In 1870 excludes
also South Cortland.
*** Special Census
SOURCE: U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census, Decennial Census Reports.
TABLE 2
Population.Changes for Town of Cortlandville and Selected Areas, 1940 - 60
1940 - 50 1950 - 60 1940 - 60
1940 1950 1960 Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
New York State 13,479,142 14,830,192 16,782,304 1,351,050 10.0% 1,952,112 13.2% 3,303,162 24.5%
Cortland County 33,668 37,158 41,113 3,490 10.4 3,955 10.6 7,445 22.1
City of Cortland 15,881 18,152 19,181 2,271 14.3 1,029 5.7 3,300 20.8
Town of Cortlandville 3,823 4,058 ' 5,660 235 6.1 1,602 39.5 1,837 48.1
Unincorporated portion of
Town of Cortlandville* 2,555 2,794 4,331 239 9.4 1,537 55.0 1,776 69.5
Ratio of Town's population
to Cortland County .114 .109 .138
* Excludes Village of McGraw and part of Village of Homer.
SOURCE: U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census, Decennial Census Reports
- 8 -
Population Trends
From its founding in 1829 up until 1950, the Town of Cortlandville
underwent a slow, steady growth in population. Naturally, the in-
corporation of Cortland, and its subsequent jurisdictional separation
when it became a city, reduced the population of the town. Table 1,
however, excludes Cortland City after 1860, and this is the cause of
the sharp decline in population between 1860 and 1870. During the
1880's the town also experienced a decline in population as the city
increased in size.
The long-term, slow rate of growth was sharply accelerated after
1950 as the town began experiencing the suburbanization so character-
istic of urban development in the post-World War II period. The City
of Cortland started spilling over its boundaries; the desire of people
to live in more open settings, the demand for more modern housing,
and the location of additional industry in the town all contributed to this
sharp rise in population. Cortlandville became transformed from a
largely rural area containing two relatively small villages (McGraw and
part of Homer) to a vital, independent community. This is not meant
to imply that the agricultural base of the town exists no longer, but
rather that the growth elements of the town come largely from urban-
type expansion.
A special census taken in the spring of 1965 shows that the population
upsurge continues into the 1960's. Although the rate of growth during
this recent five-year period is somewhat lower than during the 1950-
60 decade, the numerical increase is quite similar.
To understand more fully the patterns of growth, the figures for the un-
incorporated portion of the town are also reported. The trend is much
more fluctuating, but it is clear that this largely agricultural area
either lost population or did not gain very much up to the 1930's. The
depression era, 1930-40, undoubtedly saw a return migration to the
rural area from the economically depressed cities and this portion of
the town grew by 39 . 8 percent (728 persons) . In the 1940's some growth
occurred, but it was not until the 1950-60 intercensal period that a spec-
tacular growth of population took place. A 55 . 0 percent increase added
1,537 persons to the population. There can be little doubt that this growth
has continued in the 1960's, although at a somewhat lower percentage rate
of increase. The numerical increase calculated on an annual basis is
greater in the 1960's than between 1950 and 1960.
It should be noted that the growth in the city's population during this period
is due to a change in the definition of residents. In 1950 students at Cort-
land State Teachers College were enumerated as residents of their "home"
- 9 -
FIGURE 1
POPULATION TRENDS IN VARIOUS AREAL UNITS
1940 1950 1960 1940 1950 1960 1940- 1950 1960
75
w 50 `
CD
4 25N1/4\1 �•
x \\\\\\ pU1U\\U1\111\h `````
1111111111
w NEW YORK STATE CORTLAND COUNTY TOWN OF CORTLANDVILLE
4 1940 1950 1960 1940 1950 1960 1940 1950 1960
H 75
z `°
w •
U 5 0 `•
c4
w
a. Q
25
\\\\\\\\\\\\1 111111111111111111
0 �11\\\ 11111111111111111�1U1\\1U\1111\\11 ��\\�11\1111111111F
CITY OF CORTLAND VILLAGE OF McGRAW UNINCORPORATED PORTION
TOWN OF CORTLANDVILLE
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Decennial Census Reports.
TABLE 3
Births and Deaths for Town of Cortlandville,T 1940-63
Resident Events Natural Birth/Death
Year Births Deaths Increase Ratio
1940 42 35 7 1.2
1941 78 -37 41 2.1
1942 69 • 32 37 2.2
1943 87 31 56 2.8 '
1944 104 42 62 2.5
1945 87 25 62 3.5
1946 86 27 59 3.2
1947 98 38 60 2.6
1948 91 43 48 2.1
1949 101 40 61 2.5
1950 88 22 66 4.0
1951 86 36 50 2.4
1952 79 33 46 2.4
1953 80 29 51 2.8
1954 94 42 52 2.2
1955 101 32 69 3.2
1956 93 34 59 2.7
1957 107 36 71 3.0
1958 100 28 72 3.6
1959 92 41 51 2.2
1960 117 49 68 2.4
1961 97 34 63 2.9
1962 110 43 67 2.6
1963 97 42 55 2.3
Excludes Village of McGraw and Part of Village of Homer
SOURCE: New York State Department of Health, Office of Biostatistics,
Annual Reports.
— 10 —
place of residence, whereas in 1950, and in subsequent censuses these
students were recorded as residents of their "college" place of resi-
dence. This may account for a considerable amount of the increase.
Table 2 and Figure 1 reveal the growth patterns.in other nearby areas.
The town has been gaining population at a faster rate of increase since
1950. Compared with the City of Cortland, the town grew at a lower
rate between 1940-50, but at a far more rapid rate in the 1950's. How-
ever, the numerical increase during the 1950-60 period was greater
for the town than for the city. From 1960 to 1965 the town gained 890
persons, while the City of Cortland added 321 persons to its population.
It is clear that most of the growth in the region is now occurring in the
town. This is also reflected in the ratios comparing the population of
the town with that of Cortland County. The ratio dropped in the 1940's
but sharply increased between 1950 and 1960. The ratio is likely to
increase for some time, as the Town of Cortlandville experiences most
of the new residential construction in the region.
Components of Population Change
Three components of population - birth, deaths, and migration - are the
sole sources of change in total population, as well as the population com-
position of a community. The difference between births and deaths, or
natural increase, as it is termed, gives the amount of change that occurs
through biological factors. Of course, although they are essentially bio-
logical, social factors strongly determine the levels of these elements.
The other source of change is net migration, the difference between in-
migration and out-migration. We must examine both natural increase
and net migration to obtain a clear picture of the dynamics of population
change over time.
Births and Deaths
In Table 3 the number of annual deaths and births are reported for the
unincorporated portion of the town from 1940 to 1963. As can usually be
expected, there are yearly fluctuations in these figures, but the trend is
toward a modest increase in births and a relative stability for deaths.
These resulted in.a very slight, natural increase over the twenty-three
--. year period. The birth-death ratios also reveal this slight increase. In
general, it is rather remarkable how stable the natural increase has been
for such a growing area.
By the ten-year intercensal periods, it can be seen from Table 4 that the
natural increase was 493 between 1940 and 1950, and 587 during the decade
- 11
FIGURE 2
TOWN OF CORTLANDVILLE -- TRENDS OF BIRTHS AND' DEATHS, 1940 - 1963
120
y
110 '
. ; i .: •��.. ; , '�. ,•.
1 0 0 ;', �''+,,,,#i'.��,,,,,•,,*e�� BIRTHS ,,',',•� .,1.,ir$ �'�^ X` �:
.4. 4.
iEnnF •'•,,A4,
8 0 : mossy! 1
Z
O -7 0 #'4
CO ? _
x NATURAL INCREASE
60
pa7
a
50:
A
a.
O „of
A Aili .4 .. AilLik
•
30
w
DEATHS
20
0 10
Z
40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57' 58 59 60 61 62 63
SOURCE: New York State Department of Health, Office of Biostatistics, Annual Reports,
•
TABLE 4
Components of Population Change, Town of Cortlandville,* 1940 - 60
Natural Increase Net Migration*** Total Change
Census Period Births Deaths Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
1940 - 50** 854 347 507 212.1% -268 -112.1% 239 100.0%
1950 - 60 927 340 587 38.2 950 61.8 1,537 100.0
1940 - 60 1,781 687 1,094 61.6 682 38.4 1,776 100.0 ,
* Excludes Village of McGraw and part of Village of Homer
** Figures given for April 1st of each census year. Interpolated for segments of census years.
*** Residual estimates.
SOURCE: U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census, Decennial Census Reports.
,
- 12 -
J
of the 1950's. This is not a very large increase when one considers
the larger population that resided in the area during the latter period.
The natural increase since 1960 would indicate some growth from this
component along much the same lines as the trend of the 1950-60 de-
cade.
Net Migration
It is virtually impossible to obtain direct information on the numbers
of in-migrants and out-migrants for small areas. Using a residual
method of subtracting the natural increase from the total population
change, however, makes it possible to estimate the net migration
during these periods.
The estimates are presented in Table 4, as well as the percentage con-
tribution that each component made to total growth for each period. In
the 1940-50 period there was apparently a large net out-migration from
the town, perhaps indicating the departure of families that moved in
during the depression decade of the 1930's and general effects of the wars
on the more mobile younger generation.
After 1950, however, the net migration becomes a positive contribution
to the population growth; in fact, constituting over 60 percent of the
growth. This represents a radical transformation of the town from a
sending area to a receiving area. In terms of general change, it is al-
most entirely this net in-migration that alters the population growth
from 239 persons during 1940 to 1950 to 1,537 from 1950 to 1960, since
the natural increase contribution changed very little.
Characteristics of the Population
Age and Sex
To evaluate population trends and the import of population changes for
a community requires a knowledge of some of the-details of population
structure, particularly the age and sex composition. A community's
facilities are particularly affected by changes in specific age groups,
including the elderly and the school-age population.
Table 5 shows the population distribution by age and sex in 1940 and
1960 and Figure 3 graphically depicts the age and sex structure of Cort-
landville in 1960. A first impression is that the population structure is
- 13 -
FIGU RE 3
AGE - SEX PYRAMID
TOWN OF CORTLANDVILLE , 1960 -
75— 79
70— 74
1 65-69
MALE FEMALE
60- • 64 -
55- . 59
•
50- . 54
45- 49
40-- 44
•
35-ir 39
30— 34
25-0- 29
20-- 24
15-- 19
10- . 14
5- 9
•
0- 4 I
14 12 10 8 6 4 2 2 4 6. 8 10 12 14
PERCENTAGE
SOURCE: U.S.Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 1960 Census
- 14 -
1
TABLE 5
Age and Sex Distribution for Town of Cortlandville, 1940 - 60
1940 1960
Age Male Female Total Percent Male Female Total Percent
Under 5 163 180 343 9. 0% 367 315 682 12. 0%
15 - 14 264 263 527 13. 8 607 554 1161 20. 5
15 - 24 297 299 596 15 . 6 328 356 684 12. 1
25 - 34 317 273 590 15.4 311 368 679 12. 0
c~n
1 35 - 44 279 245 524 13 .7 369 385 754 13. 3
45 - 54 212 201 413 10. 8 340 329 669 11 . 8
55 - 64 188 186 374 9. 8 265 212 477 8.4
65 and Over 226 230 456 11 .9 261 293 554 9. 8
TOTAL 1946 1877 3823 100. 0% 2848 2812 5660 100. 0%
SOURCE: U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census, Decennial Census Reports.
TABLE 6 TABLE 7
Changes in Age Groups for Town of Cortlandville, 1940 - 60 Sex Ratios* By Age Groups for Town of Cortlandville, 1940 - 60
1940 - 1960
Age Persons Percentage Sex Ratios
Under 5 339 98.8 Age 1940 1960 Change
5 - 14 634 120.3 Under 5 91 117 + 26 .
15 - 24 88 14.8 5 - 14 100 110 + 10
25 - 34 89 15.1 15 - 24 99 92 - 7
rn 35 - 44 230 43.9 25 - 34 116 85 - 31
45 54 256 62.0 35 - 44 114 96 - 18
55 - 64 103 27.5 45 - 54 105 103 - 2
65 and Over 98 21.5 55 - 64 101 125 + 24
65 and Over 98 89 - 9
TOTAL 1,837 48.1%
TOTAL 104 101 - 3
SOURCE: U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census,
Decennial Census Reports. * Number of males per 100 females
SOURCE: U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census,
Decennial Census Reports.
pyramid-shaped in form with a pinched area in the middle. This in-
dicates that the population is well represented in the early years and
later years, but lacks persons in the early stages of adulthood. No
doubt this has been caused by the net out-migration of younger adults
and the somewhat lower fertility of the cohorts born in the 1930's and
early 1940's. From the age of 35 upward the pyramid is rather robust,
which may reflect in-migration of older families into the town.
A comparison of the 1940 population structure with 1960 shows.marked
increase in the ages 0 - 14 and quite large increases in the 35 - 54 age
groups. This is consistent with the above findings. It should be noted
that the numbers of youths aged 0 - 14 far exceeds that which would be
expected from the resident births during the period. Obviously it means
that already established families with children are moving into the area,
thus putting extra pressures on the existing educational facilities and
other services. Table 6 also shows that every age category shows in-
creases in population in the twenty-year period, even though most of
the growth is concentrated in certain age groups.
The overall sex ratios, the number of males per 100 females has de-
clined somewhat, and there were in 1960 nearly as many females as
males in the population (Table 7) . Males formerly (1940) predominated
in the ages 2 5-64, while in 1960 only in the early ages 0 - 14 and 45 -
-- 64. The changes are strongest in the two early age groups, which re-
flects largely the unequal sex ratio at birth that generally exists.
Selected Population Characteristics
Although data for the Town of Cortlandville ar.e not abundant, it is
possible to describe some of the major compositional aspects of the
•
population by using 1960 census information. Table 8 shows some of
these distributions, along with quotients of the town's properties to
that of Cortland County. This provides a comparison with the larger
area.
The residents of the town over the age of 14 years are predominantly
married, as revealed by Table 8. In this respect the proportion married
exceeds that of the county. A greater proportion of females than males
are widowed, but the proportion married are very similar.
The total family income for the town is slightly greater than Cortland
County, but the distributions are quite divergent. The town has fewer
families with less than $3, 000 per year income, more between $3, 000 -
$7, 000, and somewhat more between $10, 000 - $25, 000. It should be
pointed out that 14 percent of the families have under $3, 000 per year
income, but many of these are retired persons and other single persons.
•
- 17 -
TABLE 8
Selected Population and Housing Characteristics
Town of Cortlandville, 1960
Quotient of
Marital Status* Percent Cortland County -
Male Female Total Male Female Total
Single 21.7% 16.6% 19.1% .86 .68 .77
Married 72.8 71.1 72.0 1.06 1.17 1.11
Widowed 4.7 10.4 7.6 1.04 .80 .84
Divorced .8 1.9 1.4 .72 1.12 1.00 -
Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 1.00 1.00 1.00 -
* Population 14 years of age and over.
Quotient of
Total Family Income- 1959 Percent Cortland County
Under$1,000 1.4% .38
1,000- 1,999 6.0 .91 '
2,000- 2,999 6.6 .82
3,000- 3,999 11.2 1.02
4,000-4,99.9 15.3 1.16
5,000- 5,999 16.6 1.07 -
6,000-6,999 12.7 1.08
7,000-7,999 - 8.3 .99
8,000- 8,999 5.5 .91
' 9,000-9,999 4.0 .95
10,000- 14,999 8.7 1.02 -
15,000-24,999 2.7 1.14
j $25,000 and over .8 .90
Total 100.0% 1.00
Median $5,572 1.01
Quotient of
Educational Attainment Percent Cortland County
No school completed 0.5% .39
Elementary School
1-4years 2.4 1.15
5-7 years 11.1 .84
8 years 22.0 1.19
High School
1 - 3 years 25.4 1.04
4 years 23.9 1.02
College
1 - 3 years 7.5 .77
4 years or more 7.1 .97
TOTAL 100.0% 1.00.
Median grade completed 10.7 .98 -
Quotient of
Residence in 1955 Percent Cortland County
. Same House 51.0% .95
Different House 48.4 1.06
Same County 31.8 1.11
Different County, Same State 13.1 .95
Different County, Different State 3,5 1.06
Abroad 0.6 .86
Total 100.0% 1.00
Quotient of
Rural-Urban Residence Percent Cortland County
Urban 0.9%
Rural 99.1
Farm 85.8
Nonfarm 13.3 '
Total 100.0%
- 18 -
In educational attainment the median grade completed for persons
over the age of 24 years is 10. 7 grades, somewhat under the county.
Only a very small proportion have completed no school, in contrast
to the higher proportion for the county. Those with college education
are relatively fewer than in the larger areas.
A reflection of the mobility of the population is indicated by the item
on residence in 1955 compared with present residence. Slightly over
half the population remained in the same house for the five-year period.
This is somewhat higher than the county's figure. In comparison, the
movers are overrepresented in the town, particularly intra-county
movers. This reflects some of the movement from the City of Cort-
land to suburban areas in the town.
In summary, it can be said that the average town resident has an average
education, is married, with family income in the average category, and
is fairly mobile. The extremes of wealth and poverty are largely ab-
sent in the town according to these statistics, although increasingly the -
contrast may be developing as suburban movement continues.
Population Projections
While population projections must be viewed with a certain degree of
caution since it is difficult to predict all of the factors that might affect
a community and its inhabitants, they remain a key contribution to
effective planning. Projections provide an approximated population
figure or set of figures that would be reached if certain assumptions are
met. Therefore, it is most important to specify the exact operation fol-
lowed to arrive at projections and the assumptions that enter into their
calculation. In addition, it is reasonable to employ several alternative
projections to indicate a range of figures within which we can expect,
with some degree of certainty, the actual population totals to fall at
some specific point in the future.
Ratio Projection
Since the population change of a community is usually related quite
closely to the change for the region in which it is located, one approach
to the problem of projection is to estimate future population according
to projections for the larger region. Several assumptions are required
for this approach: 1) That the community's ratio to the total will remain
the same or will change according to some specified timetable. 2) That
the projections for the regions are reasonable and sound. Generally
speaking, the larger the unit being studied, the more precise the pro-
= 19 -
TABLE 9
Ratios of Population: Town of Cortlandville to
Cortland County and Projections, 1940 - 80
Population
Town of Cortland
Year Cortlandville County Ratio
1940 3,823 33,668 .114
1950 4,058 37,158 .109
1960 5,660 41,113 .138
1965 6,628 . . . . . .
1970 Low 6,444 46,695 .138
7,845 .168
High 6,725 48,733 .138
8,187 .168
1980 Low 7,702 55,810 .138
11,162 .200
High 8,442 61,176 .138
12,235 .200
TABLE 10
Straight-line Projected Figures for Town of Cortlandville
1970 and 1980
Constant Numerical Increase Constant Rate of Increase
1960 5,660 5,660
1965 6,628 - - revised - - 6,628
1970 7,262 7,896 (1950-60 basis)
7,596 7,761 (1960-65 basis)
1980 ' 8,864 11,015 (1950-60 basis)
9,532 10,642 (1960-65 basis)
TABLE 11
Town of Cortlandville Projection: 1960 - 85
Increase
Year Population Range Population Figure Numerical Percent
1960 5,660
1970 7,250 - 7,750 7,500 1,840 32.5
1980 9,200 -10,200 9,750 2,250 30.0
1985 10,600 -11,600 11,115 1,365 14.0 (5 yrs)
- 20 -
jections can become, since local conditions do not enter directly into
the calculation. 3) That local conditions will not unduly affect the
• general trends in the community's population. For example, expansion
of the physical boundaries of the village by annexation would increase
the likelihood of population growth, over and above the population re-
siding in the area at the time of annexation. 4) That the age and sex
composition of the population bears at least a resemblance to that of
the regions for which population change is forecast, and that changes
in population distribution are similar. 5) Lastly, that the patterns of
change due to natural increase and net migration will continue to oper-
ate during the projection period. While the components of growth may
- differ from area to area, it should be explicitly hypothesized that the
basic relationship will not substantially differ in the future. Specific
discussion of these assumptions will be made in subsequent sections
of this report. •
In 1963 the New York State Office of Regional Development proposed a
set .of high and low estimates for each county of the state for the years
1970 and 1980. These projections are used to project by ratio methods
the population of Cortlandville. They are presented in Table.9 .
If the ratios are maintained at the level of 1960 the low projections
appear very unrealistic as the enumerated population in 1965 already
exceeds the figure and the 1980 projected seem to be under what can
reasonably be expected. If the ratios are increased by a constant amount
reflected by the 1950-60 gain, the projected figures reveal a consider-
able growth, especially for the "high" set of Office of Regional Develop-
ment projections.
Straight-line Projections
•
Another method for forecasting population is to carry forward the ratio
of growth or numerical increase in an area's population. Between 1950
and 1960. the town's population increased by 1, 602 persons, and in the
last five-year period by 968 persons. The projections, using these
factors, are shown in Table 10. If the population continued to grow by
a constant amount, based on the average gain for the two periods of 1690,
Cortlandville's population would be 7,749 in 1970 and 9, 198 in 1980.
Between 1950 and 1960 the population increased at a rate of 39 . 5, while
in the most recent period by 17 . 1 . The former rate produces a popula-
' tion figure of 7, 896 in 1970 and 11, 015 in 1980. The latter rate, calcu-
lated on a five-year basis, produces a 1970 population of 7, 761 and in
1980 of 10, 642. These figures are reported in Table 10.
- 21 -
Component Projections
Three factors are capable of affecting population size and growth -
fertility, migration and mortality. It is possible to derive projections
using these components. In the case of Cortlandville, this is compli-
cated by the fact that the vital events are not reported for the part of
Homer in Cortlandville Town. Thus, the figures presented in Table 4
are for the unincorporated town. An independent projection of the Vil-
lage of McGraw's population indicated a natural increase of about 150
persons for each decade. An increase in natural increase from 650
in the period 1960-70 and 800 in the following decade would not be un-
reasonable.
The important element is net migration, and this is virtually impossible
to project. If we arbitrarily indicate an increase of 1, 000 net migrants
and 1,500 between 1970-80, we arrive at a projected figure of 7,460
in 1970 and 9,910 in 1980.
Evaluation of Projections
Considering all these factors and the various projections that have been
made, it is possible to arrive at a set of figures that fall between a
specified range. The range of forecasts for 1970 suggests a population
of 7,500 in 1970, 9,750 in 1980, and 11, 115 in 1985 . This represents
a reduction in the rate of growth from 32.5 percent to 30 percent, and
finally, to 28 percent. In 1985, the population projection of 11, 115
reflects a slight decline in the rate of growth of the town as a tapering
off of in-migration is experienced.
It should be emphasized that these forecasts are mere guide lines for
action and indications of what the population size might be under stated
assumptions. They are not predictions of the future. Indeed, both in-
ternal conditions could alter the situation, such as annexations, or ex-
ternal conditions, such as war or depression could also produce major
changes. As such, the projections can be of assistance in indicating
what outcomes could result, given certain decisions by the community.
- 22 -
THE ECONOMY OF CORTLANDVILLE
Introduction
The Town of Cortlandville completely surrounds the City of Cortland
and the west central portion of Cortland County. It contains two other
incorporated places - McGraw in the eastern section and part-of the
Village of Homer in the north central section. The larger part of the
Village of Homer is located in the Town of Homer, adjacent to the
north. The economy of Cortlandville is so completely interwoven with
the economies of these three incorporated places that it is impossible
to consider it apart from this entire complex.
Some of the nature of the interrelationships between Cortlandville and
the urban areas around it are shown in Figure 4 and Table 12. It is
clear from the table that the City of Cortland, the Villages of Homer
and McGraw, and the Town of Cortlandville dominate Cortland County.
These four minor civil divisions have been defined as metropolitan
Cortland. In 1960, metropolitan Cortland contained over 69 percent
of the county population. It had grown between 1940 and 1950 and its
rate of growth was greater than that for the county. It's rate of growth
was much greater than that for non-metropolitan Cortland County.
The Venn Diagram shown in Figure 4 represents these relationships.
The rectangular box represents the county. The next circular line (B)
represents. metropolitan Cortland which contains (H), the Village of
Homer, (D), the City of Cortland, (I), the Village of McGraw and (K),
the unincorporated area of the Town of Cortlandville. Data that are
available for the purposes of the economic analysis refer to each of
these different entities. In this section of this report, references to
various areas will be referred back to the definitions given in this
diagram and table.
The area that is the subject of this report corresponds to (K) on both
the diagram and table. In 1960 it had a population of 4, 331 which was
slightly more than 15 percent of the population of metropolitan Cort-
land and something over 10 percent of the population of the county. It
is obviously a small but important functioning unit in a much larger
economic complex. Unfortunately, most of the data that are available
correspond to area (J) in the table and diagram. This area is the unin-
corporated Town of Cortlandville plus the Village of McGraw. Most of
the discussion to follow will relate to this area and make inferences
about the unincorporated town.
- 23 -
H
C ...AD
47 °1°1111°1111"--ffilli4161111
E K0 ,
B
FIGURE 4
VENN DIAGRAM OF SELECTED AREAS IN CORTLAND COUNTY
A = Cortland County
B = Metropolitan Cortland
C= A B Non- Metropolitan Cortland
D= Cortland City
E = Cortlandville Town including Homer (pt) and McGraw
F = Homer Village (part in Homer Town)
G= Homer Village (part in Cortland Town) ,`
H= F + G Homer Village
I = Mcgraw Village
J = E - G Cortlandville including McGraw
' K = E - G - I Unincorporated Cortlandville
- 24 -
1 I _ l _ 1 _ d 1 i l•
TABLE 12
Area and Population, Cortland County and Selected Subregions
1940, 1950 and 1960
1940 1950 1960 1940-1950 1950-1960
Area 1940 1950 1960 1965 % of % of % of Percent Percent
Sq. Mi. No. No. No. No. City City City Change Change
A. Cortland County 503.0 33668 37158 41113 10.37 10.64
B. Metropolitan Cortland 54.9 22565 25387 28410 67.02 68.32 69.10 12.51 11.91
C. Non-metropolitan Cortland 448.1 11103 11771 12703 32.98 31.68 30.90 6.02 7.92
D. Cortland City 4.1 15881 18152 19181 19523 47.17 48.85 46.65 14.30 5.67
E. Cortlandville Town 49.6 3823 4058 5660 6628 11.35 10.92 13.76 6.15 39.48
F. Homer Village in Homer Town 1.2 2861 3177 3569 8.50 8.55 8.68 11.05 12.34
i G. Homer Village in Cortlandville Town .2 67 67 53 36 .20 .18 .13 -20.90
ND H. Homer Village, total 1.4 2928 3244 3622 8.70 8.73 8.81 10.79 11.65
I. McGraw Village 1.0 1201 1197 1276 1378 3.57 3.22 3.10 - .33 6.60
J. Cortlandville Town, minus Homer 49.4
(part) 3756 3991 5607 11.16 10.74 13.64 6.26 40.49
K. Cortlandville Town, minus Homer
(part) and McGraw . 48.4 2555 2794 4331 7.59 7.52 10.53 9.35 55.01
SOURCES: U. S. Bureau of the Census, U. S. Census of Population: 1960, Vol. 1, Characteristics of the Population, Part 34, New York,
Table 7 (Washington: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1963).
•
TABLE 13
Employment Status, Cortlandville, and Selected areas, 1960
A.Cortland B. Metropolitan D. City of H.Village J. Town of
County Cortland Cortland of Homer Cortlandville
No. No. % of Cty. No. % of Cty. No. % of Cty. No. % of Cty.
Male, 14 and over 13693 9459 69.1 6323 46.2 1201 8.8 1935 14.1
Labor Force 10757 7321 68.1 4780 44.4 969 9.0 1572 14.6
Percent of total 78.6 77.4 75.6 80.7 81.2
Civilian Labor Force 10749 7313 68.0 4776 44.4 965 9.0 1572 14.6
Employed 10072 6867 68.2 4462 44.3 889 8.8 1516 15.1
Unemployed 677 446 65.9 314 46.4 76 11.2 56 8.3
Percent of Civilian Labor Force 6.3 6.1 6.6 7.9 3.6
Not in Labor Force 2936 2138 72.8 1543 52.6 232 7.9 363 12.4
Inmate of Institution 55 51 92.7 20 36.4 31 56.4
Enrolled in School 1319 1011 76.6 783 59.4 95 7.2 133 10.1
Other, under 65 years 387 273 70.5 184 47.5 33 8.5 56 14.5
Other, 65 years old and over 1175 803 68.3 556 47.3 104 8.9 143 12.2
tv
rn
Female, 14 and over 15741 11655 74.0 8223 52.2 1395 8.9 2037 12.9
Labor Force 6185 4788 77.4 3350 54.2 543 8.8 895 14.5
Percent of total 39.3 41.1 40.7 38.9 43.9
Employed 5788 4488 77.5 3155 54.5 519 9.0 814 14.1
Unemployed 397 300 75.6 195 49.1 24 6.0 81 20.4
Percent of Civilian Labor Force 6.4 6.3 5.8 4.4 9.1
Not in Labor Force . • 9556 6867 71.9 4873 51.0 852 8.9 1142 12.0
Inmate of Institution 106 106 100.0 65 61.3 41 38.7
Enrolled in School 1972 1573 79.8 1317 66.8 91 4.6 165 8.4
Other, under 65 years 5431 3702 68.2 2386 43.9 531 9.8 785 14.5
Other, 65 years old and over 2047 1486 72.6 1105 54.0 189 9.2 192 9.4
Married Women in Labor Force
Husband Present 3602 2598 72.1 1695 47.1 314 8.7 589 16.4
With own children under 6 806 542 67.2 315 39.1 71 8.8 156 19.4
SOURCES: U. S. Bureau of the Census, U. S. Census of Population: 1960, Vol. 1, Characteristics of the Population, Part 34, New York,
Table 83, (Washington: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1963).
U. S. Bureau of the Census, "U. S. Census of Population", Special Table PH-4.
f 1 ; 1
- ' - , - ' I - I - I I I 'I I I '
TABLE 14
Labor Force Quotients, Cortlandville and Selected Areas
Compared with Cortland County
B.Metropolitan D.City of H.Village of J. Town of
Cortland Cortland Homer Cortlandville
•
Male, 14 and over 1 . 00 .99 1 . 00 1 . 04
Labor Force .98 .95 1 . 02 1 . 07
Civilian Labor Force .98 . 95 1 . 02 1 . 07
Employed .99 .95 1 . 00 1 . 10
Unemployed .95 . 99 1. 27 . 61
Not in Labor Force 1. 05 1 . 13 . 90 .91
Inmate of Institution 1. 34 .78 4. 13
Enrolled in School 1 . 11 1 .27 . 82 , .74
N, Other, under 65 years 1 . 02 1. 02 , . 97 1 . 06
Other, 65 years and over .99 1 . 01 1 . 00 . 89
1
Female, 14 and over 1. 07 1 . 12 1 . 01 . 95
Labor Force 1 . 12 1 . 16 1 . 00 1 . 06
Employed 1 . 12 1 .17 1 .02 1. 03
Unemployed 1 . 09 1. 05 . 69 1. 50
Not in Labor Force 1 . 04 1 . 09 1 . 01 . 88
Inmate of Institution 1 .45 1 . 31 4. 39
Enrolled in School 1. 16 1 .43 . 52 . 61
Other, under 65 years .99 . 94 1 . 11 1 . 06
Other, 65 years and over 1 . 05 1 . 16 1. 05 . 69
Married Women in Labor Force
Husband Present 1. 04 1. 01 .99 1 .20
With Own Children under '6 . 87 .74 . 89 1 .42
SOURCES: Tables 12 and 13
TABLE 15
Percentage Distribution Occupation Groups, Cortlandville and Selected Areas, 1960
A. Cortland B. Metropolitan D. City of H. Village J. Town of
Occupation and Industry County* Cortland* Cortland*
of Homer* Cortlandville*
Male Employed
Professional, Technical and Kindred Workers 7.5 9.2 10.0 8.3 7.5
Farmers and Farm Managers 7.9 1.8 .4 .3 6.5
Managers, Officials, Proprietors, excl. Farm 9.5 11.2 10.8 14.8 10.4
Clerical and Kindred Workers 5.7 6.9 7.8 4.2 5.7
Sales Workers 6.6 8.4 9.6 8.7 4.7
Craftsmen, Foremen and Kindred Workers 19.9 19.5 19.5 21.0 - 18.6
Operatives and Kindred Workers 22.1 22.3 20.8 25.1 25.3
Private Household Workers .1 .1 .1 .3
Service Workers, excl. Private Household _ 5.8 6.9 8.5 5.4 2.9
Farm Laborers and Farm Foremen 5.9 2.8 .7 1.2 9.9
Laborers, excl. Farm and Mine 5.5 6.2 6.3 5.8 6.1
Occupation not Reported 3.9 4.7 5.5 5.1 2.1
ND
co Female Employed
Professional, Technical and Kindred Workers 13.2 13.2 14.0 15.6 8.7
Farmers and Farm Managers .7 .2 .9
Managers, Officials, Proprietors, excl. Farm 3.2 3.4 3.3 3.1 3.9
Clerical and Kindred Workers 19.4 20.3 22.3 15.4 15.5
Sales Workers 6.7 6.8 7.3 5.6 5.9
Craftsmen, Foremen and Kindred Workers 2.0 2.3 2.9 1.4
Operatives and Kindred Workers 30.5 30.5 29.1 26.4 38.5
Private Household Workers 7.2 7.0 6.3 12.9 5.7
Service Workers, excl. Private Household 12.8 12.4 11.5 16.4 13.1
Farm Laborers and Farm Foremen .8 .3 1.5
Laborers, excl. Farm and Mine .2 .2 .1 .5
Occupation not Reported 3.2 3.6 3.1 4.6 4.5
* Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding.
SOURCE: Table 16
Employment Status
Participation in the labor force gives important information about the
economy of an area. 1 The employment status for males and females
14 years old and over for Cortlandville are shown in Table 13 compared
with the Village of Homer, the City of Cortland, metropolitan Cortland
and the county. Participation in the labor force for both males and fe-
males was greater in the town than it was in any of the other areas.
For males, it was 81 . 2 percent and females, 43.9 percent. This re-
• flects the differences in the age composition of the population of the
town compared with the other areas. Unemployment for males was
3.6 percent and lower than any of the other areas. However, for fe-
males it was 9. 1 percent and higher than any of the other areas.
Comparisons with the county and differences in the composition of some
of the other-sub-areas are shown more clearly in Table 14 . Labor force
quotients are given for Cortlandville Town, the Village of Homer, the
City of Cortland, and metropolitan Cortland. 2 These quotients find the
ratio of the percent of a labor force component in a sub-area to the per-
cent of the population in-that sub-area. If this ratio is 1 . 0, the area has
the same labor force component percentage as it does population. If the
quotient is greater than 1, the area has more than its share of this com-
ponent; and if the quotient is less than 1, the area is deficient in this
component. From the table it can be seen that the Town of Cortlandville
has more than its share of both the male and female labor force in the
__ county even though its share of the females 14 years old and over is some-
what deficient. Not surprisingly, the town is most deficient in the not-in-
labor force components. The Village of Homer has a composition very
much like that of the county except for deficiencies in the enrolled-in-
school component. The enrolled-in-school groups are both very high for
the City of Cortland, reflecting the State College here. Metropolitan
Cortland differs from the county chiefly in inmates of institutions and en-
rolled-in-school because most of the schools and institutions in the county
are located within the metropolitan area. In general, Table 14 indicates
1 The labor force includes members of the Armed Forces and
civilians 14 years old and over who were either at work, with a
job and not at work, or not at work but looking for work at the
time the census was taken.
2 The labor force quotient is defined as:
L.Q. = Li • Pi , where: L'i = Labor force component of sub area
Lc Pc Lc = Labor force component of county
Pi = Population of sub area
Pc = Population of county
- 29 -
•
TABLE 16
Occupation Groups, Cortlandville and Selected Areas, 1960
A. Cortland B. Metropolitan D. City of H. Village J. Town of
County Cortland Cortland of Homer Cortlandville
Male Employed 10072 6867 4462 889 1516
Professional, Technical and Kindred Workers 758 632 444 74 114
Farmers and Farm Managers 792 121 19 3 99
Managers, Officials, Proprietors, excl. Farm 953 769 480 132 157
Clerical and Kindred Workers 576 472 348 37 87
Sales Workers 667 578 430 77 71
Craftsmen, Foremen and Kindred Workers 1962 1341 872 187 282
Operatives and Kindred Workers 2226 1533 926 223 384
Private Household Workers 12 8 4 4
Service Workers, excl. Private Household 582 471 379 48 44
Farm Laborers and Farm Foremen 597 194 33 11 150
Laborers, excl. Farm and Mine 554 427 283 52 92
i Occupation not Reported 393 321 244 45 32
p Female Employed 5788 4488 3155 519 814
Professional, Technical and Kindred Workers 764 593 441 81 71
Farmers and Farm Managers 43 7 7
Managers, Officials, Proprietors, excl. Farm 185 152 104 16 32
Clerical and Kindred Workers 1123 911 705 80 126
Sales Workers 386 306 229 29 48
Craftsmen, Foremen and Kindred Workers 118 102 91 11
Operatives and Kindred Workers 1765 1368 918 137 313
Private Household Workers 419 313 200 67 46
Service Workers, excl. Private Household 740 556 364 85 107
Farm Laborers and Farm Foremen 48 12 12
Laborers, excl. Farm and Mine 12 8 4 4
Occupation not Reported 185 160 99 24 37
SOURCES: U. S. Bureau of the Census, U. S. Census of Population: 1960, Vol. 1, Characteristics of the Population, Part 34, New York,
Table 84 (Washington: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1963).
•
U. S. Bureau of the Census, "U. S. Census of Population", Special Table PH-4.
that Cortlandville Town is well endowed with population in the labor
force age groups and these participate heavily in the labor force com-
pared not only with the county but other areas in metropolitan Cort-
land.
Occupational Classification
A comparison of the occupational classification of the employed labor
force for Cortland Town and other areas will reveal some of the dif-
ferences in their economic composition. Table 15 shows the percent-
age distribution of the male and female employed by occupation groups.
The occupation groups are listed from top to bottom on the table
roughly according to a socio-economic scale. The Town of Cortlandville
can be seen not to compare very favorably in the upper occupation groups
with respect to the Village of Homer or the City of Cortland. Its compo-
sition is closer to that of metropolitan Cortland and the county. This is
true for both males and females. As shown in'the table, the greatest
concentration of the higher occupation groups for both males and fe-
males is still in the City of Cortland. In other words, although the Town
of Cortlandville has the geographic location of a suburban area for the
City of Cortland, it did not in 1960 seem to have the population character-
istics of upper-class suburban areas.
The numbers of individuals in each,of the occupation groups, both male
and female, are shown in Table 16 and occupation group quotients for
them are given in Table 17 for Cortlandville., Homer, Cortland, and
metropolitan Cortland compared with Cortland County. 3 Reference to
Table 17 indicates that Cortlandville Town is relatively well off compared
with the county in some of the higher occupation groups even though it
does not fare so well in comparison with Homer and Cortland City. It
has a large number of farmers and farm laborers, both male and fe-
male, not only compared to the urban areas but compared to the county.
It is shown to be relatively highly specialized in agriculture. It is also
shown to be relatively well endowed with operatives and managers both
male and female. In other words its population is grouped in certain of
the middle range categories of occupation groups.
3 The occupation quotient is defined as:
O.Q. _- Oi _ P , where: Oi = Occupation group in sub area
Oc • Pc c = Occupation group in county
Pi = Population in sub"area
c = Population in county
- 31 -
TABLE 17
Occupation Group Quotients, Cortlandville and Selected Areas
Compared with Cortland County, 1960
B. Metropolitan D. City of H. Village of J. Town of
Cortland Cortland Homer Cortlandville
Male Employed .99 .95 1.00 1.10
Professional, Technical and Kindred Workers 1.21 1.26 1.11 1.10
Farmers and Farm Managers .22 .05 .04 .92
Managers, Officials, Proprietors, excl. Farm 1.17 1.08 1.57 1.21
Clerical and Kindred Workers 1.19 1.29 .73 1.11
Sales Workers 1.25 1.38 1.31 .78
Craftsmen, Foremen and Kindred Workers .99 .95 1.08 1.05
Operatives and Kindred Workers 1.00 .89 1.14 1.26
Private Household Workers .96 .71 2.44
1 Service Workers, excl. Private Household 1.17 1.40 .94 .55
c,,) Farm Laborers and Farm Foremen .47 .12 .21 1.84
Laborers, excl. Farm and Mine 1.12 1.09 1.07 1.22
Occupation not Reported 1.18 1.33 1.30 .60
Female Employed 1.12 1.17 1.02 1.03
Professional, Technical and Kindred Workers 1.12 1.24 1.20 .68
Farmers and Farm Managers .24 1.19
Managers, Officials, Proprietors, excl. Farm 1.19 1.20 .98 1.27
Clerical and Kindred Workers 1.17 1.35 .81 .82
Sales Workers 1.15 1.27 .85 .91
Craftsmen, Foremen, and Kindred Workers 1.25 1.65 .68
.Operatives and Kindred Workers 1.12 1.11 .88 1.30
Private Household Workers 1.08 1.02 1.82 .80
Service Workers, excl. Private Household 1.09 1.05 1.30 1.06
Farm Laborers and Farm Foremen .36 1.83
Laborers, excl. Farm and Mine .96 .71 2.44
Occupation not Reported 1.25 1.15 1.47 1.47
SOURCES: Tables 12 and 16
•
Industrial Classification
Further understanding of the economic composition of the community
can be gained from the industrial classification of its labor force.
Table 18 shows the percentage distribution by industry groups of Cort-
landville, Homer, Cortland, metropolitan Cortland, and Cortland
County. The heavy concentration of the population of the town in pri-
mary and secondary industries is the most striking feature of this table.
13. 0 percent of the employed labor force are engaged in agriculture as
compared with 9 .9 percent in the county and much smaller percentages
in the urban areas. 5 .1 percent are employed in construction compared
with 4 .7 percent in the county and somewhat smaller percentages in the
urban areas. In the town, 39.6 percent of the employed labor force is
in manufacturing which is higher than the 38. 1 percent for Homer and
39.2 percent for the City of Cortland.
Employed individuals by industry groups for Cortlandville, Homer,
Cortland, metropolitan Cortland, and the county are given in Table 1i9
and industry group quotients for these areas are given in Table 20 .
These quotients again reflect percentages between the group in the sub-
area compared with the county expressed as a ratio to the percent of '
the county's population in the sub-area. A quotient of 1 . 0 represents
equal percentages while a figure greater than 1 shows a degree of
specialization. The population of the town is shown to be most heavily
specialized in the manufacture of other durable goods. It is also heavily
specialized in agriculture and in railroad and other transportation which
are small components. Eating and drinking places is shown to be a heavy
specialization as are manufacturing of durable goods, textile and apparel
products, and transportation equipment. The specialization in construc-
tion and manufacturing as a whole are also indicated. There are defi-
ciencies in public administration, educational services and hospitals.
This was, of course, reflected in the occupation analysis. In manu-
facturing components the greatest deficiencies are in printing and pub-
lishing and food and kindred products. Other deficiencies are the metal
industries, communications and private households.
4 The industry group quotient is defined as:
I.Q. = Ii _ Pi , where Ii = Industry group in sub area
Ic • Pc c = Industry group in county
pl.P. =Population in sub area
c= Population in county
- '33
TABLE 18
Percentage Distribution Industry Groups,
Cortlandville and Selected Areas, 1960
A. Cortland B. Metropolitan D.City of H. Village J. Town of
County Cortland Cortland of Homer Cortlandville
Agriculture 9.9 3.5 .9 1.6 13.0
Mining .1 .1 .2
Construction 4.7 4.1 3.9 4.0 5.1
Manufacturing 36.6 39.2 39.2 38.1 39.6
Furniture, Lumber&Wood
Products 1.5 1.3 1.2 1.9 1.2
Metal Industries 4.5 4.9• 5.2 4.4 4.2
Machinery 11.5 12.3 12.8 8.7 12.9
Transportation Equipment 3.3 3.1 2.9 3.2 3.9
Other Durable Goods 1.5 1.3 1.0 .3 3.1
Food&Kindred Products 3.8 4.0 3.7 8.2 2.5
Textile&Apparel Products 8.9 10.5 10.8 8.5 10.6
Printing, Publishing&Other
Industries .8 .7 .8 1.1 .2
Other non-durable Goods .8 1.0 .8 1.8 1.0
Railroad& Railway Express Services .3 .3 .3 .5
Other Transportation Services 1.4 1.2 .9 2.1 1.6
Communication, Utilities&Sanitary
Services 1.7 1.8 2.0 1.7 1.0
Wholesale Trade 2.1 2.2 2.2 2.7 2.1
Eating& Drinking Places 2.7 3.0 2.7 4.3 3.4
Other Retail Trade 11.6 12.4 13.9 8.8 9.9
Business&Repair Services 1.9 2.0 1.6 3.9 2.1
Private Household Services 3.0 3.2 3.1 5.6 2.3
Other Personal Services 2.9 3.5 4.1 2.1 2.6
Hospitals 1.7 2.0 2.4 .6 1.3
Education Services 8.0 8.6 9.3 8.9 5.8
Other Professional&Related Services 2.8 3.4 3.4 4.6 2.7
Public Administration 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.9 1.9
Other Industries(incl. not reported) 6.0 6.9 7.3 7.9 5.1
* Percentages may not add up to 100 because of rounding.
SOURCE: Table 19
TABLE 19
Industry Groups, Cortlandville and Selected Areas, 1960
A.Cortland B.Metropolitan D.City of H.Village J.Town of
County Cortland Cortland of Homer Cortlandville
Agriculture 1564 397 72 22 303
Mining 20 12
Construction 747 469 294 57 118
Manufacturing 5802 4447 2987 537 923
Furniture, Lumber&Wood
Products 238 143 88 27 28
Metal Industries 715 556 395 62 99
Machinery 1821 1401 978 123 300
Transportation Equipment 528 354 218 45 91
Other Durable Goods 233 150 74 4 72
Food&Kindred Products 603 458 285 115 58
Printing, Publishing& Allied
Industries 123 84 64 16 4
Other non-durable Goods 129 109 59 26 24
Railroad& Railway Express Services 51 36 24 12
Other Transportation Services 219 132 65 30 37
Communication, Utilities&Sanitary
Services 277 203 155 24 24
Wholesale Trade 332 251 165 38 48
Eating&Drinking Places 435 343 203 61 79
Other Retail Trade 1842 1410 1056 124 230
Business & Repair Services 305 227 122 55 -50
Private Household Services 480 366 - 233 79 54
Other Personal Services 463 401 , 310 30 61
Hospitals 264 224 185 8 31
•
Education Services 1266 972 711 126 135
Other Professional &Related Services 448 384 257 65 62
Public Administration 396 292 207 41 44 .
Other Industries(incl. not reported) 949 789 559 111 119
SOURCES: U. S. Bureau of the Census, U. S. Census of Population: 1960, Vol. 1, Characteristics of the
Population, Part 34, New York, Table 85(Washington: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1963).
U. S. Bureau of the Census, "U. S. Census of Population", Special Table PH-4,
- 34 -
•
•
FIGURE 5 '
SPECIALIZATION CURVE FOR CORTLAND COUNTY
AND THE UNITED STATES, 1960
100
00♦♦ .
�
ststs ♦p
75 O♦
_ Cumulative ♦♦♦♦p•♦♦♦
e
•
Percent, ♦p♦♦
Cortland 50 ' ,♦♦,��♦f♦
County ,,
O�
d
. ,,,♦.
25 �.`r
O
O
0 25 50 75 190
Cumulative Percent, United States
SOURCE: Table 19
TABLE 20
Industry Group Quotients, Cortlandville and Selected Areas
Compared with Cortland County, 1960
B. Metropolitan D. City of H. Village J. Town of
Cortland Cortland of Homer Cortlandville
Agriculture .37 .10 .16 1.42
Mining .87 1.29 .
Construction .91 .84 .87 1.16
Manufacturing 1.11 1.10 1.05 1.17
Furniture, Lumber&Wood Products .87 .79 1.29 .86
Metal Industries 1.13 1.18 .98 1.02
Machinery 1.11 1.15 .77 1.21
Transportation Equipment .97 .88 .97 1.26
Other Durable Goods .93 .68 .19 2.27
Food&Kindred Products 1.10 1.01 2.16 .71
Textile and Apparel Products 1.22 1.25 .96 1.28
Printing, Publishing&Allied Products .99 1.12 1.48 .24
Other non-durable Goods 1.22 .98 2.29 1.36
Railroad& Railway Express Services 1.02 1.01 1.73
Other Transportation Services .87 .64 1.56 1.24
Communication, Utilities &Sanitary
Services 1.06 1.20 .98 .64
Wholesale Trade 1.09 1.07 . 1.30 1.06
Eating and Dining Places 1.14 1.00 1.59 1.33
Other Retail Trade 1.11 _ 1..23 .76 .92
Business and Repair Service 1.08 .86 2.05 1.20
Private Households 1.10 1.04 1.87 .82
Other Personal Services 1.25 1.44 .74 .97
Hospitals 1.23 1.5l .34 .86
Education Services 1.11 1.20 1.13 .78
Other Professional and Related
. Services 1.24 1.23 1.65 1.01
Public Administration 1.07 1.12 1.18 .81
Other Industry(incl. not reported) 1.20 1.26 1.33 .92
SOURCES: Tables 12 and 19
- 35 -
TABLE 21
Percentage Distribution of Industry Groups,
Cortland County and United States,
1940, 1950, 1960
1940 A.Cortland United States
Manufacturing 35.9 23.9
Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries & Mining 20.3 21.3
Services 17.4 19.4
Wholesale & Retail Trades 14.5 17.1
Construction 4.0 4.7
Transportation, Communications, &
Public Utilities 4.2 7.0
Public Administration 1.9 3.2
Finance, Insurance & Real Estate 1.7 3.3
1950 A.Cortland United States
Manufacturing 36.7 26.4
Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries & Mining 16.1 14.3
Services 16.5 18.2
Wholesale & Retail Trades 16.7 18.9
Construction 5.2 6.2
Transportation, Communications, &
Public Utilities 4.6 8.0
Public Administration 2.4 4.5
Finance, Insurance & Real Estate 1.8 3.5
1960 A.Cortland• United States
Manufacturing 37.7 28.2
Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries & Mining 10.4 8.1
Services 21.5 21.8
Wholesale & Retail Trades 17.0 19.0
Construction 4.9 6.2
Transportation, Communications, &
Public Utilities 3.6 7.2
Public Administration 2.6 5.2
Finance, Insurance & Real Estate 2.4 4.3
Percentages may not add up to 100 because of rounding.
SOURCES: Percentages based on data from the following:
U. S: Bureau of the Census, U. S. Census of Population:
1950, Vol. II, Characteristics of the Population, Part I,
United States Summary, Table 131 (Washington: U. S.
Government Printing Office).
U. S. Bureau of the Census, U. S. Census of Population:
1960, Vol. I, Characteristics of the Population, Part I,
United States Summary, Table 211 (Washington, U. S.
Government Printing Office).
U. S. Bureau of the Census, U. S. Census of Population:
1940, Characteristics of the Population, New York, Table
23 (Washington: U. S. Government Printing Office).
U. S. Bureau of the Census, U. S. Census of Population:
1950, Vol. II, Characteristics of the Population, New York,
Table 43 (Washington: U. S. Government Printing Office).
U. S. Bureau of the Census, U. S. Census of Population:
1960, Vol. I, Characteristics of the Population, Part 34,
New York, Table 85 (Washington: U. S. Government
Printing Office, 1963).
- 36 -
As a point of reference, it is worthwhile comparing Cortland County
with the United States. This has been done in Table 21 and Figure 5.
In Table 21 the percent of the employed labor force in each of eight
major categories of industries has been expressed and is compared
with like percentages for the United States. This has been done for
the years 1940, 1950, and 1960. The relatively heavy concentration
of the labor force in manufacturing for both Cortland County and the
United States can clearly be seen. In all three periods, the county
has been more specialized in manufacturing than the United States as
a whole. While the percentage of the labor force in manufacturing has
been growing in Cortland over this 20 year period, it has not grown at
so fast a rate as the United States. On the other hand, the primary
industries have declined both in Cortland and the United States. Agri-
culture, forestry, fisheries and mining have declined more rapidly
in the United States than in Cortland, however. While services and
wholesale and retail trade have lagged in Cortland behind the United
States, they are shown to have grown strikingly over the two decades.
The degree of specialization in the county is shown graphically in
Figure 5 . Here the cumulative percentage of employed labor force
in Cortland County is plotted against that for the United States for 1960.
The industrial sectors are entered according to their location quotients
giving the degree of specialization of the county. If the labor force of
Cortland County had the same industrial composition as that for the
United States, the curve would lie along the 45° line. The degree of
arching of the curve indicates the degree of specialization. Cortland
County is shown to be somewhat specialized•. From Table 21 we learn
that the specialization is primarily in manufacturing. From Table 20
we see that metropolitan Cortland is more heavily specialized in manu-
facturing than the county and Cortlandville Town is more heavily
specialized in manufacturing than any of the other components of the
metropolitan area.
Commutation Patterns
The preceding data have applied entirely to the residents of Cortland-
ville and reference areas. Data are not readily available on the employ-
ment opportunities within these areas, however, some idea of movement
can be derived from information on commutation. In Table 22, place of
work is shown for Cortlandville, Homer, Cortland, and metropolitan
Cortland. Almost 90 percent of Cortlandville workers work within the
county. This is a higher percentage than for any of the other areas shown.
Only 7. 1 percent commute outside the county. This is less than for any
of the other areas. Almost 47 percent of the out-commuting workers go
- 37 -
TABLE 22
Place of Work, Cortlandville and Selected Areas, 1960
B. Metropolitan D. City of H. Village H. Town of
Cortland Cortland of Homer Cortlandville
•
No. %* No. %* No. %* No. %*
Total Workers 11062 7434 1373 2255
Working in
Cortland County 9582 86.6 6364 85.6 1193 86.9 2025 89.8
Not Reported 501 4.5 359 4.8 73 5.3 69 3.1
Working Outside
Cortland County 979 8.9 711 9.6 107 7.8 161 7.1
Binghamton 44 .4 44 .6
Balance of Broome County 31 .3 19 .3 12 .9
Syracuse 132 1.2 81 1.1 11 .8 40 1.8
Balance of Onondaga County 70 .6 51 .7 8 .6 11 .5
Madison County 4 4 .1
Utica and Rome 4 4 .1
Balance of Oneida County 4 4 .2
Chenango County 12 .1 12 .2
Tioga County 4 4 .1
Tompkins County 464 4.2 329 4.4 60 4.4 75 3.3
Elsewhere 210 1.9 163 2.2 16 1.2 31 1.4
Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding.
SOURCE: U. S. Bureau of the Census, "U. S. Census of Population", Special Table PH-4.
TABLE 23
Means of Transportation to Place of Work
Cortlandville and Selected Areas, 1960
B. Metropolitan D.City of H.Village J.Town of
Cortland Cortland of Homer Cortlandville
No. %* No. %* No. %* No. %*
All Workers 11062 7434 1373 2255
Pvt. Auto or Car Pool 7170 64.8 4609 62.0 995 72.5 1566 69.4
Railroad, etc. 16 .1 12 .2 4 .3
Bus or Streetcar 182 1.6 122 1.6 36 2.6 24 1.1
Walked 2213 20.0 1802 24.2 172 12.5 239 10.6
Other Means 325 2.9 233 3.1 40 2.9 52 2.3
Worked at Home 600 5.4 231 3.1- 61 4.4 308 13.7
Not Reported 556 5.0 425 5.7 65 4.7 66 2.9
Percentages may not add up to 100 because of rounding.
SOURCE: U. S. Bureau of the Census, "U. S. Census of Population," Special Table PH-4.
- 38 -
to Tompkins County. Cortlandville workers are shown to be heavily
oriented towards employment opportunities in the central city and the
town itself.
Means of transportation used in commuting is shown in Table 23 . The
data are for Cortlandville, Homer, Cortland, and metropolitan Cortland.
More Cortlandville residents use automobiles and fewer walk to work
than is true for the city or the metropolitan area. While employment
opportunities are local, they are distant enough to require driving. A
larger percentage of town workers worked at home than for any of the
other areas. By and large this reflects the agricultural component of
the town labor force.
Income
The incomes acruing to the residents of the town are extremely impor-
tant indicators of the rewards they gain from their economic activities.
The incomes of the town residents must again be viewed in terms of
larger reference areas. Table 24 presents personal income estimates
for Cortland County in 1960 and 1964 by factor payments and sectors.
Changes in the composition of county income can readily be seen. Wages
and salaries rose as a component of income from 63.5 percent to 68.3
percent. At the same time proprietary income fell as did property and
other income. The commutation adjustment declined as a percentage.
This represents a net inflow of wages and salaries to the county above
those paid in the county. In other words, the county became somewhat
more self-sufficient in this period. Manufacturing wages and salaries
increased greatly as did its percentage share of total income. The next
largest percentage increase in this period was in the government sector
which rose from 9. 8 percent to 11. 3 percent of all income. This re-
flects both the growth of the sector and increases in the government
education sector.
Per capita incomes have performed reasonably well. - Per capita income-
in constant dollars is shown in Table 25 for Cortland County, the Syracuse
area and upstate New York. It can be seen that incomes fluctuated be-
tween 1948 and 1963 but that the trend has generally been upwards. In
the county they have risen from $1688 in 1948 to $2008 in 1963 .
The relationship between these three sets of estimates is shown in
Figure 6 . Here the county per capita income is expressed as a
percentage of Syracuse area and upstate New York per capita in-
comes. For a period from 1950 to 1958, the county was relatively
badly off compared with these two reference areas but it has re-
covered since then.
- 39 -
FIGURE 6 FIGURE 7
PER CAPITA INCOME IN CORTLAND COUNTY AS PERCENT CUMULATIVE PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES BY INCOME GROUPS,
CORTLANDVILLE, HOMER, AND CORTLAND CITY 1959
OF PER CAPITA INCOME IN SYRACUSE AREA AND UPSTATE
NEW YORK 10C
.10411".".
Upstate New York co
w
95 Syracuse Area a �00' 0.
.0'•••
4 75 / .0'�
90 :•••f O
H
• z
a w 50 �-�.
•• /:
Pa 5 •i• a.
Z •••i alw � .-�. O`�'O 2 5 ��.
E.
0 iv
O a •,,
a. 0 0
O 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1.0 15 25 -over 25
F 7
z FAMILY INCOME IN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
w C.) 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63
w a YEAR
7
D. CORTLAND CITY
• H. HOMER VILLAGE
J. . CORTLANDVILLE TOWN
SOURCE: Table 25
SOURCE: Table 26
The distribution of families by income class intervals for Cortland-
ville, Homer, Cortland, metropolitan Cortland, and the county are
shown in Table 26 . The town has the highest percentages of its
families between $3000 and $7000. Homer and Cortland have the
bulk of their families between $4000 and $8000. The town also has a
smaller percentage of its population in the intervals over $10, 000.
No generalizations can be made about the families below $3000. The
same information is shown graphically in Figure 7 . Here, the
cumulative percentage of families has been plotted by $1000 income
intervals. The uppermost curve represents the area with the lowest
relative income, while the lowest curve represents the community
with the highest relative income. Homer Village is shown to be the
-= highest income area of the three, and Cortlandville Town, the lowest.
Below the class interval of $4000, the city is lowest. This probably
reflects the large number of college students in the city. Cortland-
ville Town can be seen to have relatively few extremely low income
families.
Cortlandville Town is shown to be occupied by middle and lower-middle
income families engaged in manufacturing activities and agriculture,
ranging principally from the managerial to the operative level and
working chiefly in the county. As suburbanization takes place in Cort-
landville metropolitan area, the economic composition of the Cort-
landville population can be expected to change.
Productive Sectors
Agriculture is an extremely important economic activity in the Town of
Cortlandville. A large percentage of the best agricultural soils in the
county are concentrated in the town. Information about agricultural
activity in Cortlandville for 1959 is shown in Table 27 . The town is
a major producer in the county of dairying and related crops and grains.
It has remained relatively stable over the years with only slight decline
recently. The agricultural areas in the town are subject to encroach-
ment by urban activities because of their location and should be pro-
tected to retain this important part of the county economy.
Most of the manufacturing activity in metropolitan Cortland is located
= in the incorporated areas. However, there has been substantial recent
growth into the town and further growth of this sort can be anticipated.
Locations in the industrial park along Route 11 and in South Cortland
along Route 13 are major concentrations.
Suburban commercial activity has increased along the highways by-
-- passing the urban centers. Continued suburban growth of this kind can
be expected.
- 41 -
TABLE 24 TABLE 25
Estimated Personal Income,Cortland County, Per Capita Income in Constant(1963)Dollars,
196tivand 1963 Cortland County
,Syracuse Area,and
1960 1964 Upstate New York, 1948-1963
' Million$ 11* Million$ %° Upstate New York Syracuse Area Cortland County
Wages and Salaries 50.3 63.5 64.2 68.3 1948 1979 1935 1678
Commutation Adjustment 3.7 4.7 3.8 4.0 1949 1912 1842 1589
Wages and Salaries Where Earned 46.6 58.8 60.4 64.3
1950 2091 1961 1678
Farms 1.5 1.9 1.3 1.4
1951 2091 2022 1684
Contract Construction 1,6 2.0 2.1 2.2
22 2165 1762
Manufacturing 20.4 25.8 27.7 29.5 1953
Wholesale and Retail Trade 7.9 10.0 9.5 10.1 1953 2238 8 2165 1762
1954 2232 2106 1722
Finance,Insurance&Real Estate 1.1 1.4 1.3 1.4
1955 2232 2199 1781
Transportation 0.7 0.9 0.8 0.9
1957 2340 2199 1763
Communications and Public Utilities 1.1 1.4 1.4 1.5 1957 2340 2226 1763
Services 4.4 5.6 5.5 5.9
Government 7.8 9.8 10.6 11.3 1959 2303 2165 1835
1960 2318 2248 2043
Other' 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2
1961 2318 2280 2060
Proprietary Income 13.4 16.9 13.2 14.0
1961 2331 22922004
Farm 5.0 6.3 4.0 4.3
Business and Professional 8.4 10.6 9.1 9.7 1963 2331 2332 1 2008
1963 2354 2331 2008
Property Income 8.0 10.1 8.3 8.8
Other Income 7.4 9.3 8.3 8.8 _
Total Income 79.2 100.0 94.0 100.0
Per Capita in Dollars 1,904. 2,107. SOURCES: New York State Department of Commerce,Personal Income in Counties of
New York State, 1963,pp. 16-17,(Albany,N.Y.,March, 1965).
r-Revised
*-Percentages may not add up to 100 because of rounding C.S.Department of Commerce,Bureau of the Budget,Joint Economic
Committee,•Supplement of Economic Indicators(Washington: U.S.
SOURCE: New York State Department of Commerce Government Printing Office, 1964).
TABLE 26
Income Distribution by Families,Cortlandville and Selected Areas, 1959
A.Cortland B.Metropolitan D.City of H.Village J.Town of
County Cortland Cortland of Homer Cortlandville
Income
All Families No. %a No. %* No. %* No. %° No. co* Quotient
Under$1000 379 3.7 239 3.3 183 3.9 34 3.6 22 1.4 .43
1,000-1,999 630 6.2 412 5.7 282 6.0 37 3.9 93 6.1 1.06
2,000-2,999 824 8.1 493 6.9 344 7.3 51 5.4 98 6.4 .94
3,000-3,999 1120 11.0 707 9.8 456 9.7 78 8.2 173 11.4 1.15
4,000-4,999 1333 13.1 883 12.3 547 11.6 101 10.6 235 15.5 1.26
5,000-5,999 1580 15.5 1177 16.4 757 16.1 172 18.1 248 16.3 .99
6,000-6,999 1197 11.8 912 12.7 578 12.3 138 14.5 .196 12.9 1.01
7,000-7,999 855 8.4 642 8.9 416 8.8 101 10.6 125 8.2 .92
8,000-8,999 619 6.1 433 6.0 306 6.5 46 4.8 81 5.3 .88
9,000-9,999 430 4.2 341 4.8 - 235 5.0 44 4.6 62 4.1 .86
10,000-14,999 869 8.5 654 9.1 415 8.8 105 11.0 134 8.8 .97
15,000-24,999 243 2.4 205 2:9 131 2.8 32 3.4 42 2.8 .97 _
25,000 and over 88 .9 80 1.1 56 1.2 12 1.3 12 .8 .71
10167 7178 4706 951 1521
•
SOURCE: U.S.Bureau of the Census,U.S.Census of Population: 1960, Vol. 1,Characteristic of the
Population,Part 34,New York,Table 86(Washington: U.S.Government Printing Office, 1963).
U.S.Bureau of the Census,"U.S.Census of Population,"Special Table PH-3.
-
° Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding.
- 42 -
The major increases in economic activities in the town can be ex-
pected to occur in the central portion on the fringes of the urban
areas and along the major transport routes. Routes 13, 281, 11
and Interstate Route 81 can be expected to provide the nucleus for
future concentrations.
The expansion of the State College at Cortland can be expected to
have modest effect on the economy of Cortlandville. As shown in
the analysis of industry groups above, relatively few persons em-
ployed in educational services reside in Cortlandville compared with
the incorporated areas. The town does not seem to have been the
preferred residence of this group in the past. Some growth in this
sector may occur.
TABLE 27
Agricultural Activity, Cortlandville, 1959
1959
Acreage % of
or Number County
Milk cows 3739 14.0
Cattle and calves 6420 14.9
Hogs and pigs 115 4.2
Alfalfa and mixtures 3335 19.1
Clover-timothy & grass mixtures 3192 12.1
Grain hay 27 7.7
Corn silage 1364 17.0
Grass silage 501 14.8
All corn 1849 19.4
Corn for grain 482 34.5
Wheat 103 23.8
Oats 1608 15.8
Sweet corn 17 17.5
Other Agricultural Information
1950 1954 1959
Acreage % of Acreage % of Agreage % of
or Number County or Number County or Number County
Farms, Number 189 13.4 184 16.2 173 15.5
Total Land in Farms 24206 10.1 30019 13.6 28676 12.1
Acres per farm 128 75.7 163- 83.6 166 78.3
SOURCE: C. A. Bratton, Census of Agriculture: 1959, Cortland County
(Ithaca, N. Y.: New York State College of Agriculture, Cornell
University, September, 1962).
- 43
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Cortlandville is located in the northern part of the Appalachian Pla-
teaus Province, also referred to as the Allegheny Plateau and the
Southwestern Plateau Province. From a distance, the plateau pre-
sents an even skyline to the viewer. Only a few hills rise above the
rest of the plateau.
The town is approximately 53 square miles in area, has a total relief
differential of 945 feet, and contains a cumulative perennial stream
length of about 90 miles. The major drainage system, the Tioughnioga
River, is part of the drainage system of the Susquehanna River.
The eastern part of Cortlandville is generally characterized by hilly
country of which about 40 to 50 percent of its slopes are greater than
15 percent. Relief is greater in this eastern half of the town ranging
from about 600 feet to as much as 940 feet. Stream gradients are also
steeper in this eastern part of the town ranging from Trout Brook with
a gradient of about 30 feet per mile to a minor tributary in the south-
eastern corner of the town (drainage basis S) with a gradient of about
700 feet per mile.
In contrast, the western half of Cortlandville is characterized by less
pronounced relief ranging from 350 to 600 feet. About 10 to 20 percent
of this area has slopes greater than 15 percent. Stream gradients are
generally less steep than those of the eastern half of the town. Otter
Creek, a major tributary of the Tioughnioga River, has a gradient of
about 15. 5 feet per mile.
The stream drainage pattern for Cortlandville is basically dendritic,
reflecting little or no lithologic or structural control. All drainage
within the area is directed eventually into the Tioughnioga River which
flows southward except for one small area in the southwest corner of
the town which drains southwestward into Beaver Creek and thence into
Fall Creek.
The wide valley plains of the major streams are largely the result of
glacial ice and glacial meltwater scour with subsequent glacial drift
deposition. The great steepness of stream gradients in the eastern
region is believed to be due to hanging valley topography as a result of
glacial scour of the main valleys.
- 44 -
•
r r' i
, . , !.... -• ., ,:,:,-, . •
Rom#
•
•
1
� \ f, >C _ .___,. ....... ' ,i. �/ ; 4.:? \ r / r, ', \ '` ___ './_ ama's_./..' P l J` f• f _ / ' '
A.
l: I , \\ \
1E7
, ' \ , : •, ,•,-.: . •-•,,,___::;"--,_---_-_-__,-;,...v,,-_.•i_:_i.:•()it.1.4,:fitz'Xf. '(''i,,/\..'\ • ,..‘,,j;•I,,,:.:.:•,:•,,,„.,,,,;,_;-_, „,.:-.,,,,,..:,.• ..,..:;.... •.::___: - ., . .,,.. .. ,
! bi
p d •
~} Nl.‘ -,:. ,__:,_-;•,''',: lj V . .' ''.',.:'-`:14; _� _ , . /.{{ & !' \-",`-''''
/� eta ' ,` (�i `ice'
____ridt,./ • ' 7 .r‘• -1 ..:.
I :,,' L::..-.--.-..77-7 7-----:—f(--;---/_:7-:7'..:',•'.',111,''',.Z';:'.''.*%`,
:'.
- :\. 44 if', 1 'i i t <7 t ` '..• •
K 1.S\. i',''''''l''.'',' • '•4'''''''-171,'..1-4''1'-'-
.••//- •
_, br ;-:
.' ' .
,L------ ,'—,I, "%.'-':‘,' ',,:. .:.:A: .,..:„.:\ , . , , -,,„,,,,,,,, ,..,„„.:,,,.. ,.. ...„-....7,.:-,r:.....*.'i,(' ''' . / ,
\.
,,•../,,',,,,,;1.,1,,,,,''i,,,-r; ' :'
TN !REPARATION 1 • \ a �. _
ASS7STARCE )ROCK/ Y+ p "-r
OF RE/ TORE PEA \ yr -
ARTH r ' ' ~ 1 •
-
\<.":i:72.0.:.:..,-_---,-.±-.:•\,-..-.:-_,-;7.:',- c '' '• .: - :
P H Yam; ' � -- - :
� s
eaa iEaa zToo 3200 ,aoo ` • \\ . ..
; ` -.
T Ohh100
5 C . L E I tl '\t,
r E E T • •-
• —I_
Geology
Bedrock presently exposed in the area was deposited during the late
Devonian time, approximately 360 million years ago. These Upper
Devonian rocks are considered to be part of the Ithaca formation which
is several hundred feet in thickness. The sediments.carried onto the
shelf of the marine basin of that time were derived from easterly and
southeasterly sources. Depth of water at the time of deposition was
probably less than 300 feet. The bedrock in the area is nearly hori-
zontal having a dip of only 30 to 50 feet per mile toward the south and
southwest and has been disturbed but little.
Rocks of the Ithaca formation are olive to dark olive gray, mostly
tough siltstones and thin to thick-bedded flagzy fine-grained sand-
stones. Shales are interbedded with the siltstones and sandstones.
Fossiliferous layers up to five inches in thickness are present. Cross-
bedding is common and points to the shallowness of the sea within which
these rocks had been deposited.
In the later part of the Paleozoic era, approximately 240 million years
ago, the entire region was uplifted above sea level. Any sediments
younger than Devonian in age that may have been deposited have been
removed by erosion. Since that time the area has been subjected`to-sub-
sequent uplifts and erosion. Active erosion is still going on today.
Cortlandville was completely covered by ice during the period of the
Wisconsin Glaciation, about 10, 000 to 20, 000 years ago. The shape of
the hills and valleys indicates that they were formed through the move-
ment of ice and glacial meltwater. The rolling hills of the uplands were
smoothed by glacial ice moving in a southerly direction. Because the
north ends of some hills are generally steeper than the south ends, the
shape resembles that of a drumlin and could be referred to as a roc-
drumlin.
The uplands, in many places, are covered with a thin deposit of glacial
till. The till is compact, acid, and medium textured; its matrix con-
sists of materials derived mostly from the underlying bedrock and bed-
rock immediately north of the town.
Nearly all the walls of the main valleys and some of those of tributary
valleys contain deposits of gravel, or till, or a mixture of the two. In
many places, just above these glacial deposits, there is a steep, nar-
row bedrock wall.
The floors of the main valleys, Tioughnioga River, Otter Creek, and
Trout Brook valleys, are covered predominantly by gravelly glacial
- 45 -
outwash. It is probable that glaciers formed the steep sidewalls of
the valleys through which the Tioughnioga River and Trout Brook pre-
sently flow. Nowhere along these two stream courses do spurs extend
out into the valley. The spurs were most likely destroyed by glacial
ice as the ice moved downstream, straightening the pre-existing
stream valley and deepening at the same time. Depth of bedrock in the
vicinity of South Cortland is about 300 feet, whereas, in the main
valleys east of Cortland bedrock is reached at 50 to 80 feet below
the surface.
The tributary valleys are narrow with floors of a steeper gradient than
those of the main valleys. In the eastern and southeastern part of Cort-.
landville the tributary valleys are gorge-like. Hoxies Gorge, located
in drainage basin S is an excellent example. These valleys resemble
hanging valleys but have been post-glacially modified. Except for those
tributary valleys with bedrock floors, the floors consist mostly of allu-
vium instead of gravelly outwash. The alluviam has been deposited by
streams after the glaciers left the area.
Drainage Basin Analysis
Cortlandville may be subdivided into nineteen individual drainage basins.
On the accompanying map each basin, A through S, has been separated
from its neighbor basins by drainage divides. Two types of divides have
been employed: 1) ridge line drainage divides at the crests of hills or
ridges that separates sheetwash drainage which flows toward different
tributary streams and 2) the major stream, the Tioughnioga River divide
and its major tributaries, Trout Brook, West Branch, and Otter Creek
divides, across which no drainage takes place. Lengths of these streams
are: Tioughnioga River (8. 0 miles), Trout Brook (4. 0 miles), West
Branch (2.7 miles) and Otter Creek (2.9 miles) . Except for the drainage
basin located in the southwest corner of the town (basin N) all basins
generally drain toward the center of the town and thence into the Tiough-
nioga River and south.
Basin A
This area, comprising about 3 .7 square miles, is situated in the west '
to northwest corner of the town. It is bounded by basins B, N, and 0
with Otter Creek divide as its southeastern boundary. Approximately 15
percent of the area has slopes greater than 15 percent. The basin has
a total relief of 540 feet; the highest elevation, 1690 feet, is in the
- 46 -
northern part of the basin and the lowest elevation, about 1150 feet,
is at Otter Creek. All drainage within this basin is directed toward
Otter Creek. Perennial stream lengths total 6. 8 miles . One south-
ern stream is shown to die out presumably into subterranean drainage
in glacial drift. -
Basin B
Basin B, consisting of about 5. 6 square miles, is located in the north-
western part of Cortlandville due east of basin A. It is also bounded
by basin C and West Branch divide on the east and Otter Creek divide
to the southeast. Its eastern tongue includes a large part of the north-
western section of Cortland. About 5 percent of the area has slopes
exceeding 15 percent, most of which are in the northern half of the
area. The highest elevation, 1690 feet, is located in the northwest
corner of the basin and is coincident with that of basin A. The lowest
elevation, 1105 feet, is located in the eastern tip of the basin at the
confluence of Otter Creek and West Branch divides. There is a total
relief of 585 feet. All drainage is directed south into Otter Creek and
Dry Creek, thence northeastward into West Branch. Perennial stream
lengths within the basin total 9 . 7 miles. One stream in the southern
region dies out, presumably into subterranean drainage in glacial drift.
Basin C
Basin C comprises a relatively small area of about 1 .7 square miles.
It is_located north of Cortland and is bounded on the west and south by
basin B and on the east by West Branch divide. Less than 5 percent of
the area has slopes greater than 15 percent. The highest elevation,
1550 feet, is in the northwest corner of the area; the lowest elevation,
1110 feet, is on the West Branch divide at the southeastern corner.
Total relief is 440 feet. Drainage flows eastward into West Branch.
Perennial stream length totals 2. 1 miles.
Basin D
This basin, north of Cortland, has an area of 0. 6 square miles and is
bounded by basin E to east and West Branch divide to the west and south.
Approximately 60 percent of the area has slopes greater than 15 percent.
The highest elevation, 1450 feet, lies on the eastern divide one half mile
north of Cortland's city boundary and the lowest elevation, 1104 feet, is
on the West Branch divide in the basins southern most tip. Total relief
is 346 feet. Drainage in the form of sheetwash off the steep slopes is
47 -:.
directed westward and southward into West Branch. No perennial
streams are present within this basin.
Basin E
Basin E, comprising an area of 1 .7 square miles, is situated north-
east of Cortland and is bounded by basin D to the west, Tioughnioga
River divide to the east, and West Branch divide to the south. About
25 percent of the area has slopes greater than 15 percent and these
are restricted to its western half. Total relief is 395 feet with the
highest elevation, 1450 feet, coincident with that of basin D and the
lowest elevation, 1095 feet, located at the confluence of West Branch
and the Tioughnioga River in the southeastern corner of the area. All
of the drainage of basin E is toward the east and southeast into the
Tioughnioga River and West Branch respectively. The basin contains
a measurable perennial stream length total of 1 .7 miles.
Basin F
This area of about 2.7 square miles is situated east and northeast of
Cortland. It is bounded by basins H, G and L on the east and by the
Tioughnioga River divide on the west. About 50 percent of the area
has slopes greater than 15 percent, most of which are in the northern
half of the basin. The highest elevation, 1810 feet, is at the intersec-
tion of basins F, G and H in the northeastern corner of basin F. On
the Tioughnioga River in the southern tip of the area lies the lowest
elevation, 1085 feet, thereby giving a total relief of 725 feet. Most of
the drainage appears to be sheetwash off the west facing slopes; the
total perennial stream length is only 0.4 miles.
Basin G
This basin, having an area of about 3. 2 square miles, is bounded on
the west by basin L, on the north by basin F, on the east by basin H,
and on the south by Trout Brook divide.. The northwest corner of the
Village of McGraw is situated in the southeastern corner of the area.
Approximately 25 percent of the basins slopes are greater than 15 per-
cent most of which are in the southern half of the area., The highest
elevation, 1090 feet, is on Trout Brook in the southwestern tip of the
area. Total relief is 720 feet. All drainage is directed southward into
Trout Brook with perennial stream lengths of 5.3 miles.
- 48 -
Basin H
Basin H, comprising about 3.3 square miles, is situated due north
of the village of McGraw and is bounded by basin G on the west, basin
I on the east, and Trout Brook divide on the south. About 35 percent
of its area has slopes greater than 15 percent. The highest elevation,
1830 feet, is in the northeast corner of the area on the divide with
Basin I. The lowest elevation, 1141 feet, is in the southwest corner
of the area in the Village of McGraw where the divide of basins G and
H meets Trout Brook. The total relief is about 690 feet. Most of the
drainage is toward Mosquito Creek thence south into Trout Brook.
There is a total perennial stream length of 5. 9 miles.
Basin I
This area of about 12. square miles is situated in the northeastern
corner of the township and is bounded by Basin H on the west and Trout
Brook divide on the south. Approximately 65 percent of the area has
slopes greater than 15 percent. The highest elevation, 1830 feet,
located at the northwest corner of the basin in coincident with that of
basin H. The lowest elevation, 1170 feet, is located in the southwest-
ern corner of the area on Trout Brook giving a total relief of 660 feet.
All drainage within the basin is directed south into Trout Brook.
Perennial stream length is 1 .9 miles.
Basin J
This basin situated due east of the Village of McGraw is the smallest
basin within Cortlandville having a total area of only 0.44 square miles.
It is bounded by basin K on the south and Trout Brook divide on the
north. About 75 percent of its area has slopes greater than 15 percent.
The highest elevation, 1530 feet, lies on the drainage divide separating
basins J,and K about three-quarters of a mile east of the McGraw vil-
lage boundary. The lowest elevation, 1145 feet, lies on the western
tip of the area where the southern divide meets Trout Brook. Total
relief is 385 feet. For the most part, drainage consists of sheetwash
off the north facing slopes into Trout Brook. No measurable perennial
streams are present.
Basin. K
Basin K, situated south of the Village of McGraw in the eastern part of
Cortlandville, comprises an area of about 2.9 square miles. The area
- 49 -
is bounded by basins Q, R and S on the south and basin J and Trout
Brook divide on the north. Approximately 70 percent of the basin has
slopes greater than 15 percent, generally north-facing and confined to
the southern two-thirds of the area. The highest elevation, 1910 feet,
is on South Hills at Russell where the divide between basins R and A
meets the southern divide at the western tip of the area giving a total
relief of 818 feet. For the most part, drainage is northward into
Smith and Trout Brooks. The drainage consists primarily of sheet-
wash off the north-facing slopes combined with 4.8 miles of perennial
stream length.
Basin L
Basin L, consisting of about 1 . 8 square miles, is located east of Cort-
land and west of McGraw. The area is bounded by basin G on the east,
basin F on the west and north, and by the Tioughnioga River and Trout
Brook divides on the south. Approximately 20 percent of the area has
slopes exceeding 15 percent. The highest elevation, 1690 feet, is
located at the northern tip of the area where it joins basins F and G,
whereas the lowest elevation, 1082 feet, is at the southern tip at the
confluence of Trout Brook and Tioughnioga River. This gives a total
relief of 608 feet. Drainage is wholly to the south into the Tioughnioga
River with a total perennial stream length of 2.3 miles.
Basin M
This area, comprising 6. 2 square miles, is situated in the center of
the town of Cortlandville and contains most of Cortland. It is bounded
on the northwest by Otter Creek drainage divide, on the north by West
Branch, on the east by the Tioughnioga River, on the southeast by
basin P, and on the south by Basin O. About 15 percent of basin M has
slopes greater than 15 percent, most of which are confined to the
southern half of the area. The highest elevation, 1810 feet, is located
at the areas southeastern most tongue where the drainage divides of
basins M . 0 and P meet. The lowest elevation, 1079 feet, is situated
where the drainage divide of basin M and P meets the Tioughnioga River.
This gives a total relief of 731 feet. Drainage components of this basin
are northerly, easterly and southeasterly. Three reservoirs are pre-
sent in Cortland. Most of the tributary streams, whose cumulative
lengths are 7 . 2 miles, enter directly into the Tioughnioga River on the
eastern side of basin M.
- 50 -
Basin N
Basin N. about 2.7 square miles in area, is situated in the south-
western corner of the township and is bounded by basin A on the north
and basin 0 on the east. Approximately 10 percent of its area has
slopes in excess of 15 percent. The highest elevation is located at its
northern-most tip and is 1530 feet. The lowest elevation, 1090 feet,
is one quarter mile due north of the southwest corner of the township.
There is a total relief of 440 feet. Basin N is a typical of drainage
basins of Cortlandville in that it drains away from the Tioughnioga
River system and instead drains into the Fall Creek system to the
southwest. The drainage divide separating basins N and 0 is not pre-
cise because of the very low relief, however, this divide is required.
Streams and ponds of basin N drain to swampy areas of the southwest
corner of the town and thence out of the town. Perennial stream
lengths total about 5 . 3 miles.
Basin 0
This area of about 6. 5 miles is bounded by basin N on the west, basin
A and M on the north, and basin P on the east. Approximately 5 per-
cent of the basin has slopes greater than 15 percent. The highest ele-
vation, 2010 feet, which is the highest in the township, is at the ex-
treme southeast corner of the basin. The lowest elevation, 1150 feet,
is found where the drainage divide between basins M and 0 meet Otter
Creek in the north of the area. Relief is 860 feet. Basin 0 is de-
scribed as one basin although southeasterly drainage in the north-
western part of the basin is opposite to drainage in the southeastern
part of the basin which is west to northwesterly. No definitive drainage
divide could be selected because of the very low relief. Because both
sides eventually drain into Otter Creek no large discrepancy should
be encountered. Total perennial stream lengths are about 8.4 miles.
Streams in the southwest apparently disappear into glacial drift.
Basin P
Basin P, 3.4 square miles in area, is bounded by basin 0 on the west,
basin M on the northwest and north, and the Tioughnioga River on the
east. Approximately 50 percent of the area has slopes greater than
15 percent. The highest elevation, 2010 feet, is located in the south-
west corner of the basin and is coincident with that of basin 0 and is
the highest elevation in Cortlandville. The lowest elevation, 1070 feet,
is located on the Tioughnioga River in the southeast corner. The re-
lief of 940 feet is the greatest of all the drainage basins of the township.
- 51 -
Drainage is directed toward the east into the Tioughnioga River.
Perennial streams of this basin total 4.6 miles.
Basin Q
This basin of about 2.2 square miles is bounded by areas K on the
north, R on the east and the Tioughnioga River divide on the west.
Approximately 80 percent of the slopes in this basin are greater
than 15 percent and, for the most part, face west. The highest
elevation, 1810 feet, is located on South Hill in the northeast part of
the basin on the drainage divide with basin K. The lowest elevation,
1068 feet, is at the southern tip of the area on the Tioughnioga River.
Total relief is 742 feet. The southermost perennial stream has the
steepest gradient in Cortlandville, 700 feet per mile. Drainage is
westwardly into the Tioughnioga River. Cumulative perennial stream
• length is 1 .6 miles; therefore, most drainage is probably in the form
of sheet wash and intermittent stream.
Basin R
Basin R, comprising 1 . 8 square miles, is bounded by basin K on the
north, Q on the west, S on the east, and the Tioughnioga River on the
southwest. About 40 percent of the area has slopes greater than 15
percent. The highest elevation, 1910 feet, is on South Hill in the north-
east corner of the area at the point where basins R, K and S meet. The
lowest elevation, 1066 feet, is on the Tioughnioga River in the southern
tip of the drainage basin. There is a total relief of 844 feet. Drainage
is southwest to the Tioughnioga River. . Perennial stream length totals
1 .8 miles.
Basin S
This basin, located in the southeast corner of the town is about 2. 2
square miles in area. It is bounded by basin K on the north, R on the
west, and the Tioughnioga River on the southwest. About 45 percent of
the basin has slopes greater than 15 percent. The highest elevation,
1910 feet, is coincident with that of basin K and R on South Hill in the
northwestern corner of the area. The lowest elevation, 1065 feet, the
lowest in the town, is in the southwest tip of the basin on the Tiough-
nioga River. Drainage is westerly, into the Tioughnioga River. Cumu-
lative perennial stream length is 1 . 8 miles.
- 52 -
fm
wiffiUm
a
E.
i
FIE PREPARATION Of FOOS MM WAS iPMANCIAAlY 40NO YNROOCO A PIKRAI CRAM/ FROM THE NROAN RFNEWAI ADMINISTRA7100 OF THE NONSINC AND NOTE FINANCE ACENCY. UNDER THE URRAN ►IANNINC
ASSISTANCE PROCRAW ANYNOR/FEP Ol SECTION 701 OF TOE #WIMR At? OF f151. AS ANEMOED FNIS NAP WAS PREPARED UMPER 7NE URIAN P(ANNIRMC ASSISTANCE PROCRAM FOR 7NE STAFF E G E N
Of NEW /ORE PEPARYMEN7 Of COWRT
WERCf lI WAS FINANCED lM PART ►Y THE STATE OF NEW YORK AMD IN PART ►Y THE TOWN OF COIAN►NI((E . CORTIAMO COUNTY, NEW YOU
ARTHUR REED PLANNING CONSULTANT SYRACUSE. N.Y.
CLASS I
SO 1 L S M A P CLASS a
TOWN OF C 0 R T L A N D V I L L E CLASS III
.,,I 000 Itoo v<oo 11 I—
I C A t t I x E F E T ,.
if
�OW
•
i
l
� i
It appears that the drainage of Cortlandville as a whole provides an
adequate watershed. In most places water is readily available through-
out the town. In rural districts, water for domestic use is provided by
drilled or driven wells and water for livestock is furnished by streams
or constructed pools. A few farms in the uplands may face short.
periods of critically low water when the amount of rainfall is less than
normal.
With future uncontrolled construction within the area, unchecked pollu-
tion of streams, and overdrawing of the present water reserves, the
recharge of fresh water and future reserves are likely to be adversely
affected.
Soils
All of Cortlandville has been covered by glaciers. The rock materials
carried by glacial ice and glacial meltwater came chiefly from acid
sandstone, siltstone, or shale. Some limestone is also present. This
transported material blanketed the region and became the parent ma-
terial from which the present soils have been derived, due to mechani-
cal and- chemical weathering effects upon the parent debri.
Thus, the soil materials consist of glacial till from a variety of rocks,
some high and some low in lime; glacial outwash, some high and low in
lime; lake silts and clays; and alluvium, old and recent. Muck which
contains -abundant plant remains, is also present.
The engineering qualities• of the soils in the Town of Cortland are gene-
rally
good to moderately good for urban development and underground
utilities. Both the bottom land alluvial and outwash soils as well as the
upland glacial tills and moraine debris are deep, permiable, and free
of large cobbles and erratics. Soils associated with the problems con-
cerning steep slopes in the uplands and high water tables in the valley
bottom are exceptions to the above statements. Soils on the steeper
slopes tend to be shallow and are difficult to stabilize once disturbed.
Some alluvial soils have high water tables during part of the year while
those containing organic muck have low permiability. The following
classes of soils are indicated on the accompanying map.
Class I
Soils of class I are considered to be productive soils with virtually no
limitations and suitable-for tilled crops. In some places moderate
_ conservation practices should be followed.
- 53. -
Class II
Soils of this class, in most cases, require special conservation
practices that may severely limit the choice of plants. They are
suitable, in most instances, for crops under proper management.
These soils may face severe erosion or may be limited because of
excess water unless proper controls are followed.
Class III
These soils are generally unsuited to cultivation. In some cases the
surface is too steep for cultivation but would be useful for pasture.
Other portions of this soil group are severely limited. for pasture
plants or trees because of excess water, poor drainage, or subject
to flooding. In some instances these latter limitations could be recti-
fied by proper management.
Conclusions
The Town of Cortlandville has been described above with respect to
its physiography, geology, drainage basins and soils. These physical
factors play a subtle but significant role in shaping the urban develop-
ment of the town. While our present technology is capable of coping
with many of the physical problems associated with the above factors
the economic realities indicate that some parts of the town may be pre-
pared for urban development at much less cost than others.
Steep slope imposes the most important physical restraint upon urban
expansion in the town. Moderately dense development has been re-
stricted to the flat valley bottoms, especially the old glacial melt water
channel running southwest from the City of Cortland and containing high-
ways 281 and 13 . Not all the land in the valley bottoms has been avail-
able for urban development due to the problem of high water tables and
flooding. Paralleling the valley bottoms are long, narrow zones of ex-
cessive slope which not only prohibit urban development within them
but make it extremely difficult to pass roads and utilities across them
to the somewhat flatter uplands. Several slopes in the town have been
so steep as to prevent their crossing by major transportation systems.
The valley walls of the Tioughnioga River, Trout Brook and the uplands
in the south central portion of the town are cases in point.
The bedrock geology of the town does not present any serious construction
problems for urban development except on the steeper slopes where it
sometimes is exposed at the surface. Throughout the rest of the town it
is covered by deep glacial till or alluvial deposits.
- 54 -
The high flood potential of the Tioughnioga River and the lower portion
of Trout Brook has been the major factor in limiting urban development
in the flood plains of these drainage systems. The danger of flooding
or high water tables in especially serious during the period of spring
run-off. The extreme narrowness of the Tioughnioga River's channel
south of Blodgett Mills makes it susceptible to ice damming with the
result of overflowing banks. A strong policy should be enforced to pre-
vent indiscriminant constructing of residential housing in this area with-
out first examining the long term high water mark and the seasonal
water table maximum.
Climate
Cortlandville shares with the rest of New York State a humid continental
warm summer climate. In winter, polar continental air masses domi-
nate bringing long periods of cold weather with infrequent influxes of
warmer, maritime air. In summer, maritime and continental tropical
air masses bring high temperatures and peak rainfall. Located within
the west-to-east path of large cyclonic air mass movements, Cortland-
ville experiences weather which is extremely changeable. Table 28
illustrates this characteristic in detail.
Cortlandville experiences mean annual temperatures two degrees below
those recorded at Syracuse, Ithaca and Binghamton. The lowest mean
monthly temperature (22. 7° F.) occurs in February while the highest
mean monthly temperature (68. 6° F.) occurs in July. These average
monthly temperatures conceal the fact that they themselves are composed
of variable records established year after year. For example, the mean
monthly minimum and maximum temperatures range from 15° F. to 31° F.
in February and 58° F. to 81° F. in July.
The peak mean monthly precipitation occurs in July, also the peak period.
As a result a good deal of this moisture is not available to recharge the
ground water supply but is lost immediately through evapotranspiration.
During this period it is not uncommon for droughty conditions to appear,
especially in soils having low moisture retention capacity.
Cortlandville, with a mean annual precipitation of 39 .42 inches, receives
more than 15 inches less than the upstate New York cities of Syracuse,
Ithaca and Binghamton; but like the rest of the upstate area, approximately
60% of this precipitation occurs during the growing season - the second
week of May until the end of September.
The peak mean monthly snowfall for Cortlandville (13 . 5 inches) is re-
ceived in January and is comparable in amount to that received by Ithaca
- 55 -
to the southwest. Syracuse, located on the edge of the Allegheny
Plateau to the north receives 20 additional inches a year. -
Wide variations in local relief contribute to significant microclimato-
logical differences in the Town of Cortlandville. The average lapse
rate or temperature change through vertical displacement in the atmos-
phere is approximately 3 Fahrenheit degrees per 1, 000 feet. Tempera-
tures on the hilltops often are 3 degrees cooler than are temperatures
in the valleys. These differences are exaggerated by exposure to pre-
vailing breezes and sunshine. Slopes with a north or northwest exposure
are particularly inhospitable especially during the winter months when
the sun is low in the sky and the winds are from the northwest. The
Tioughnioga valley, for example, is susceptible to frost in the late spring
and early fall as a result of cold air drainage from the valley walls.
These microclimatic factors are as important as social and economic
determinants of site selection and need to be considered by developers
and prospective home owners in Cortlandville.
TABLE 28
CLIMATE
TOWN OF CORTLANDVILLE
Temperature Precipitation Snow
Month (Fahrenheit) (inches) (inches)
January 23 .4 2.55 13.5
February 22.7 2. 30 13. 0
March 31 .4 2. 80 11 . 1
April 43 .5 3 . 03 4 . 0
May 55 . 2 3.68 4.05
June 64 . 0 4. 05 0
July 68.6 4. 39 0
August 66.5 3. 84 0
September 59.6 3 .42 Tex
October . 48. 5 3 .58 0.4
November 37 . 3 2.96 4. 8
December 26.8 2 . 82 11 . 1
Annual 45.6 39 .42 58. 1
*T - Trace
- 56 -
EXISTING LAND USE
Character of Existing Development
The Town of Cortlandville is a large, essentially rural town located
at the west central portion of Cortland County. For the most part,
Tompkins County is its western border. To the north is the Town of
Homer and Homer Village, a small portion of which lies in the Town
of Cortlandville. To the east lies the Town of Solon, and to the south,
the Town of Virgil with Freetown at the southeast corner completing
the list of surrounding.municipalities. Entirely within the boundaries
of the town are the City of Cortland and the Village of McGraw.
Topographically, the town is made up of rolling countryside, with
elevations of from 1080 to 2000 feet. The east and west branches of
the Tioughnioga join in a valley plain just to the east of the city, and
from there, the valley runs south and east, being joined by Trout Brook
valley within which lies the Village of McGraw. Precipitous slopes and
extreme topography characterize the east and southern portions of the
town along the Otter Creek valley with larger variations in topography
to the northwestern areas. Cortland City lies in a plain and is flat with
the exception of State University College Hill.
The Town of Cortlandville has an area of 48.4 square miles, exclusive of
the City of Cortland and portions of the villages of McGraw and Homer which
lie within its boundaries. Within this area of 30,976 acres, is found a full
range of activities that make up the life of the community and give the town
its special character. As in many suburban towns, Cortlandville pro-
vides a diversified land use base that contains space for residence,
retail business, commerce, industry, community facilities, highways
and perhaps most predominant of all, agriculture. Table 29 shows the
present distribution of land uses by major categories and provides the
basis for the following analysis of the community's land use pattern.
An outstanding feature of the land use inventory is the fact that 90.3
percent of the total land area is 'unoccupied' . This land, for the most
part in agricultural use, consists of cropland, pasture, open fields,
woodland, swampland, water areas and scattered vacant parcels.
Approximately 27,970 acres are in this classification. The 'occupied'
portion of the town accounts for 9.7 percent of the total land area, or
only 3, 006 acres. This is the land area that has been developed in-
tensively by many different uses.
- 57 -
TABLE 29
INVENTORY OF EXISTING LAND USES
Percentage of Percentage of
Type of Use. -Acres Occupied Land Total Town Area
Residential 949 . 0
1 family 949 . 0 31 .58 3 . 07
2 family 25 . 1 . 83 . 08
3 or more families 10.4 . 34 . 03
Business 85 .5 2. 84 . 27
Automotive 21 . 0 . 70 . 07
Commercial 42.9 1 .43 . 14
Industrial 210. 1 6. 99 . 68
Public, Semi-public, and
Institutional 301 . 2 10. 02 . 97
Golf Clubs 101 . 2 3. 37 . 33
Cemeteries 38;5 1 . 28 . 12
Streets and Highways 1, 114.4 37 . 07 3. 60
Railroads 106.7 3. 55 . 34
TOTAL OCCUPIED AREA 3, 006. 0 100. 00 9 .70
Farmland 18, 214. 0 58. 81
Woodland & Marshland 6, 943 . 0 22.42
Water Areas 342. 0 1 . 10
Vacant 2,471 . 0 7 . 97 •
TOTAL TOWN AREA 30,976. 0 100. 00
- 58 -
. .. . ........
. o
-� ov
.o
f
T 9
THE PREPARATION OF THIS MAD WAS FINANCIALLY AIDED THROUCH A FEDERAL GRANT FROM THE URBAN RENEWAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE HOUSING AND HOME FINANCE ACENCY, UNDER THE URBAN ➢LANNIN6 I I� E a ffr
ASSISTANCE ➢ROCRAM AUTHORIZED BY SECTION 701 OF THE HOUSING ACT OF 1954, AS AMENDED. THIS MAP WAS PREPARED UNDER THE URBAN PLANNING ASSISTANCE RROCRAM FOR THE STATE
OF NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. IT WAS FINANCED IN PART BY THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND IN PART BY THE TOWN OF CORTLANDYILLE , CORTLAND COUNTY, NEW YORK
A N ® E SDURCF FIELD EID SURVEY — DEC RESIDENTIAL PARKING
. 1964 n
L TRAILER ONE FAMILY
U COMMERCIAL
r.i,. TWO FAMILY INDUSTRIAL
THREE OR MORE FAMILIES PUBLIC & SEMI-PUBLIC
RETAIL BUSINESS COUNTRY CLUB
aoo N BRo 6a0 �ao �00
�
AUTOMOTIVE CEMETERIEST O W N O F C R T L A N D V I L L E UUU
S C A L E 1 N F E E T
Residential Development
Residential uses in the Town of Cortlandville occupy only a minor
portion of the land area. For the purposes of this study, all
dwellings, including farm dwellings, were given an arbitrary lot
area for computing the total amount of land in residential classi-
fication. 1
All residential categories occupy 32.75 percent of the developed land
area and only 3. 18 percent of the total.
The pattern of residential development in Cortlandville is charac-
terized by concentrations in subdivisions on the outskirts of the City
of Cortland, in scattered developments along the roads and highways
that extend throughout the town, and in one or two hamlets or popu-
lation centers.
Most of the residential concentrations are to the west of the city, run-
ning north and south for a distance of two miles from the city bound-
aries. No apparent pattern exists for the growth other than the nor-
mal expansion where utilities are available and where transportation
facilities permit expansion of a housing market outward from a metro-
politan center. This 'spillover' is occurring in a gradual manner
throughout most portions of the town.
The majority of the dwellings in the town are classed as single family.
These occur in the subdivisions, scattered in ribbon fashion along
the roads and located on farms in the rural, agricultural sections. •
There are approximately 35 two-family homes in the town by field in-
spection. .They have no apparent pattern of distribution, and along
with a dozen or so multiple family dwellings (three or more families)
and one apartment structure of 24 units, they are scattered in ran-
dom fashion throughout the town.
The survey showed a relatively small percentage of vacancies in
both the agricultural areas, and in the higher density, built-up sub-
divisions.
Many of the homes in Cortlandville are well advanced in age. Even
with the substantial increase in the population in the last twenty years,,
it is probable that many of the dwelling units are in structures which
1 Single, two-family and multiple family dwellings in open land, 1
acre; occupied lots in subdivisions, 1/ 2 acre; trailers, 1 acre.
- 59 -
are beyond the forty year age group. This is generally considered
to be the average life of a house, after which substantial repairs
and renovation, or even total replacement, becomes necessary.
Age, however, is not always the only criterion for housing quality.
Dilapidation, deterioration, running water, private toilet facilities,
and central heating all determine the extent of standard or sub-
standard conditions. -To the extent that substandard conditions exist
in the town, a program should be considered to rehabilitate the
blighted and substandard housing and, at the same time, conserve
the good residential structures and neighborhoods.
•
Retail Business
The scattered business uses located throughout the town occupy al-
most three percent of the developed land area and a fourth of one
percent of the total town area. Included in this category are not only
the stores, restaurants, drive-ins, and office structures, but such
uses as the trailer parks at the intersection of Starr and Tompkins;
motels; miniature golf courses, and the large outdoor theater near
the airport.
Many of the business uses are clustered about an intersection and
they often lack sufficient parking for peak hour traffic.
In addition to the ribbon development along the main routes, there
is one unified shopping center on the Cortland-Groton Road just west
of the city limits. This center, with eight stores, appears to have
ample parking with access to Route 281 from the rear of the center.
Automotive
Often in combination with or adjacent to business uses, gasoline
service stations and garages occupy 0.70 percent of the 'occupied'
town area. They are clustered about intersections along the more
heavily travelled routes of the town with the exception of Route 281
north of the city line. Included in this category are several new and
used car lots which combine car sales with repair facilities.
Commercial
Approximately 1 .43 percent of the 'occupied' land is used for commer-
cial purposes such as farm machinery and truck sales, wholesale milk
- 60 -
equipment sales, lumber yards and septic tank sales and service.
Also included is a golf driving range on U. S. Route 11.
Except for sporadic clusters, the commercial uses form no definite
pattern throughout the town.
'Industrial
Perhaps the outstanding uses in this category are the Smith-Corona-
Marchand plants along Route 281 in the southwest section of the town
and the Chris Craft plant on Route 11 east of the city. Other uses
which. appear in this category throughout the town consist of gravel
extraction, automobile graveyard, asphalt plant, and similar oper-
ations. In total, industrial uses occupy almost seven percent of the
built-up area of the town.
Public, Semi-public, and Institutional
Occupying over ten percent of the 'developed' area and close to one
percent of the total town area, public and semi-public uses consti-
tute a substantial portion of the actively used land in the town. The
largest area in this category is the Cortland National Fish Hatchery,
located along Gracie Road in the southwest corner of the town. City
owned land for water supply and sewage disposal, and the county
owned Cortland Airport occupy a large percentage of land in this
category. In addition, the County Farm, the state Highway Garage,
the fairgrounds, and similar governmental activities are in this cate-
gory. Churches, grange halls, a boy scout camp, public buildings,
and two elementary schools (one of which is parochial) make up the
remaining uses in this category.
Golf Clubs
There are no public recreational areas in Cortlandville, the only land
use in this category being two private country clubs with golf courses.
They occupy over three percent of the developed area and are lo-
cated to the north along Route 281 and to the south along Route 90.
Extremely limited recreational facilities are provided at the school
sites on Fisher Road and in Blodgett's Mills.
- 61 -
Streets and Highways
Interstate Route 81, running north to south through the town has
been shown as completed, although construction on only half of its
length in Cortlandville is under completion. Along with its inter-
changes and service roads, combined with a right-of-way which
varies from three hundred to six hundred feet, this facility occu-
pies a substantial portion of town highway area.
In addition to Route 81, there are approximately fifteen miles of
state maintained routes in the town, twenty-six miles of county
roads, and almost sixty miles of township roads. In total, they
occupy the majority of 'developed' land in the town - 1, 114.4 acres,
or over thirty-seven percent of the built-up area and over three and
one-half percent of the total town area. This is normal for the
rural character of the town, and denotes major town activity and
expenditures.
Farmland
Occupying over half of the total town area, lands used for cropland,
pasture, open fields, reserved for soil bank and/or other agri-
cultural uses are the major land use category in Cortlandville. Farm
wood lots and other agricultural use areas were in all probability in-
cluded in other categories, thereby increasing the actual percentage
of land in farm use.
Woodland and Marshland
Covering 22.42 percent, or almost one-fourth of the total town area,
woods and swamps characterize much of the rural land not occupied
by cropland or pasture. Many of the wooded areas within this cate-
gory are farm wood lots, and as such, could be included in agri-
cultural use. This high percentage of cover is as high or higher than
other towns in similar rural situations.
Water
Except for the lakes in the Otter Creek valley, the 342 acres in this
category consist of those portions of the Tioughnioga River which
lies within the town boundaries.
- 62 -
it
Vacant
A total of 7.97 percent of the town area lies vacant and unused, and
for the most part is caused by areas of excessive topography and
poor soil conditions.
Conclusions
Although the population of the town has substantially increased in the
past two decades, the land used for residential purposes remains
only a very small part of the use pattern of Cortlandville. Farming
and wooded areas occupy much of the land area and will continue to do
•
so, yet it is within these areas that there exists the land which is
available for future development. There are large areas of the town
with gently rolling topography which will require only the provision
of adequate utilities for more intensive development.
Accompanying such development, however, should be adequate con-
trols which would preclude the rural slum - a product of substandard
structures and inadequate land use controls.
With the tremendous potential which the town has, recognition should
be given to the long-range benefits of the adoption and rigid enforce-
ment of codes and ordinances which would provide opportunity for
proper development, yet prevent the town from becoming a haven for
those blighting uses unacceptable to its neighboring communities.
- 63 -
HIGHWAYS IN THE TOWN
The Town of Cortlandville, and within it, the City of Cortland, is
located directly south of the City of Syracuse and lies in the path
of Interstate 81 which is presently being constructed across New
York State from Watertown and the Thousand Islands Bridge on the
north, to Binghamton and the Pennsylvania border on the south.. It
will connect the New York State Thruway with the northern exten-
sion of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. This major highway, now being
completed through the town, and its predecessor U. S. Route 11 is
joined by State Route 13 coming from Ithaca and Elmira to the south-
west. This junction, forming an inverted "Y" is, then, the pattern
of major through traffic in the town formed by regional traffic routes
in conjunction with local topography and land development patterns.
Interstate 81 will, when completed, enter the town from the Village
of Homer on the north, immediately interchanging with a spur road
to the west which interchanges with U. S. Route 11 (which at this
point is also State Routes 41 and 90) and with State Route 281 . Inter-
state 81 then continues south to the City of Cortland. After entering
the city, Interstate 81 executes a sweeping turn to the east, where
it interchanges with State Route 13 and re-enters Cortlandville as it
crosses the east branch of the Tioughnioga River, curving again to
the 'south and southeast around the steeply sloping sides of Carr Hill.
There is an interchange with U. S. Route 11 and with State Route 41
where they join at Polkville, approximately midway between the City
of Cortland and the Village of McGraw, and from there, Interstate
81 parallels U. S. Route 11 to the southern town boundary. Other
than the two interchanges in the town and the single interchange in
the city, there is no local access to this route. All other streets and
highways have either been provided with a grade separation, have
been dead-ended, or have been provided with a service access.
Interstate 81 provides two 12-foot lanes in both directions with a
separation mall, and with 10-foot shoulders on the outside lanes and
8-foot shoulders on the inner lanes. Right-of-way widths vary with
construction requirements and because of existing property lines from
300 feet to 600 feet and more. As of the date of this report, it has
been completed to the Polkville interchange, while construction is pro-
gressing on the section to the south.
U. S. Route 11 traverses only a short distance in the town from the
southern boundary of the Village of Homer to the northern boundary of
the City of Cortland before it flows through the main city streets,
leaving the city on Port Watson Street at the bridge over the Tioughnioga.
- 64 -
From this point, it follows the river valley southeast to the southern
town line and from here, it proceeds southward to Binghamton and
Scranton, paralleling the new interstate highway.
State Route 281 enters the town from the north of the Village of Homer
boundary line and travels south, passing through the northwest corner
of Cortland, re-entering the town and traveling southwest to its junc-
tion with Route 13, where it ends.
State Route 13, coming south and west from,Cazenovia, enters Cort-
landville from the Town of Homer north and east of the City of Cort-
land and, entering the city in its northeastern corner, travels over
some of the major city streets and exits from the southwestern cor-
ner of Cortland on Tompkins Road, continuing in a straight line until
it joins State Route 281. At this point, it turns to follow the straight
line projection of 281 and bends south and west as it leaves Cortland-
vile on its way to Ithaca and Elmira.
State Route 41, coming south from Skaneateles meets U. S. Route 11
in Homer and from there they are contiguous until Route 41 leaves the
Route 11 at Polkville, interchanges with Interstate 81, then runs east-
ward through the Village of McGraw leaving Cortlandville at its east-
ern boundary line. From here, Route 41 runs east and south to
Deposit.
State Route 90, coming eastward from Cayuga Lake, enters the village
of Homer on the west and joins U. S . Route 11 running southward to
the City of Cortland. This route leaves the city on Owego Street, run-
ning southward through the town to Virgil.
State Route 222 comes eastward from Groton and enters the town on
its western boundary. This route continues east past the airport and
crosses Route 281 before entering the western part of the city on
Groton Avenue.
As indicated on the accompanying table, the above state routes have
a total mileage of 15.4 miles or 14. 2 percent of the total road mileage
within the Town of Cortlandville outside of incorporated places. With-
out exception , they all radiate from the City of Cortland as trunk high-
ways, providing relatively efficient facilities for the flow of traffic
through the town. All state highways have excellent asphalt surfaces
on pavements which vary in width from 24 to 26 feet and are bordered
by well maintained shoulders.
- 65 -
County roads in•Cortlandville have a total mileage of 27 . 5 or 24.4
percent of the total mileage in the town. They ate paved, generally
in good condition with level pavements - 20 to 24 feet in width with
firm, well graded shoulders 3 to 6 feet in width on either side of the
pavement. Possible exceptions to the above are the McGraw North
Road which runs north of McGraw and Sears Road in the northwestern
part of the town. These roads, while good in many respects, have
undergone deterioration and repeated patching provides a rough sur-
face for the motorist.
There are almost fifty-four miles of town roads in Cortlandville, of
which approximately thirty five miles are unpaved. Most of the paved
roads are in good condition, having an unbroken, level, surface and
compact, graded shoulders. Several miles of road, however, has
pavement which shows various degrees of deterioration. For in-
stance, Kettle Road, southeast of Cortland has an extremely rough
surface from repeated patching, and Sweeney Road, just west of Cort-
land, has pavement which is breaking up along the shoulders-. In ad-
dition, a number of roads adjacent to Interstate 81 are being subjected
to severe punishment by the constant traffic of heavy construction
vehicles.
Most of the unpaved roads in the town have a well graded earth and
gravel surface on a roadbed of approximately thirty feet. However,
one-fourth of the unpaved mileage is rutted, overgrown, and difficult
to traverse. These roads occur away from centers of population and
often on the higher slopes of the town. For the most part the dirt roads
predominate in two areas of the town, east of the Tioughnioga River in
the eastern third of the town and southeast of Cortland but west of the
river. Three dirt roads are located in the northwest corner of the town.
These are areas of considerable relief and low population density. The
appearance of abandoned farmsteads along these roads suggests that
maintenance along some of these roads will be further reduced or dis-
continued as has already occurred on Streeter Road, Hicks Road, and
Heath Road. The permanent truncation of the western end of Snell Hill
Road by Interstate 81 hastens this process.
Several dangerous intersections exist in the town. Among these,
Pheasant Run, a small subdivision road southwest of Cortland meets
with Stupke Road just west of the Smith-Corona plant on Lime Hollow
Road. Visibility to the east at this intersection is prevented by a steep
grade. Also, during times of heavy traffic it is difficult to gain access
to Route 281 from several subdivision roads north of Cortland.
Since 1959, highway expenditures in the town have represented from 62
to 69 percent (excluding capital outlays) of the total town budget. In each
- 66 -
of these years, the town was involved in highway construction pro-
jects under the state-aided Ten Year Improvement Program. Such
expenditures, however, represented from 10 to 25 percent of the
total highway budget - the major portion being allocated to operation
and maintenance expenditures.
TABLE 30 .
HIGHWAY CHARACTERISTICS
Width of graded
Right-of-way Length roadbed (unpaved)
Classification and Name in rods* in feet or pavement (paved) - Condition
NATIONAL INTERSTATE HIGHWAY
Interstate 81 Varies 34,800 4 - 12' lanes Unfinished
(under construction) (when completed)
FEDERAL HIGHWAY
U. S. Route 11 (North) 4 2,400 26' Paved, good
U. S. Route 11 (South) 4 26,400 26' Paved, good
Total (Federal) 63,600
STATE HIGHWAYS
N. Y. S. 13 (North) 3 6,400 24' Paved, good
N. Y. S. 13 (South) 3 17,200 24' Paved, good
N. Y. S. 41 4 12,400 24' Paved, good
N. Y. S. 90 4 12,400 26' Paved, good
N. Y. S. 222 3 17,200 26' Paved, good
N. Y. S. 281 (North) 4 5,200 26' Paved, good
N. Y. S. 281 (South) 4 10,800 26' Paved, good
Total 81,600
COUNTY ROADS
Blodgett Mills Road 3 1,500 30' Unpaved, good; some poor pavement
at east end.
Conable Avenue 3 1,200 20' Paved, good but narrow and broken
then gravel beyond bend.
County Farm Road 3 12,000 20' Paved, good but unpaved and poor at
south end.
East Holl Road 3 4,600 22' Paved, good
Fisher Avenue 3 2,600 20' Paved, good
Gracie Road 3 7,800 20' Paved, good
Kellogg 3 14,500 16' Paved, good
Kinney Gulf 3 15,800 20' Paved, broken shoulders in places
Lighthouse Hill Road 3 6,000 20' Paved, good
Locust 3 5,400 20' Paved, good
Lorings Crossing Road 3 2,400 20' Paved, good
McGraw-Marathon 3 6,500 20' Paved, good
McGraw North Road 3 10,400 20' Paved, fair; patched with breaking
shoulders.
Mclean Road 3 17,800 22' Paved, good
Page-Green Road 3 13,000 20' Paved, good
Polkville Road 3 500 20' Paved, good
Saunders 3 2,400 22' Paved, good
Sears Road 3 , 10,000 20' Paved, patched
S. Cortland-Virgil Road 3 6,000 20' Paved, good
Starr Road 3 4,800 22' Paved, good
Total 145,200
- 67 -
•
•
TABLE 30 (cont'd,)
TOWN ROADS
Abdallah 3 1,200 20' Paved, good
Ahern Road 3 4,000 30' Unpaved, good
Allen Drive 3 800 20' Paved, good
Ames Road 3 14,400 30' Unpaved, good but poor at either end
Bell Drive 3 1,600 20' Paved, good
Benedict Hill Road 3 5,600 20' Paved, good
Bennie Hill Road 3. 7,600 20' Paved, good
Blodgett Mills West Road 3 9,700 30' Unpaved, good; some poor pavement
at east end.
Blue Creek Road 3 7,200 20' Paved, good _
Bond Road 3 4,800 30' Unpaved, fair with some ruts
Carr Hill Road 3 . 8,800 30' Unpaved, good
Carroll 3 400 18' Paved, good
Clinton Street Ext. 3 5,200 20' Paved, fair with scattered potholes
Cosmos Hill Road 3 4,000 28' Paved, good
Crestview 3 800 20' Paved, good
Deer Run 3 800 18' Paved, good
Delaware 3 400 20' Paved, good
• Ely Road 3 3,200 22' Paved, fair with patches
Fairfield Drive 3 400 20' Paved, poor
Fairview Drive 3 3,200 20' Paved, good
Fer-Cor Drive 3 1,200 20' Paved, good
Gallagher Road 3 7,600 22' Paved, good
Gailor Road 3 4,400 16' Unpaved and poor
Glenwood 3 800 20' Paved, good
Greenwood Avenue 3 3,200 20' Paved, but severed by Route 81
Halstead 3 800 20' Paved, poor
Hicks-Phelps Road 3 11,200 18-30' Unpaved, but center section very poor
Highland Road 3 4,800 20' Paved, good .
Hillside Drive 3 800 20' Paved, good
Hobard Road 3 8,000 30' Unpaved, good
Homestead 3 800 18' Paved, poor
Hoy Road 3 7,600 30' Unpaved, good
Isabella Drive 3 1,200 20' •
Paved, good
Kettle Road 3 4,000 22' Paved good
Kinney Road 3 2,800 18' Unpaved,fair
Lamont Circle 3 4,800 20' Paved, poor
Levydale 3 1,200 20' Paved, good
Lime Hollow Road 3 7,600 26' Paved, good but rough at eastern end
Louise Street 3 1,200 20' Paved, good
• Luker Road 3 5,600 20' Paved good
Lyncourt 3 800 18' Paved, good
Maple Avenue(unofficial 3 800 18' Paved, but with sections of scattered
useage at Blodgett Mills) gravel
Meadow Lane 3 800 20' Paved, good
McDonald Road 3 800 20' Paved, good
McLoy Road 3 8,800 30' Unpaved,.good
Miller Street Ext. 3 1,200 18' Paved, poor with one section paved
Monson Avenue 3 400 20' Paved, fair •
North Homer Avenue 3 800 20' Paved, good
Pendleton Street Ext. 3 8,800 30' Unpaved, good
Pheasant Run 3 400 20' Paved, poor
_ Pleasantview Drive 3 400 20' Paved, good
Polkville Road 3 1,900 20' Paved, good
Ridge Road 3 17,200 30' Unpaved, good in eastern third,
remainder poor
Russell Road 3 1,600 30' Unpaved, good
Shearer-Heath Road 3 6,400 22-30' Unpaved, good but rutted and narrow
in eastern half
Somerville Road 3 19,200 30' Unpaved, good
South Pendleton 3 1,600 20' Paved, good
South Street Ext. 3 800 26' Unpaved, good
Smith 3 800 18' Paved, good
Snell Hill Road . 3 10,800 30' Unpaved, fair
Starr Road 3 2,400 " 22' Paved, good
Streeter Road 3 2,800 30' Unpaved, good; dead-end
Stupke Road , 3 3,200 20' Paved, good
Summers Road 3 3,200 30' Unpaved, good
Surrey 3 800 18' Paved, good
Sweeney Road 3 6,400 20' Paved, good
Terrace 3 800 20' Paved, good
Toranto Road 3 3,200 18' Unpaved, fair
Town Line Road 3 2,400 30' Unpaved, poor with'rutted sections
Tower Road 3 6,800 30' Unpaved, good with some poor spots
Vernon Drive 3 800 20' Paved, good •
West Road 3 2,400 30' Unpaved, fair
Westmore Lane 3 1,200 20' Paved, good
Total 284,400
The following criteria were applied:
.. Good-Smooth, unbroken surfaces with unbroken edges, whether or not curbed and guttered.
Fair- Occasional wrinkles, uneven surface, occasional potholes, and occasional breaks in surface or along edges.
Poor-Evidence of inadequate roadbed- settling and breaking of surface; extensive breaks along pavement edges;
advanced deterioration.
SOURCE: N. Y. S. Department of Public Works, Cortland County Highway Department, Field
Survey June, 1965.
* 3 rods=49.5'
4 rods- 66'
- 68 -
COMMUNITY FACILITIES
Water
Most of the residential home owners in the Town of Cortlandville
presently obtain their water from individual, residential-type well
supplies. The area generally consists of a number of valleys in the
Cortland area and the hillsides and the valleys of the town present
very little problem in the finding of suitable wells for small water
consumption. In the communities within the Town of Cortlandville,
such as the City of Cortland, the Village of McGraw and the Village
of Homer, however, individual municipal water supplies and dis-
tribution facilities have been made available. Some of the adjoining
areas are also served by these municipal water works facilities.
The Chris Craft manufacturing facility, located on the southeast-
erly corner of the City of Cortland, is presently served by water
from the City of Cortland through a transmission line recently in-
stalled for the purpose. No homes in this area, however, are sup-
plied by municipal water from Cortland.
On the westerly side of the City of Cortland, municipal water works
supplies have been in existence for many years. Some of these facil-
ities were constructed under the guidance of the City of Cortland and
were supplied from water works facilities owned by the city. Charles
Buck installed a well supply and small distribution system to serve a
small development in 1950. In 1957 these facilities outside the City of
Cortland were acquired by the Town of Cortlandville, and Water Dis-
trict No. 1 was formed. In general, this district consisted of water
mains installed along New York State Route 13 from the City of Cort-
land to New York State Route 281, and also water facilities on Starr
Road and McLean Road, from New York State Route 90 to a point
2, 000 feet westerly of New York State Route 281. Since the formation
of the water district in this area, the area has grown substantially and
at present there,are 215 users within this facility. A small extension
was made to Water District No. 1 in 1962 and presently serves Lamont
Acres, which will be a housing development of 102 homes, most of
which have now been completed.
South Cortland is served by a small water works facility which is pri-
vately owned. This system was approved by the New York State Water •
Power and Control Commission in 1941 and was intended to serve about
50 people, all of whom lived within a radius of 1/2 mile from the ham-
let of South Cortland. There has been little growth in this area and as
- 69 -
a result, the need and construction of facilities have not been sub-
stantially increased since 1941 . The water mains in this system
are 1-3/4 inch and less in diameter.
Water district'No. 2, Town of Cortland has been established for a
small development between the City of Cortland and New York State
Route 281. Water for this area is supplied through the water works
facilities of the City of Cortland.
Sewers
At the present time, public sewage facilities in the Town of Cort-
landville are primarily limited to an extension of the Cortland City
Sewerage System along N. Y. S. Route 13, southwest of Cortland.
Other sewer connections existing in Cortlandville consist of two pri-
vate connections to the Cortland system by short extensions at Groton
Avenue and Madison Street. The remainder of the town, having satis-
factory soil drainage and a dispersed population utilizes private dis-
posal systems or, in a few cases, direct discharge to the Tioughnioga
River.
The public sewerage district in southwestern Cortlandville, estab-
lished as Sewer District No. 1 in 1959, was formed primarily to
serve the Smith-Corona Marchant facilities then being planned. In
addition, the district provided for the ultimate sewerage of the area
lying roughly between the right-of-way for the Lehigh Valley Rail-
road, N. Y. S. Route 38, and north of the Village of South Cortland,
with the exception of the high elevations just west of Route 38. The
ultimate design area to be served by this district was 961 acres,
although only 485 acres have thus far been included.
Sewer District No. 1 is served by a 15 and 18 inch sewer lying along
N. Y. S. Route 13 and having a peak flow capacity of 5.2 mgd. at the
point of discharge into the Cortland City Sewerage System. Present
flows average about 0.9 mgd. , largely from the Smith-Corona Mar-
chant plant though an increasing number of homes and commercial
establishments are connecting to this sewer. By agreement, flows
from the district are discharged into the Cortland City Sewerage
System for transmission to the Cortland sewage treatment plant,
treatment, and eventual disposal of the clarified effluent to the river.
By far, the greater part of Cortlandville is now served by private
disposal systems. This practice will undoubtedly continue for some
time because of the generally dispersed development, low individual
- 70 -
waste flows, and generally high soil permeabilities. As these condi-
tions become less prevalent, however,-extensions of Sewer District
No. 1 should be made and additional sewerage districts formed.
Public Buildings and Service Areas
Town Office Building
All of the town offices are in the new Town Office Building, located on
Terrace Road. This masonry building, erected in 1962,contains the
office of the Town Clerk, Assessor, Superintendent of Highways, Town
Supervisor and Justice of the Peace, in addition to a small meeting
room for the Town Board and a large meeting room for public gather-
ings.
The facilities appear to be adequate for their purpose; however, parking
for the structure is awkwardly placed on the site and, as often occurs
in public building developments, is probably inadequate at peak meeting
hours. While the surrounding area was substantially vacant except for
the residential developments to the immediate northeast at the time of
its construction, recent encroachments into the frontage along Tompkins
Road of junk car and used car operations have provided a setting for the
Town Building which is far more commercial than perhaps originally
contemplated.
Town Garage
The Town Garage is a large masonry structure provided to store and
act as a service center for the town's highway equipment. It is lo-
cated on a site of approximately three acres adjacent to the New York
State Department of Public Works Highway Garage on Polkville Road,
recently severed by the new Interstate 81 and accessible only from
N. Y. S. Route 41 . The structure contains a small office in addition
to the large vehicle storage space. The facility is well located in the
geographical center of the town, and expansion appears to provide no
problem if it becomes necessary.
Town Dump
Cortlandville owns approximately eight acres on Somerville Road
which it uses for dumping purposes. It permits the Village of McGraw
to use it without charge. Because of its size, it is expected to pro-
vide a means of refuse disposal for the next decade.
- 71
The town has also been using, under a lease agreement with an annual
cost to the town of $100, a privately owned dump located on the east
side of Stupke Road near the Lehigh Valley Railroad crossing. This
facility, however, is rapidly filling up and will probably be abandoned
within a year or two.
General
Although the town contributes to library service, it has no facility of
its own.
Cortlandville has one small two-acre park at the end of Lamont Circle.
A softball diamond is provided in this park area.
The town has a single fire protection district. Service is provided by
the Villages of Homer and McGraw on a contract basis with Homer pro-
tecting the western half of the town, and McGraw, the eastern half.
Cortland County Airport
Located within Cortlandville to the west of the City of Cortland, the
Cortland County Airport lies within an area bounded by Luken Road,
Fairview Drive and N. Y. S. Routes 222 and 281 . In 1920, Edward
Link, inventor of the Link Trainer, founded the air strip as a fixed
base operation providing gas and charter services. Later, public
ownership of the airfield was assumed by the City of Cortland. Area
residents used the facility for pleasure flying and pit provided a use-
ful terminus for visitors and executives of the local industries . In
1965, the airport became county owned and is presently being oper-
ated as a general aviation airport.
The fifty-nine acre airport has a pre-1940 hangar for storing approxi-
mately eleven planes and a 2, 800 foot grass strip located on a firm,
dry gravel bed. The runway lies in a northeast-southwest direction.
Navigation lighting is provided along its entire length. To the west of
the hangar stands a small frame building used by the Civil Air Patrol.
Two conditions were incorporated in the agreement for transferring
airport ownership from the city to the county level for the purchase
price of $35,000. The first condition stipulated that if the airport
were to be liquidated and the property sold, the proceeds would then
be equally shared by the city and the county. The alternate condition
stipulated that if the airport facility were to be relocated, the pro-
ceeds from the sale of the property would be applied toward the
development of a new airport.
- 72 -
The Town of Cortlandville lost an annual tax revenue of $1800 when
the airport gained a tax exempt status through county ownership.
Additional losses will occur if present expansion plans are carried
out to increase the size of the airport, removing additional land from
the tax rolls.
The present zoning ordinance of the town places the airport in a resi-
dential district thereby making it a non-conforming use. A major and
growing problem is the incompatibility of the airport and the sur-
rounding land uses - many of which are residential. Items which may
be listed as of concern to residents of the area include danger, noise
and interference with radio and television reception.
In 1920, when the airport was established, the area west of Cort-
land was substantially rural in character. In the intervening 46 years,
growth of varying types has occurred, some of it near the airport. To
the northeast, in the direction of the runway and the flight path of air-
craft using it, lies a mixture of residential and commercial uses on
both sides of N. Y. S . Routes 281 and 222. This pattern continues to
the City of Cortland which, in turn is built up substantially to the city .
line. To the southwest, again in line with the runway, a new sub-
division consisting of a single cul-de-sac street has recently been
developed and residential uses have grown along Fairview Drive and the
Cortland-McLean Road. Additional residential concentrations occur at
the intersection of Highland Road ( a continuation of Fairview Drive)
and N . Y. S . Route 222. East of this intersection and immediately
adjacent to the airport, although not in line with the runway, is a
drive-in theatre.
- 73 -
•
FINANCES
Achievement of the goals of adequate public physical facilities and
services is largely dependent upon the community's ability to tax,
in one form or another, to pay the cost of such facilities and services.
Decisions regarding such public services are not always within the
province of town authorities. School district, the county, and the state
will often make decisions affecting the public services available to town
residents. As another example, residents and property owners of rela-
tively small segments of the town may make the essential decisions re-
garding such a service as water supply by forming a district for this
purpose.
To .the extent that decisions rest with local officials, the pressures of
all other levels of government upon the taxpayers must be kept in mind.
The taxpayer's "ability" to pay increased or alternative taxes cannot be
found by objective formulae. To a .very great extent, the job of respon-
sible public officials is to find the balance point between citizen reluc-
tance to pay taxes and the citizen pressures for public facilities and
services.
This report summarizes the recent experience of the town as to expen-
ditures, revenues, and the property tax base and rates for general town
purposes and for special purpose districts within the town.
Town Expenditures
Town expenditures for the years 1959 - .1964 are summarized in Table 31 .
Total expenditures show no clear trend. Even if we eliminate the non-
recurring capital outlays of the years 1961 - 1963, the low point was the
year 1961 and the high point was in 1963. Expenditures, excluding these
capital outlays of 1963 were about 20 percent over 1959 and about 38 per-
cent over 1961.
Highways
It is apparent from Table 31 that highways are the most significant
of the town's expenditures. In terms of total expenditures (excluding
the capital outlays mentioned.above), highway expenditures ranged be-
tween 62 percent and 69 percent. In each of the six years studied, the
town was involved in highway construction projects under the state-
aided Ten Year Improvement.Program. The "project" nature of such
- 74 -
TABLE 31
TOWN OF CORTLANDVILLE
EXPENDITURES FOR THE YEARS 1959 - 1964
( rounded to nearest $.100 )
1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964
Highways Current & minor capital outlays $ 69,000 $ 87,100 $ 60,700 $ 90,200 $ 92,700 $ 87,100
Construction(10 year Improvement .
Program) 17,400 11,300 5,100 15,000 10,000 8,000
Debt Service 5,000
Total Highways 86,400 98,400 70,800 105,200 102,700 95,100
Other
Current Operating & Maintenance .
Executive, Legislative,
1 Judicial Offices 7,000 8,000 8,500 8,100 8,600 9,100
Staff Offices 15,200 9,700 9,900 15,400 17,100 17,700
co Elections 1,200 1,400 1,400 1,400 1,300 1,300
1 Safety 1,700 2,400 2,300 2,100 2,900 3,300
Sanitation 900 1,200 1,400 1,500 1,900 ' 2,300
Ambulance 3,500 3,800 3,900 3,500 3,600 3,700
Library 300 500 500
Overhead and Miscellaneous
Insurance 6,600 8,800 6,600 6,300 8,900 4,400
Employee Benefits 4,300 4,300 4,800 4,900 7,000 7,000
All Other 5,200 5,600 4,800 6,700 3,500 5,200
Total Current Other 45,600 45,200 43,600 50,200 55,300 54,500
Capital Outlay
Town Hall 44,200 15,200
Land Purchase 8,800
Total Other than Highway 45,600 45,200 87,800 65,400 64,100 54,500
TOTAL EXPENDITURES $132,000 $143,.600 $158,600 $170,600 $166,800 $149,600
SOURCE: Summarized from Town Supervisor's Annual Reports
expenditures would lead one to expect the wide annual variations which
have prevailed. The range has been from $5, 100 in 1961 to $17,400 in
1959.
Highway expenditures classified as current operation and maintenance,
showed wide variation. The high of $92,700 in 1963 was about 53 per-
cent greater than the low of $60,700 in 1961 . These expenditures are
extremely hard to control within.the limits of planned budgets. For
example, annual snow fall variations can, alone, upset the best-of bud-
gets. Similarly, frost damage may vary widely from year to year.
However, an even more significant factor contributing to the 1961 low
was the relatively small expenditure for equipment purchase and repair.
In 1961, the town spent approximately $14, 000 for this item. For the
other five years, the range was between $35, 800 and $43,500. It is well
to plan equipment purchases to achieve equal annual outlays as nearly
as possible. However, the high unit cost relative to the total highway
budget of a single piece of highway equipment may make desired uni-
formity impossible.
Highway debt service has been limited to the repayment. of $5, 000 in
1961 borrowed in 1960. The extremely short term of this borrowing is
reflected in the actual interest cost of only $14. 58 shown in the Super-
visor's annual report.
Other than Highways
Town current expenditures, for purposes other than highways, have
averaged about 35 percent of total expenditures. A generally upward
trend is evident. For the years 1959 - 1961, the average expenditure
was $44, 800 with a range of only $43, 600 in 1961 to $45, 600 in 1959 .
For the years 1962 - 1964, the average was $53, 300 with a range from
$50, 200 in 1962 to $55, 303 in 1963.
Included in this group of "other" expenditures is a large number of
offices and services. Expenditures for the offices of Supervisor, Coun-
cil, and Justices show a rather general increase from $7, 000 in 1959 to
$9, 100 in 1964, or an increase of 30 percent.
The expenditures for the staff offices of Clerk, Assessor, Engineer,
and Attorney varies from $9, 700 in 1960 to $17,700 in 1964. The 1959
expenditure of $15, 200 included expenditures of $5, 841 for engineering
services; this expenditure was much higher than in any other year. `Ex-
cluding engineering services from this group leaves a range from, $9,400
in 1959 to $15,900 in 1964, or an increase of 69 percent. In 1964, the
offices discussed above accounted for about 18 percent of total town
expenditures.
- 76 -
Expenditures for elections varied between the low of $1, 200 and high
of $1,400. The 1964 expenditure was less than 1 percent of the town
total.
Outlays for the functions of safety and sanitation have reflected the
increasing suburbanization of the town. Safety expenditures (traffic
control and dog control) increases steadily throughout the six years
studied. The 1964 expenditure represents an increase of 94 percent
over 1959 . This service accounted for about 2 percent of the 1964
total, but about 1 percent in 1959 . Sanitation expenditures (refuse
disposal) showed an even greater increase. The 1964 total was about
155 percent greater than in 1959. Relative to total expenditures, this
function accounted for about 1-1/ 2 percent of the 1964 total.
Expenditures for ambulance service have varied between a low of
$3, 500 in 1959 and 1962 and a high of $3, 900 in 1961.
A town contribution for library service, first reported in 1962, -has
taken considerably less than 1/ 2 of 1 percent of the budget.
Insurance premium expenditures showed peaks in 1960 and 1963 and a
drop in 1964. Variations in the time covered by policies written may
be a more significant factor than real variations in annual cost, how-
ever.
In 1963 and 1964 expenditures for employee benefits (retirement, social
security, and group health insurance) were about 63 percent over the
1959 and 1960 outlay. Group health insurance, first identified in 1963,
have accounted for about $1,500 of the expenditures of 1963 and 1964.
In 1964 this item accounted for about 4.7 percent of total town expendi-
tures.
The "all other" class of expenditures includes a variety of purposes.
Individually these items are quite insignificant; in total, the 1964 outlay
was about 3.5 percent of the town's budget. Operation and maintenance
of the town hall has been the most significant item in this class which
also includes such expenditures as zoning, planning, vital statistics,
cemetery maintenance, patriotic observances, etc.
Capital Outlays
Other than-highway construction, major capital outlays were limited to
the construction of a new town hall in 1961 and.1962 and an item of
$8, 800 identified as "purchase of land" in 1963. Outlay for the town hall,
including land but not including the above item, totalled just under $60, 000.
- 77
•
TABLE 32
TOWN OF CORTLANDVILLE
REVENUES FOR THE YEARS 1959 - 1964
( rounded to nearest $100 )
1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964
Real Estate Taxes $ 91, 100 $ 93,500 $106,900 $ 112,400 $ 97, 200 $ 101,500
State Aids
Per Capita 14,400 14,400 18, 700 20, 100 20, 100 20, 100
Highway - Mileage 4,700 4, 700 4, 700 4, 700 4, 700 4, 800
Improvement
Program 10, 100 20, 300 2,800 7,900 5, 200
Mortgage Tax 5, 600 7, 300 6,600 8,400 10, 800 9,900
Dog Licenses 1,500 1, 500 1, 500 1, 500 1, 600 1,600
Fines, Fees, Interest, •
' • Miscellaneous 6, 800 7, 200 7, 200 9, 700 1.1,400 11, 200
Total Revenues $134, 200 $148,900 $148,400 $ 164,700 $ 151, 000 $ 149, 100
SOURCE: Summarized from Town Supervisor's Annual Reports
Financing Town Expenditures
Revenues of the Town of Cortlandville for the years 1959 - 1964 are
summarized in Table 32.
It is important to note that of the seven sources listed in Table 32 only
the first (and to a limited extent, the last) is subject to direct control
by town officials. State aid for the Ten Year Improvement Program
essentially represents partial reimbursement for prior expenditures;
this is the only source of which the yield is directly related to prior
budgets.
It is a commonplace that real estate taxes are the backbone of local
government finance. This has certainly been true for Cortlandville.
Excluding the highway improvement program reimbursement from the
totals of Table 32 reveals that local real estate tax levies produced from
72 percent to 73 . 5 percent of regular revenues from 1959 through 1962;
the 1963 and 1964 percentages were 66. 7 and 68. 1 percent, respectively.
The high levy was for 1962 which was nearly 24 percent over 1959; the
1964 levy was down to 11 .4 percent in excess of 1959 .
State aids are of three types. The highway improvement program reim
bursement has been discussed above. Per capita aid is a highly inflex-
ible source since it is governed by the latest census and state legisla-
tive formula as to grant base. While it is possible for the base of the
grant to be changed annually. such change is highly unlikely. The popu-
lation count normally changes only each ten years. This source pro-
duced from 11 .2 percent in 1960 to 13 .8 percent in 1963 of regular
recurring revenues of the town. The highway grant, based upon town
road mileage, has been even more inflexible. The almost static amount
has been reflected as a slight downward proportion of total revenues.
This source has produced from 3 .7 percent to 3..2 percent of total re-
current revenues. Population increase indicated by the Town Special
Census of 1965 coupled with the new Per Capita Grant Base and addi-
tional highway aid enacted by the 1965 session of the State Legislature
should result in additional State Aid revenue for the town of approxi-
mately $18, 000. 00 per year.
The mortgage tax is returned to the town by the county which acts as
collector. Yield reflects real estate exchange activity in the commun-
ity. The yield is highly variable as Table 32 indicates; however, there
is no necessary correlation between the variations and town revenue
needs. This source has produced from 4. 5 percent to 7 .4 percent of
total revenues.
Proceeds from the dog license fund (license fees minus cost of damage
by dogs) have been steady, but have held to just about 1 percent of total
revenues.
- 79 -
The final class of revenue shown in Table 32 is a catch-all for a
variety of relatively small sources. The total class has ranged
from 5. 1 percent in 1961. to 7.8 percent in 1963, of total revenues. -
Certain sources, such as clerk and collector's fees are regularly
recurring; others such as sale of equipment or insurance indem-
nities are irregular.
The town has also utilized reserve funds, in addition to the current
revenues of Table 32 , to finance the new town hall. This fund had
a balance of $23, 258 as of the beginning of 1959. Additions were
made as follows:
Interest General Fund
Earnings Transfer Miscellaneous
1959 1, 112.50 10,450.00
1960 1, 052.45
1961 1, 035 . 19 10, 000. 00 60. 00
1962 12,378.76
•
Totals 3, 200. 14 - 32, 828.76 60. 00
This fund was extinguished during 1962 upon completion of the Town
hall.
The town avoided financing.any of its activities by the incurrence of
debt except for the very short term highway note discussed earlier.
This is an enviable record.
The Tax Base and Tax Rates
Since approximately 70 percent of town revenues are received from the
tax on real estate, trends in the growth in assessed valuations - the tax
base - are very important.
Properties subject to general town taxes as assessed by local authori-
ties and by state authority have both shown significant growth. At the
same time the so-called "pension exemption" has also increased.
Properties subject to general town and county taxes (including "special
franchise" assessed by the state) grew 34.6 percent from 1959 to 1965.
The average annual rate of gain was 5.8 percent and the range of an-
nual change was from 2. 0 percent (1961 over 1960) to 7.6 percent (1960
over 1959) .
During this same period, the "pension exempt" property increased from
$151,950 for the 1959 tax year to $238, 960 for the 1964 tax year. This.
80 -
represents a growth of 57. 3 percent; however, relative to the total
assessment roll, the pension exempt property increased from about
. 8 percent to about .9 percent.
According to the county treasurer of Cortland County, assessed valu-
ations were assumed at 90 percent of full value for equalization pur-
poses throughout the period. Equalization rates established by state
authorities(of importance in determining the town debt limit) have
varied from 123 percent in 1959 to 83 percent in 1964.
The tax rate is the factor by which the total tax levy is distributed
among the owners of real estate. A single tax rate for all local
purposes is not the case. By law, properties within village limits
are not subject to taxes for certain highway purposes, for example.
Furthermore, properties within certain special purpose districts,
for example, water or sewer districts, are subject to a levy not placed
upon properties outside the district. Since tax rates are subject to
both total levy and total assessed valuation, they have been subject to
considerable fluctuation. Table 33 shows the growth in assessed
valuations and changes in county and town (both outside and inside vill-
age) tax rates.
Debt Limit
As indicated above the town has avoided long-term debt financing for
town services. Special district debt is, in a sense, a contigent liabil-
ity of the town. The possibility of the town being required to meet
such debt payments from general town funds is quite remote. In com-
puting the constitutional debt limit, water district debt is not considered
an encumbrance; however, sewer district debt is deducted to arrive at
the maximum debt incurring power of the town.
Town debt, chargeable to the limit, is restricted to 7 percent of the
average full value of taxable property. The limit is computed by
averaging the five most recently completed assessment rolls. The
limit has been increasing with the general increase in taxable values.
In round figures the debt limit of the Town of Cortlandville is about
$1.7 million. As of the end of 1964, sewer district bonds of $167, 000
were chargeable to the limit.
Special District Finances
In addition to the general town services discussed earlier, some of the
town taxpayers must also support specialized services rendered to
- 81 -
TABLE 33
TOWN OF CORTLANDVILLE
ASSESSED VALUATIONS AND TAX RATES 1959 - 1964
Tax Rates per $1, 000 Valuation
Valuations (add 000) Town Rate Town Rate
Pension County Outside Inside
Taxable Exempt Rate Village Village of McGraw
1959 $ 19,404 $ 152 $ 7 . 866 $ 4. 149 $ 1 . 505
1960 20,969 200 6. 571 4 . 862 2. 952
op 1961 21, 391 220 6.969 5 .437 3 . 046
L
1962 22, 302 223 6. 622 5.4941 3. 0981 _
1963 23,073 223 7. 020 4 .44961 2. 8866
1964 24, 548 230 7 . 651 4.44286 2. 680
1965 26, 014 239
SOURCES: Valuations from Town Supervisor's Annual Reports
Tax rates from Treasurer, Cortland County
limited parts of the town. For fire services, the town is divided into
two fire protection districts: one district is served by the Homer Fire
Department, the other by the McGraw Fire Department. Public water
supply and sewer services are also provided by special purpose dis-
tricts.
Debt incurred for capital construction in the water and sewer districts
is retired and operating costs are met by charges to the benefited prop-
erty owners.
Water Districts
During the six years covered by this study, water district operations
may be summarized as follows:
Approximately
Receipts:
Operating Income and Assessments $137, 000
Borrowing (net borrowed) 132, 000
Total 269, 000
Payments:
Operating Expenses 63., 500
Interest Costs 36, 000
Construction 118, 000
Debt Retirement (net) 24, 000
Total 241, 500
As of the end of 1964, outstanding water debt was $258, 000. An issue
of 1959 with a balance of $126, 000 is payable in serial installments
through 1988; a 1964 issue with a balance of $132, 000 is payable through
1962.
Sewer Districts
Sewer District operation for the six year period may be summarized
as follows:
- 83 -
Approximately
Receipts:
Operating Income and Assessments $ 76,900
State Aid 4, 300
Borrowing (net) 195, 000
Total 276, 200
Payments:
Operating Expenses 12,900
Interest Costs 29,900
Construction 190, 100
Debt Retirement (net) 28, 000
Total 260,900
At the end of 1964, sewer district bonds were outstanding in the amount
of $167, 000. These bonds are scheduled to mature serially through
1989 .
Fire Protection Districts
Payments to the Homer and McGraw Fire Departments, from taxes and
foreign insurance premium taxes primarily, were approximately as
follows:
1959 $3, 050
1960 3, 000
1961 3, 850
1962 3,950
1963 3,950
1964 7, 100
Summary
The Town of Cortlandville is in excellent financial condition. Both cur-
rent operating costs and capital outlays have been met from revenues
and reserves. While the town is dependent upon the real estate tax for
a very high proportion of its total revenues, taxable assessed valuations
have increased at a rate which has permitted relatively stable tax rates.
While the town is contingently liable for special district debt, the possi-
bility of the necessity of using general town funds for this purpose is re-
mote. In fact, the special districts with debt outstanding have been able
to meet operation and debt costs and still increase cash balances.
- 84
. .
.
i
THE
1 w• - , ,:
--- •
- .-,,,..
,• • • .
;,.. p L
A . N ...„.. ,
• , k .......... .
.. `...,. .
' ........1 . •
, 1
i r ...
.-
, . . . .
, ! •i. --,... . •
. ,
• I . . . .
,
• , • „. ,
•
I . . ..
....,....
. . .
! ••••...;„.
I ..
"1 - •
• 7 - --.
.1
( .!,/ •
. .
• # •
,•
..-17."....,4
1 . .
, / • / -- \• , .. •,.I
/ , •. f i
. ..
. . . 1 ;4.... •,
-.. I
: %.,...,
, .
...., . 1. -
...\%••••..... I .
, \ 4 •
‘.*••......
I '.
•
' •
.. ••
. 1
. ; I
•
%••••••....31, . . , .•
\ .
. .
• .
• .
•
•
•
. •
,..-
' ...C% '. • •
% ' . •
/ •
. •. ''• .
. •.. •
•,.....,, 7 ,./ / 7
.•
. . • •
, •••-....,..,
,..
• ,.'441%.14'...,,,,
. .. . - • • ,
.......... . . ... -
-..,
' • )
• f
. i !
•4`..*N., ' — .',---
. ••,\*".st-,-•-., 4 ..
* Z'S"•••„...,_'. ..r s'.'''.,, ../- ?: ' • 1%0 •.. t
••%•,•4% '''‘••,..,,....,'•,...,.-s,...,...:'-•• , .
•,,,t. . • .,..... . • ,
. ' .0, - • •••
//// • ..•!'
\o' •••••
•• ,. k••,%,...\'''..s.N.....,,,%,,,... * i .,..,,7 • :',•-•
.// .
. 1
. .
, .
I. .
I,
I . .
11
THE TOWN PLAN
The comprehensive plan for Cortlandville is proposed to serve as a
general guide for the future development of the town during the next
twenty years. The plan itself is to be regarded as a flexible pro-
posal that is based upon a study of today's conditions and trends and
their projection into the future. It is important that the elements of
the plan and their relationship to the whole be continuously restudied
and revised as changing conditions bring about unforeseen altera-
tions to the physical, social and economic structures of the commu-
nity. On the other hand, the objectives and policies upon which the
plan is based are conceived to be more permanent and representative
of the general philosophy underlying the thinking of the Planning Board
and its consultant toward the future development of the town. Any
future revisions of the plan should necessarily be made within the
framework of these objectives.
One of the main objectives of the planning program as conceived by its
official and citizen agencies is to preserve and protect the special
qualities that have made Cortlandville a good community in which to
live. The plan attempts to do this, and at the same time recognizes
that growth of varying kinds and degrees is inevitable and that such
development should be guided in order that it have a beneficial, rather
than an adverse effect on those characteristics and amenities which
create a pleasant environment.
The attractiveness which is presently inherent in the landscape of the
town should be preserved at all costs. At the same time provision
should be made for a balance of new residential, retail, commercial
and industrial development that will be a tangible asset for the com-
munity in years to come.
•
- 86 -
THE PREPARATION OF THIS MAP WAS FINANCIALLY AIDED THROUGH A FEDERAL GRANT FROM THE URMN RENEWAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE MOUSING AND NONE FINANCE AGENCY, UNDER THE URBAN ►IANN/NC
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AUTHORIZED NY SECTION 707 OF THE HOUSING ACT OF 7954. AS AMENDED. THIS MAP WAS PREPARED UNDER THE URBAN PLANNING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR THE STATE
OF NEW YORK DE►ARTRENT OF COMMERCE lT WAS FINANCED /N PART NY THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND IN PART NY THE TOWN OF CORYLINDYI(LE.
L E G E N D
A R T H
U R
RE E D,
PLAN N ING
CON S U
L T A N
T
CORTLAND C 0 U NTY. NEW YORR
S Y R A C U S E, N.Y.
AGRICULTURAL
RESIDENTIAL
T H
E
G E
N E R
A L
P
L A
N
DENSITY
MEDIUM DENSITY
MED
HIGH DENSITY
TO
W
N
®F
C
0 R
T L
A
N D V I L L E
RETAIL BUSINESS
INDUSTRYAL
CE ETER ii
EXISTING PROPOSED
PUBLIC FACILITIES
RECREATIONAL
ROADS f ��
MAJOR Ill, a/ r
SECONDARY
~= • NN lW `AN ]RNN 400N �, r...
LOCAL
fti ft SCHOOLS °°°°,_ .,.,,. �,°. N C R L E 1 M F E E t \ •'
, PLANNING OBJECTIVES
General Objectives
1 . Encourage the development of an attractive environment.
for living, working and playing in the Town of Cortlandville.
_-_ 2. Preserve and enhance the natural resources and specific
attributes that make Cortlandville an attractive community.
3. Encourage the healthy growth and diversification of the com-
munity's economic base in order to support a better standard
of living for local residents.
•
Residential Development
1 . Encourage the concentration of new residential_development
in those parts of the community most economically served
by new roads and extensions of utilities and community
facilities.
2. Relate new residential development to topography and ex-
isting soil conditions with special consideration of storm
water drainage problems and the adequacy of existing utili-
. ties.
3 . Protect existing residential neighborhoods from encroach-
ment by incompatible land uses.
4 . Discourage new residential construction in scattered and
inaccessible locations throughout the town that will result
in excessive costs for road maintenance, snow removal
and school transportation.
Commercial and Industrial Development
1 . Discourage the indiscriminate spread of retail uses into
residential neighborhoods and the extension of endless
commercial ribbon development along the highways.
2 . Encourage the development of tourist attractions and ac-
commodations that will be an asset to the community.
- 87 -
3. Provide proper and adequate sites for new commercial
and industrial activities in order to improve the town's
economic base and to provide more opportunities for local
employment.
Transportation
1 . Encourage the development of a minimum of additional
miles of new highways that will provide efficient traffic
circulation and easy accessibility to allparts of the town
with a minimum of conflict and congestion.
2. Encourage the separation of pedestrian and vehicular circu-
lation, especially in those areas near schools and centers
of community interest.
3. Improve the accessibility of the existing road pattern to new
highway improvements such as Interstate Route 81 at the
same time protecting the community from the adverse effects
of such facilities.
Community Facilities and Services
1 . Encourage the improvement of existing utilities and their
extension to serve new areas whenever possible.
2. Prevent development from taking place in areas where health
hazards would be created by inadequate water, sewer and
drainage facilities.
3 . Provide the widest possible range of educational and recrea-
tional facilities where they will be needed most and where
they can serve a maximum number of persons conveniently.
4. Encourage the acquisition of land required for public use well '
in advance of need.
5 . Encourage the protection of natural resources for their best
use for agriculture, conservation and recreation.
•
- 88 -
LAND USE PLAN
The land use plan shows a generalized picture of the development
of the Town of Cortlandville during the next twenty years. It con-
cerns itself with the most favorable development of land by public
and private means and leads the way toward the establishment of
a pattern of land uses that is in accord with desirable standards
for the intensity of development as well as with the location of both
existing and proposed community facilities and services. The plan
proposes an effective separation of land uses into those locations
best suited for each particular use.
In many areas of the town, the plan is fairly well established by ex-
isting uses. At these locations, the plan is primarily concerned
with the qualitative improvement of the environment rather than by
the introduction of any new and substantial use changes. The re-
mainder of the plan concerns itself with the most efficient use of the.
undeveloped land in the town.
The development of land uses in the town has many influencing fac-
tors: One of these is the circulation network. Where easy access
to major highways occurs, intensive development of residential,
commercial, and industrial uses is indicated. In addition, physical
characteristics, utilities, existing development and regional in-
fluences all play a role in the future land use pattern.
The largest single land area proposed in the plan has been retained
for agricultural use - located primarily in all but the north-central
portions. Residential uses, developed at varying degrees.of den-
sity, occupy, in total, the second largest land area of proposed uses
in the town.
The areas proposed for residential uses are located, for the most
part, to the north, west and south of the City of Cortland. Corridors
of residential use are also found to the south along U.. S. Route 11 and
around Blodgett Mills and east along N. Y. S. Route 41 to McGraw
and beyond.
Business areas are for the most part, enlargements of existing con-
centrations with two exceptions - an area on both sides of N. Y. S .
Route 281 at the northern boundary of the town where the spur road
leading from the interchange of Interstate Route 81 travels westward
and intersects N. Y. S . Route 281 just west of the Village of Homer,
and an area along between U. S . Route 11 and the hillside route of
Interstate 81 from Cortland to Polkville.
- 89 -
Industrial areas proposed reflect the existing uses between U. S. Route
11 and Interstate Route 81 north of Cortland and the expansion of indus-
trial activity to the southwest along Route 13 and to the southeast be-
tween the Tioughnioga River and U. S. Route 11.
Public and semi-public uses are dominated by the existing and pro-
posed Cortland National Fish Hatchery, the State University lands and
other governmental uses.
Agricultural Land Use
Of the total town area outside of incorporated areas, present land use
indicates 81. 2 percent or over four-fifths of the town is in farmland,
woodland and marshland. In the development of the land.use plan,
these are combined into the single "agriculture" category which com-
prises 18,907 acres, or 61 percent of the total town area.
Within this classification, the land use plan proposes to include those
areas of the town which are least likely to be subjected to urbanizing
influences. Many of the existing farm areas will be the source of land
for development of various kinds, and indeed, in some areas only the
lack of utilities and an adequate market prevent immediate development.
However, the designated agriculture areas of the plan in the west, south
and east portions of Cortlandville are, for the most part, remote from
serviced areas and lack the accessibility of the areas immediately sur-
rounding the central city.
Many of the woodlands, marshlands and areas of excessive slope are
concentrated in the agricultural land use areas, consequently the ac-
tual percentage of the total land area in this classification used for
agricultural pursuits will be about 60 percent, and with the continua-
tion of the soil bank program, the gradual decline in the number of
farms in the town and county, there is reason to believe that even this
percentage may decline. Abandoned farmhouses and once-tilled hill-
sides are testimony of the decline of this vital and important land use
in the town.
Residential Land Use
New residential construction in Cortlandville has remained constant
over the past eight years, but increases upward appear likely with the
provision of public utilities and the continued out-migration of fami-
lies and individuals from the City of Cortland. Upward shifts in home
- 90 -
mortgage interest rates and somewhat declining housing market are
offset by the general economy and continued population growth of the
Cortland region and continued residential development will -occupy a'
certain portion of the town's undeveloped land reserve. The.areas
allocated for residential use are shown on the land use plan at the'
proposed density patterns. In total, they occupy 5, 622. 8 acres; -
gross, or 18. 1 percent of the total town area. The distribution.`of
the residential areas is based on existing patterns as well as upon
the availability of existing and proposed community facilities and •
services. Existing small lot development has also been considered
_ in establishing the proposed residential patterns, and the medium and
high densities have been restricted to those areas where higher stan-
dards (and consequently lower densities) could not reasonably be re-
quired. Concurrently, existing residential areas will be protected
from becoming more crowded by means of revised zoning controls
and revised subdivision regulations. New types of residential sub-
divisions and dwelling structures will be largely influenced by an in-
creasing desire on the part of the general public for a better housing
environment - better quality, less overcrowding, adequate and well
located community facilities, and a more-attractive setting for daily
living. Throughout the town, it is expected that the single family
housing will continue to be the dominant housing type, with very little
multiple-family housing being built.
. . . . . . Low Density Areas
The plan shows" those areas of the town that have been proposed for
low density residential development. Low density iri this instance
would be approximately two families per acre at maximum. The low
density areas occupy 4, 776 acres., or 15. 3 percent of the total.town
area. - , , •
The largest area of low density residential land use proposed by the.
plan begins at the northern town boundary west of the Village of Homer
and, for the most part, west of Route 281. It includes Cosmos Hill
Road, Highland Road and Fairview Drive, extending west of the latter
for approximately two-thirds of a mile, ending just south of McLean
Road. - - S
South of Starr and Saunders Roads, another area of low density is pro-
posed - extending for a depth of 1, 500 feet north and south and from
Munsons Corners on the west to beyond Pendleton Street extension on
the east.
- 91 -
East of the new Interstate Route 81 between Cortland and the northern
boundary of the town and extending to the power line right-of-way
1, 000 feet beyond the East Homer-Truxton Road, another large low
density area is proposed by the land use plan. This area wraps around
the northeast corner of the City of Cortland.
Another low density residential area lies east of the Village of McGraw
to the eastern town boundary and extending from 1, 000 feet north of
Route 41 to 1, 000 feet south of the McGraw-Marathon Road. West of •
McGraw, the valley south of Route 41 is so designated between the vil-
lage and Polkville, then turning south between Interstate Route 81 and
U. S. Route 11 in a narrow, hillside strip as far south as Somerville
Road.
Medium Density Areas
•
Medium density residential areas have been proposed for 761. 5 acres,
or 2.4 percent of the total town area. They occur, for the most part,
where water supply is presently available and where present lot size
is comparable with the density requirements. Medium density in this
instance means approximately four dwelling units per acre.
The largest area proposed by the plan for medium density residential
development lies immediately south of the City of Cortland boundary
line to just south of Starr Road and Saunders Road, running from Mun-
sons Corners on the west to beyond Pendleton Road on the east.
Anotheer medium density area lies on both sides of Kellogg Road for
4,000 feet north of the hamlet of Blodgett Mills and for 2,000 feet
south of the Blodgett Mills Road, both of these areas excluding the high
density residential and business areas in the center of the hamlet.
Three other small areas are proposed by the plan for medium density
residential use. These are: An area just north and west of the inter-
section of Lime Hollow Road and Routes 281 and 13; a residential area
lying north and east of the town hall, extending directly north across
Starr Road to the Lehigh Valley Railroad; and, a small area west and
north of the business uses on U. S . Route 11 and Fisher Avenue lying
directly south of the Cortland Country Club.
- 92 -
High Density Areas
The high density residential areas shown on the plan occupy 85. 3
acres, only . 3 percent of the total town area. Their densities
range from four to five dwelling units per acre for single family
dwellings depending on the provision of utilities, to ten to fourteen •
dwelling units per acre in multiple family units depending on total
project size.
The plan proposes only two high density residential areas. The
first of these lies between N. Y. S. Route 13 (Tompkins Road) and
the Lehigh Valley Railroad and from the Cortland city line west for
approximately 2,400 feet, excluding the business frontage on Tomp-
kins Road. This area presently contains a multiple family dwelling
development. Both sewer and water services are available in this
area.
The second high density residential district consists of a small area
in the central core of Blodgett Mills. Although lacking the necessary
utilities, the existing lot sizes are so small and the existing density
is so high it has been placed in this category.
Total Residential Potential
An exercise in community plan development is to estimate future
total population under densities suggested in the plan. If we estimate .
that gross acreage would permit two families per acre for low den-
sity areas, we arrive at a potential of 9,552 dwelling units. However,
because of topographic conditions northeast of Cortland and east of .
McGraw, this figure should be reduced to an arbitrary 7, 500 dwel-
ling units.
For medium density areas, it is estimated that the plan would per-
mit 3,046 dwelling units, while in the high density areas, using an
arbitrary average of 7.5 families per gross acre, it is estimated that
the plan would permit 640 dwelling units.
This provides a total dwelling unit count of 11, 186 which would rep-
resent a population increase of from three to four times this figure.
Such development is beyond the. time element of the plan and beyond
any present estimates of growth in the community, and does not take
into account the natural reluctance to abandon the present agricul-
tural activity on much of the designated area.
•
- 93 -
Retail Business
With but few exceptions, the proposals of the land use plan reflect
the locations of the town where business development has already
become established. The plan, in most instances, has provided
• these with ample room for expansion in the areas where they exist,
which is, in every case, along main roads which serve, and indeed,
are largely responsible for the location of the business grouping in
the first instance.
One of the above noted exceptions, where the plan has suggested a
retail business area where none now exists is at the northern boun-
dary of the town, just west of the village of Homer where the inter-
change road from Interstate Route 81 runs westward and intersects
with N. Y. S. Route 281 . The proposed district extends southward
to the Cortland Country Club, and across Route 281 for a depth of
600 to 700 feet.
South of Homer Village, on both sides of U. S. 11 and extending to
the northern boundary of the City of Cortland, is a firmly estab-
lished retail business area. It has been extended westward on either
side of Fisher Avenue to include the old fairgrounds site and the new
regional office of the New York State Conservation Department.
The plan proposes a large retail business area west of the City of
Cortland beginning at the southern boundary of St. Marys Cemetery
extending southward on both sides of N. Y. S. Route 281, crossing
N. Y. S. Route 222 (Cortland-Groton Road) and terminating at the
northern boundary of the city-owned water supply area. This area
contains the only 'shopping center' as such within the town. It con-
tains a large supermarket, a discount house and several other re-
tail establishments served by ample parking.
Beginning again at the Lehigh Valley Railroad, and, for the most
part, east of N. Y. S. Route 281, another area proposed by the
plan for the retail business category is concentrated along N. Y. S.
13, projecting southwest from the exact southwestern corner of
Cortland. This route crosses Starr Road and continues southwest in
a straight line toward its intersection with N. Y. S. Route 281. The
retail business designation continues on either side of this road at
varying depths. Many of the towns trailer courts are within this
area.
As U. S. 11 leaves the city and goes south, an area lying between it
and Interstate 81 extending to and including the area around the Polkville
- 94 -
interchange has been designated for business. Although this has
the characteristics of 'strip' development, the impact of the inter-
- change and the limited depth of developable area due to the ex-
cessive slope of the hillside give it validity.
Smallest of the retail business areas proposed by the plan is the
commercial core of the hamlet of Blodgett Mills. On either side
of Blodgett Mills Road, it extends westward from the Tioughnioga
River, across the D. L. & W. Railroad into the center of the ham-
let.
Industrial Use
The growing industrial sector of the town has been firmly recog-
nized in the land use plan. The largest area designated for indus-
trial use is a level plain which stretches south and west along N. Y.
S. Route 13 to the southern town line. It wraps itself around a
small medium density residential area and returns to the main road
whose designation is now N. Y. S. Route 281. Presently within this
area are many of Cortlandville's major industries, and with the con-
templated expansion of utilities .into much of the district, expansion
and growth is inevitable.
Another industrial area proposed by the plan is a tremendous river
plain lying between the Tioughnioga River and U. S. 11 beginning at
the Cortland City line and extending southeast to Trout Brook. A
large boat manufacturing industry and substantial sand and gravel
pit operations are in this industrial district. - Across the Polkville
interchange, eastward from this district, a small industrial cate-
gory has been suggested for the town and state garages.
•
•
- 95 -
NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN
The plan for residential development recognizes existing residential
concentrations as well as areas which may logically be expected to
develop for this purpose. Such residential clusters generally fall
into two categories - the older hamlets and the more recent subdivi-
sion developments. As normally occurs in rural areas, there has
been extensive frontage development along the roads in the town, and
indeed, the amount of such development and the amount of available
frontage has been a substantial factor in the growth of 'subdivisions'
in the town. It should be noted that one of the finest residential 'sub-
divisions' in the town occurs along a road - Cosmos Hill Road at the
northern boundary of Cortlandville.
In other words, the building of residential structures in Cortlandville
has tended to follow the line of least resistance and has spread in
ribbon-like fashion along the highways rather than develop in commu-
nity clusters or in subdivision groupings. This trend was possible
because the physical characteristics of the land over large sections
of the town permitted on-site wells and septic tanks, and the roads
were in existence, with literally miles of unused frontage. As a re-
sult, there are relatively few of either the older hamlets or the newer
subdivision type of residential concentrations presently in existence.
The Older Hamlets
Other than the Village of McGraw, which is the subject of a separate
report, and a portion of the Village of Homer which extends into the
town from the north, there are no other incorporated areas in Cort-
landville with the exception of the City of Cortland. Of the older, un-
incorporated
hamlets, only one - Blodgett Mills - exists today as a
residential grouping with recognizable neighborhood characteristics.
Others, such as South Cortland, Munsons Corners and Polkville have
become built up with highway-oriented commercial uses to the point
where their residential characteristics have become secondary in.importance.
These neighborhoods, or residential communities were all located in the predominantly agricultural sections of the town. Historically,
these hamlets were service centers to the surrounding agricultural
activity. McGraw supplemented this function with considerable indus-
trial activity located near the center of the village. With the increasing
mobility of the population and the trend toward larger individual farms,
- 96 -
the residential characteristics of these hamlets showed considerable
gain until overtaken, in all but Blodgett Mills, by commercial growth
and expansion.
For the most part, the older hamlets are characterized by small resi-
dential lots resulting in relatively high densities and clusters of closely
grouped homes about the crossroads. Some of them, such as Blodgett
Mills, not only are without public water supply and sewage treatment
facilities, but their location in the town is such that the provision of
these utilities cannot be expected to occur on an economical basis with-
in the foreseeable future.
In addition to commercial growth in the hamlets, many of them have
been enlarged with additional residential structures - some of which
have been constructed in new subdivision tracts.
The town plan proposes the continuation of such residential neighbor-
hoods as Blodgett Mills and recognizes the changing patterns of other
hamlets where circulation and increasing. traffic has brought pressures
to enlarge the areas devoted to commercial highway-oriented uses.
The New. Residential Concentrations
The post-war years have seen the development of some residential con-
centrations within the town. Almost without exception, these have
occurred on or near N. Y. S. Routes 281 and 13, to the northwest, west
and southwest of the City of Cortland. Many of them have consisted
solely of individual, short, residential streets constructed between two
major roads which are paralleling each other, or are in the process of
intersecting one another. This is most evident where N. Y. S. Route 13
intersects Starr Road with an acute angle at Munsons Corners. This is
an outstanding example of the changing character of an area in the town
from a small hamlet-like grouping of small homes on limited subdi-
vision tracts. Presently, not only is the area highly commercialized
but there are high-density apartment areas, trailer courts and additional
subdivision activity. The latter is occurring from this intersection
north to the railroad and from the city line south to Starr Road. Further
south at the juncture of N. Y. S . Routes 281 and 13 a cluster of subdi-
visions have begun to fill in the area west to the railroad.
West of Cortland, residential activity has increased where the Cortland-
Groton Road intersects Highland Road and Fairview Drive. There is a
new subdivision consisting of a single dead-end street (Fer-Cor Drive)
south of the airport in addition to the substantial activity at the cross-
roads.
- 97 -
North and northwest of the city, Cosmos Hill Road, Hillside Manor,
Bell Drive and Fisher Avenue are all outstanding examples of growing
residential concentrations and the plan contemplates a continuation
and growth of the area within which these occur.
Future Residential Neighborhoods
With the updating and revision of both the subdivision regulations and
the zoning ordinance of the town, the plan for the development of the
remaining open areas has the proper tools with which the town can guide
its growth. Proper administration will, within the framework of the
zoning ordinance permit minimum densities to occur, and with the
guidance of the subdivision regulations create a proper pattern of resi-
dential land use
Although good design cannot be legislated, poor design can be, to a large
extent, prevented. Adherence to not only the standards set forth in the
subdivision regulations but to the minimum improvements that are re-
quired for plat approval will go a long way toward the provision of good
residential neighborhoods throughout the town.
•
- 98 -
THE CIRCULATION PLAN
The Plan
The circulation plan of highways develops a system of major and
secondary roads which will provide an adequate framework for an
efficient traffic system now and in the future. The plan proposes a
continuing program of highway improvements that will provide easy
and continuous lines of travel for both present and anticipated traf-
fic. Many of these improvements can be effectuated within the frame-
work of the present highway system by making use of much of the ex-
isting road mileage, improving it where defects exist and constructing
new facilities as extensions of, or as connectors for, existing continu-
ous routes through and about the town. The plan is based on the de-
sire to expedite the present flow of traffic and to safely accommodate
any future increase of traffic volumes, consequently, some of these
improvements will be required immediately - others will be needed
at a future date when a sufficient demand has been established.
The development plan for highways will have to be carried out by the
town, the county, and the state. Most local roads will be the province
of the town, and this will include surfacing projects as well as the
design and construction of new roads. In some cases, the town may
be able to acquire a proposed right-of-way and even improvement of
the highway itself by means of the town's control over subdivision
development. It may also be possible for the town to negotiate a joint
project with either of the two other levels of government.
The remaining proposals include the major road facilities that will
provide direct access through and across the town to points located
beyond the town boundaries. These projects will have to be under-
taken completely by the county and the state.
Classification. of Roads According to Function
The plan proposes to establish a framework of roads according to the
type and volume of traffic that is expected to be carried by each road
and according to its ability to move the traffic around the community.
Express highways - move high volumes of traffic between commu-
nities at relatively high speeds.
Primary, or major roads and thoroughfares - move a high volume
of traffic through and around the town.
- 99 -
Secondary or collector streets and roads - distribute traffic
between the various sections of the town.
Local residential streets and rural roads - provide direct
access to property.
One of the basic reasons for the above classification system is to
suggest that certain thoroughfares in the town be designated to carry
a certain type and volume of traffic and that they be designed and con-
structed to desirable minimum standards for this specific purpose.
Express highways are, of course, in a class by themselves and as
limited access highways, they are designed for high volumes of inter-
community travel. Both major and secondary roads will be the pri-
mary movers of traffic within the town and will require additional pro-
tection by the effective use of traffic lights and stop signs to control
the conflicting traffic on the minor arteries and reduce the innumer-
able potential hazards. At the same time, local streets and roads
will be spared the heavy traffic load, and will need less maintenance,
and will function purely as a means of connecting individual land par-
cels with the highway network.
Express Highways
Interstate Route 81
The circulation plan for the town recognizes this major expressway,
and indeed, both the land use plan and the circulation plan has been
developed around its route through the community. As of the date of
this report, it has been completed and is being used south to the Polk-
ville Interchange, at N. Y. S . Route 41 . Construction is under way
from this point to the southern town line and beyond - to Binghamton.
It is scheduled f-or completion in early 1967.
Interstate Route 81 is a federally-aided, interstate highway which is
part of the federal system of high speed, limited access roads which
provides a network of uninterrupted concrete and asphalt over the con-
tinent. This road links Canada to the United States at the Thousand
Islands Bridge, flows south through central New York State and eastern
Pennsylvania, where it connects with the northeastern extension of the
Pennsylvania Turnpike. It flows through the Town of Cortlandville
paralleling, in general, the route of U. S. 11 . It enters the northern
town boundary east of the West Branch of the Tioughnioga River and
immediately begins interchanging with U. S. Route 11 and N. Y. S.
Route 281 . From here, it proceeds into the City of Cortland where it
interchanges with N. Y. S. Route 13. It then crosses the East Branch
- 100 -
of the river and re-enters the Town of Cortlandville, following the
side of Carr Hill to Polkville where there is an interchange with
N. Y. S. Route 41 and U. S. Route 11 where they join. From here,
the highway flows south with no further local access.
Major Highways
With but few exceptions, the major highways in the town are radial to
the central city. Like the spokes of a wheel, they radiate from Cort-
land to a location in the hinterlands.
U S. Route 11
•
This major facility has been designated a major highway under the
town plan. The latest available traffic count indicated that this route
carried a daily (24 hour) volume of 10, 821 vehicles through the town.
north of the City of Cortland, 11,528 vehicles leaving the City of Cort-
land to the east, gradually diminishing to 3, 356 vehicles as it left the
town in the lower, southeast corner. Records-indicate that this is
the heaviest used traffic artery in the town, since recent counts are
not available for the completed portion of Interstate Route 81. With
the completion of the remainder of this major limited access highway,
it can be assumed that a large percentage of through traffic will be
removed from U. S. Route 11 . Consequently, in the short distance
that it flows through the town north of the city, and.for its distance
from the city line south to the southern town boundary, no improve-
ments have been suggested by the plan.
N Y S. Route 281
This state route has been.designated a major route in the circulation
plan. It enters Cortlandville west of Homer Village, passes through
the northwest corner QC the City of Cortland and ends at its intersec-
tion with N. Y. S. Route 13. The most recent traffic count showed a
daily (24 hour) volume of 7,671 vehicles north of the City of Cort-
land; 8,467 at the western city line, and falling to 6,488 prior to its
intersection with N. Y. S. Route 13. No proposals for improvement
of this facility are suggested.
N. Y. S. Route 13
Also selected as a major highway, this route carries over twice as
much traffic from the city southwest to the southern town line (5,907,
- 10.1 -
4,782, 6,490 and 5,465 vehicles per day at various locations) as its
northern leg between the city and the northern town line. (3, 640
vehicles per day near the north city line and 2,370 vehicles per day
near the north town line). A strong recommendation is made for im-
provement of two intersections of this road. The first, and by far
the most important is the acute angle crossing of County Road 120 -
Starr Road. Channelization of traffic, better illumination, control
signals and warning lights-are some of the suggested improvements
which should be considered to alleviate this extremely dangerous
situation. The second recommendation is where County Road 112 -
Lighthouse Hill Road intersects. This should be brought into align-
ment with the intersection of Carr Hill west of Lorings Crossing.
N Y S. Route 222
State. Route 222 is one of the many radial routes originating in the
City of Cortland and running westward, intersecting with N. Y. S.
Route 281 shortly after leaving the city. At this point it has, ac-
cording to the most recent traffic count, a daily (24 hour) volume of
2, 827 vehicles. It continues on to the west leaving the town at the
center of its western boundary and then to Groton. No improvements
are planned for this route.
N Y S. Route 90
This state route is an extension of Owego Street, labelled a collector
street by. the City of Cortland, yet in the town carrying several times
more traffic (2, 291 vehicles per day) than Main Street Extension -
County Road 122, (452 vehicles per day). It ascends the rise in
topography toward the southern boundary of the town with an easy
grade and continues on to Virgil in a direct route. It is indicated as
a major road in the town circulation plan.
N Y S. Route 41
In conjunction with U. S. Route 11, N. Y. S. Route 41 enters the town
from the Village of Homer at the north and the two routes are identical
until Route 41 leaves Route 11 at Polkville and turns eastward. Here
it has a daily (24 hour) volume of 8, 750 vehicles. It enters the Vill-
age of McGraw, traversing its upper central portion and continuing on
to the towns eastern boundary, where the route runs east, down the
valley to Solon, then turns south. Shortly after leaving the town, the
latest traffic count indicates a reduction in the daily count to 1, 331
vehicles.
- 102 -
County Road 116 (McGraw North Road, McGraw -
Marathon Road)
This road serves north and south-bound traffic through the Village
of McGraw. It ties into local roads which run to East Homer, and
on the south it goes through Freetown Corners to Marathon. While
its daily vehicular load is presently negligible (132 vehicles per day)
to the north, the present count south of McGraw is 501 vehicles per
day.
County Road 120 (Starr Road) (portion)
The plan suggests that Starr Road, froni.N. Y. S. 281 east to County
Road 122 (Main Street Extension) be designated a major highway. It
should be noted that east from where Starr Road intersects N. Y. S.
Route 90, it is a township, not a county road. The only traffic counts
available on Starr Road indicate a daily (24 hour) volume of 1, 110
vehicles just east of the N. Y. S. Route 13 intersection and 2,513
vehicles just east of the N. Y. S. 281 intersection. The plan urgently
recommends early and serious consideration be given to alleviating
the dangerous conditions presently existing at the intersection of this
route with N. Y. S. Route 13 (See section on N. Y. S. Route 13).
Circumferential Route
The pattern of existing township roads lends itself admirably to the
development of an "outer loop" which, if properly developed, would
provide a method of diverting traffic from the heavily built-up and
congested areas in a circumferential pattern to the west and south of
the central city.
Recognizing that topography would make a circumferential route on
the east of Cortland extremely difficult and that Interstate Route 81
and U. S. Route 11 substantially alleviate the need for such a road,
the plan proposes a major road be developed beginning at U. S. Route
11 where County Road 121A starts westward towards Blodgett Mills.
• The route then proceeds directly westward on a township road -
Blodgett Mills West Road and Summers Road to County Road 122.
Here, the plan proposes the construction of a new road, linking the
route to Bennie Road. There are no major physical barriers to be
overcome in the construction of this facility. The route then continues
on Bennie Road, crossing N. Y. S. Route 13 on a new right-of-way and
swinging northward behind most of the industries facing the major high-
way and aligning itself with Fairview Drive and Highland Road, pro-
ceeding directly north. Before encountering Fairview Drive, it will
- 103 -
•
pass over the right-of-way of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, which
should be abandoned by the time of this improvement, and the road
will continue along the east bank of a small lake. A major improve-
ment will be necessary where the route intersects with Hoy Road,
Kinney Gulf Road and connects with Sweeney Road. From here, the
route proceeds northward to connect beyond the northern town boun-
. dary with N. Y. S. Route 90 or Wolfe Road, both of which return to
N. Y. S. Route 281 in Homer Village. The connector linking Blod-
gett Mills West Road and Bennie Road has many obvious advantages.
It would provide a direct southern link between N. Y. S. Route 13
and U. S. Route 11. The new route to the west of N. Y. S. Route 13
and N. Y. S . Route 281 rounding northward would open up a large
portion of the industrial area and would provide a circulation route
for traffic wishing to avoid the heavily built-up N. Y. S. Route 281 .
N Y S. Route 13 By-pass
Part of the City of Cortland circulation plan is a proposal to replace
the Lehigh Valley Railroad with a major highway facility. The town
plan carries through this proposal, but continues this proposed road
across Route 281 to the above described circumferential route and
into direct alignment with McLean Road leading west and south.
Main Street Extension
The plan proposes the continuation of Main Street south from the city
as a major highway to its intersection with Starr and Saunders Road.
Secondary Highways
County Road 111 (Kinney Gulf Road)
This secondary road parallels Dry Creek as it runs down the valley
from the northern town line to intersect with N. Y. S. Route 281 . It
carries a present volume of 356 vehicles per 24 hour day. An im-
provement at the intersection with Sweeney Road, part of the circum-
ferential route, is suggested.
County Road 120 (McLean Road)
This road moves westward from N. Y. S. Route 281 (at this point, the
latest traffic count indicates a daily (24 hour) volume of 1,483 vehicles
104 -
while further west it decreases to 888 vehicles), turning south in
alignment with Gracie Road Extension, then westward at the inter-
section of Lime Hollow Road to the town line.
County Road 120 A (E. Holl Road)
•
This road begins at the point mentioned above where County Road 120
turns south, continues west in alignment with County Road 120 to the
town line.
Lime Hollow Road
This township road runs between N. Y. S. Route 281 on the east
(where its daily (24 hour) volume count is 2, 507 vehicles) and the
intersection of County Road 120 and Gracie Road.
County Road 122 (Page-Green Road)
This southern extension of the city's main street is designated a secon-
dary road from Starr Road south to the town line. Its daily volume
count is 452 vehicles according to the most recent survey.
County Road 120 (Saunders Road)
Pendleton Street Extension
•
Saunders Road is an eastward extension of Starr Road. It joins Pendle-
ton Street extension and turns southward and up the hill to intersect .
with Blodgett Mills Road.
Kellogg Road
This secondary road leaves the City of Cortland and proceeds south-
east on the valley floor to Blodgett Mills, (here the most recent traf-
fic count shows a daily (24 hour) volume of 512 vehicles) continuing
through the hamlet and south to the town line. In Blodgett Mills it
intersects with Blodgett Mills Road which runs east and west, con-
necting across the Tioughnioga River with Route 11 .
Academy Street Extension and Polkville Road
Extending westward from McGraw, the plan proposes a new road in
alignment with Academy Street in the village. It will, in all prob-
- 105 -
ability, follow the right-of-way of the abandoned D. L. & W. Railroad
on the south of Trout Brook and join with County Road 117 (Polkville
Road) turning north to exit only N. Y. S Route 41 .
South Hill Road - Somerville Road
This secondary road leads south from the Village of McGraw into the
uplands of South Hill. Here it swings to the west and descending the
southern slopes, runs under the new Interstate Route 81 to connect
to U. S . Route 11 at the southeastern corner of the town.
Ames Road - Lorings Crossing Road - Lighthouse Hill
Road
As a connector across the northern part of the town, the plan suggests
the use of Ames Road. On the east, a new extension of Ames Road
from where it presently ends at Hicks Hill Road down the hill to McGraw
North Road should be constructed to tie this facility to the major north-
south artery. Running westward, Ames Road goes to Loring where it
becomes Lorings Crossing Road - County Road 112 - then intersects
with N. Y. S. Route 13. At this point, an improvement is suggested
to straighten out the intersection and align Lighthouse Hill Road with
Lorings Crossing Road. The route continues westward on Lighthouse
Hill Road (Homer Road), eventually running into the Village of Homer
and over the new Interstate Route 81 .
County Road 114 - East Homer - Truxton Road
This secondary road runs north from its beginning on U. S. Route 11
just east of the city and the bridge over the Tioughnioga River. It
passes over Interstate Route 81 and continues northward to Lorings
Crossing and beyond to the northern town boundary. The most recent
traffic count indicated a daily (24 hour) volume of 357 vehicles.
County Road 115 - Fisher Avenue - Blue Creek Road
This route begins at U. S. Route 11 as Fisher Avenue and runs west-
ward to N. Y. S. 281 . It carries a daily (24 hour) volume of 1, 679
vehicles. At this point the plan suggests an elimination of the dogleg
at the intersection to align Blue Creek Road with Fisher Avenue. The
route then proceeds on Blue Creek Road to Sweeney Road - the pro-
posed circumferential route around the city.
- 106 -
TABLE 34
TOWN OF CORTLANDVILLE
PROPOSED DESIGN STANDARDS FOR STREET AND HIGHWAY WIDTHS
Sidewalk and
Pavement Width Planting strip Right-of-way
Moving Parking Total Total Width width
Primary Roads
4 moving lanes
2 lane parking 44' • 16' 60' 20 - 40' 80 - 100'
2 moving lanes*
2 lane parking 22' 16' 38' 42 - 62' 80 - 100'
1 lane parking 22' 8' 30' 50 - 70' 80 - 100'
no parking 22' - • 22' 58 - 78' 80 - 100'
o Secondary Roads
2 moving lanes
2 lane parking 22' .16' 38' 22 - 37' 60 - 75'
1 lane parking 22' 8' 30' 30 - 45' 60 - 75'
no parking 22' - 22' 38 - 53' 60 - 75'
Residential Streets
2 moving lanes
2 lane parking • 20' 16' 36' 24' 60'
1 lane parking 20' 8' 28' 32' 60'
Rural Roads
2 moving lanes 24' - 24' 36' 60'
* It is assumed that these will be placed off-center, in anticipation of an additional two or more lanes to be
built at a later date.
1 .
TOWN FACILITIES
Planning for new community facilities and the extension of existing
ones is a necessary part of the planning process. There will be an
increasing demand for more public services and facilities as the
community continues to expand and develop and it is the town's re-
sponsibility to provide them as the need arises. In some cases this
will require the possible extension of only a sewer or water line or
the hiring of additional personnel. In others, there will be a need
for expanding office and storage space as well as sites for new facil-
ities. In order to maintain a high level of services and facilities,
the community must continue to look ahead and acquire those sites
that will be located where it is most needed. It is generally more
economical to acquire properties ahead of time, before the desired
site or the surrounding area becomes too intensively developed. The
proposals of the plan for the extension of existing facilities and the
construction of new community facilities are contained herein.
Water Supply
In 1962 the town engineers, prepared a report for the Town of Cort-
landville recommending certain extensions to Water District No. 1
and the inclusion of a large area westerly of the City of Cortland into
Water District No. 1 or other water districts, as may be n ecessary,
to form the nucleus of a long-range water works facility.
It was proposed in the 1962 report that water mains be extended south-
erly to serve South Cortland and that water lines be constructed north-
erly along Route 281 to Groton Avenue and Kinney Gulf Road, and to
also serve the areas westerly of Route 281 as far as and including
Fairview Road and Highland Road. A storage facility to adequately
serve this area was proposed for construction on the northerly side of
Hoy Road and the westerly side of Highland Road.
The existing pumping facilities for Water District No. 1 consists of
a 300 gallon per minute pump installed in 1965, and a 400 gallon per
minute pump installed in 1963 . If the area is extended to include
Route 281 from South Cortland to Kinney Gulf Road, and westerly to
•
1 Report on Extensions to Water District No. 1, Town of Cortlandville,
1962 - Stearns and Wheler, Engineers
• - 108 -
•
Highland Road, it will undoubtedly be necessary to provide additional
pumping facilities. A survey has previously been made of the areas
owned by Water District No. 1, Town of Cortlandville, and it is
feasible to increase the pump capacity in this area in order to serve
the proposed extension. Lands at the existing pump works will pro-
vide suitable water for an additional 500 gallons per minute pump in-
stallation. Additional well fields should be acquired as the need for
water approaches the present limits of 1.7 million gallons per day.
Present usage exceeds 1 million gallons per day, and the acquisition
of additional facilities should be scheduled to begin by 1970.
The area westerly of Route 281 in the northerly limits of the Town
of Cortlandville (Cosmos Hill) is rapidly expanding with residential
development, and it is expected that these homeowners may soon be
requesting a water works system that will provide adequate fire pro-
tection.
When this system is constructed it may desirable to obtain the water
supply from the City of Cortland if an abundant supply is available at a
reasonable cost. This area is much higher in elevation than the city or
other water works facilities in the area and will, therefore, require
additional pumping and storage facilities.
Sanitary Sewerage Facilities
A recent study has been made in Cortlandville and its adjacent popu-
lated areas for the purpose of developing a regional plan for waste
collection and disposal. 1 This plan included the City of Cortland and
Villages of Homer and McGraw, as well as portions of the Towns of
Homer and Cortlandville which presented contiguous areas economically
capable of development within the foreseeable future and compatible with
cooperative sewerage development. The area of Cortlandville covered
in this study included nearly the entire town, excepting only its north-
eastern and southwestern portions which can continue for the foresee-
able future to be served satisfactorily by private disposal systems. In
this report, alternate sewage works systems were presented to serve
the region.
Cortlandville, for reasons of its suburban nature with respect to the City
of Cortland and the Villages of Homer and McGraw, was divided by this
1 Comprehensive Sewerage Investigation of the Cortland, New York Region
December, 1964 (Preliminary) - Stearns and Wieler, Engineers
•
- 109 -
study into five separate drainage areas as shown on the accompanying
map along with the outline of the study area. In preparing future sewer-
age programs for the areas, it was realized that three of these areas
had no practical alternate to future inclusion in the Cortland Sewerage
system because of geographical separations from each other and from
available receiving waters for the treated wastes. Furthermore, it
was realized that it would be more economical for Drainage Area No. 4
to connect to the adjacent trunk sewer in Cortland than to construct and
operate separate facilities near the city limits. These three areas,
Drainage Areas 1, 2 and 4 would thus be connected to Cortland; appro-
priate trunk sewers were located as shown on the accompanying map
and cost estimates prepared.
In the Southwestern Drainage Area, it was proposed that existing Route
13 sewer be extended in the future to South Cortland with an 8 inch
sewer, and that a second major trunk sewer be constructed along the
Lehigh Valley Railroad to serve future development along both sides
of this right-of-way. In the Western Drainage area, it was proposed
that a future 8 inch trunk sewer be progressively undertaken from Groton
Avenue at the Cortland City line out to N. Y. S. Route 281 and eventu-
ally beyond the airport. The Northeastern Drainage Area, being smal-
ler, can be adequately served by local street laterals but would be con-
nected to the Cortland sewerage system at Locust Street and, by a short
10 inch trunk sewer, along the Lehigh Valley Railroad near Morning-
side Drive in Cortland.
The remaining two drainage areas in Cortlandville, because of their
proximity to Homer and McGraw, have the alternative choice of treat-
ment with their respective neighbors, separate from Cortland or com-
bining their -treatment with the City of Cortland. Cost estimates were
prepared for such an alternate development program but, upon analysis,
this alternate program proved to be more expensive.
It was concluded that central treatment of all wastes in the Cortland,
New York region, including those areas of Cortlandville studied, would
be the more economical program. In this program, the waste flows
from the Northwestern Drainage Area would be combined with the flows
from the Town and Village of Homer and ultimately pumped, jointly,
along the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad right-of-way from near Fisher
Avenue to Port Watson Street in Cortland. As the Village of Homer will
require sewerage service in the immediate future for some of its flows,
however, it was recommended that a temporary system be constructed
along U. S . Route 11 to discharge into the Cortland system along Homer
Avenue. This system would be abandoned at such time as the remainder
- 110 -
•
--e\-\i.
,,.__r•i/.:„nrk
t
NORTHW STER,Vd/f-l/ 4. / -•"��
\\• '' / `;ILr`'' NO'THEAS T/ /� • �.
I I I f i __r
i.
•
rliMA,
t.s.-----0--iA2 I1.-.Fga.2.4 6,4-d,1i,,i,,o.ii-,i-I-.I!,
F.lil':l,c\l,lilI-/tI/NI•I:)Ii'_kI
•_.-,---_-4%iL.Ir.1.1.41A.L 1'1I-1-
g._i1_._
1._111-111.ffi111111
:,Iii,.1.''1:)--i.-4i.Ii-i-i•tt,i-
,4,-:
.7,
I \ r7, i ■ �.` I
-r;.T.
i-"--g"'7a\"-*'—v./0-\
\ WESTE N fti
I '.'
--- EASTERN � 1 -� ••
SOUTHWESTERN I .
'' td Vrj/ t.
'�
„-,4t..„1,1•'1-1•/*-*1
A1t\:
_I\1_\.•••.\'.
/l
I
, r
•
,``.o h} .\ .moo
a .•e 0Immn ■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■•■ ■■■ -_ __ ,..
......
I 1 ...._1 - 32 3\\" .
EiTT \ ± I - I
rE !n r. ..rrn net.�r r rttrn.tt�.ttrtt a Ert tt ..tt.ttr ..�.r.r. rejrle '.ni.ii�E n(r nrE S Stearn.6 WF.Inr.Engle'''' \
ARTHUR REED PLANNING nr CONSULTANT •11 SYRACUrSIE,,N.Y. s.. in.n.riannn.,ce..lone E.Rinn \�\
SEWERAGE• STUDY DRAINAGE AREAS Denembv,196� 1 \\
TOWN OF CORTLANDVILLE - �
of Homer-(village) and the Northwestern Drainage Area require service,
and the ultimate pumping station force main system would. be constructed.
It was also concluded that the Eastern Drainage Area would be most
economically served by joint waste disposal with the Village of McGraw
and in the City of Cortland. For sewage collection in eastern Cortland-
ville, it was anticipated that trunk sewers would be laid along N. Y. S
Route 41 through the Village of McGraw, serving the eastern limits of
Cortlandville and the village, turning south to the former right-of-way
of the Lackawanna Railroad at the western village limit, and along this
line to U. S. Route 11 . Similarly, it was anticipated that a trunk sewer
would be laid north from Trout Brook along Route 11 to a sewage pump-
ing station which would lift the flow along Route 11 to the crown of the
hill overlooking the river flood plain; from this point gravity would carry
the wastes to, and under the Tioughnioga River to the site of the Cort-
land Sewage Treatment Plant.
Town Office Building
The plan suggests redesign and enlargement of the parking facilities at
the site of the town office building to accommodate peaks at meeting
hours. Consideration should be given to acquiring additional frontage
southwest along Tompkins Street to protect the existing site and provide
for long-range needs.
Town Dump
Additional acquisition of land is recommended at the town dump site for
long-range purposes.
Regional Facilities
State University College
Limited State University expansion is occurring outward from the city
into the Town of Cortlandville. The University has owned, since 1958,
the forty-acre Abdallah Tract immediately west of the city limits and
north of the Lehigh Valley Railroad and is prepared to purchase a
seventeen acre parcel owned by the Cortland Water Authority north of
the Abdallah Tract in 1967 and the 38. 8 acre Walker Tract (owned by
the Faculty-Student Association) west of the Abdallah Tract, after 1970.
No further land acquisition in the Town of Cortlandville is contemplated
- 112 -
at this time. Indeed, expansion to the north is restricted by the Cort-
land Water Authority which controls the watershed of Otter Creek, an
important source of water for the City of Cortland. The "Authority"
has stated that expansion of the University in this direction with the
resultant removal of vegetation cover would seriously disturb the water
supply. Expansion to the south is restricted by the Lehigh Valley Rail-
road and several residential developments north of Tompkins Street.
Expansion to the west is impractical due to the considerable distance
from the main campus.
The Abdallah Tract is now being developed for outdoor sports activities
such as tennis and baseball. While the land use of the Walker Tract
and the Water Authority parcel has not been finally decided, university
planners expect it also to be for sports facilities. Classrooms and
other vertical structures will not be constructed in the town. Access
to the University property, as presently determined, will be via the
Service Building entrance on Tompkins Street or directly from the old
campus.
The State University at Cortland will remain a small, four-year Liberal
Arts College. As such its student population will be limited. In 1964 -
65 there were 3, 142 students enrolled. By 1970 this will have increased
less than 700 persons to 3, 800 students with a possible outside limit of
4, 500 students by this date. Dormitories will be provided for the
majority of students. Approximately 10.5 percent or 400 students of
the projected 1970 student population will live at home or off-campus
and will travel to the campus each day.
- 113 -
•
COUNTY AIRPORT PLAN
The future of the County Airport is important to the Town of Cort-
landville for several reasons. If it remains in its present location,
it will have a continued and increasing effect on the surrounding
land use, especially if it is expanded as presently proposed. If it
is relocated, the two alternatives important to Cortlandville will be
whether it is located elsewhere in the county either in or outside of
the town.
The first of these possibilities appear to be in the thinking of the
Federal Aviation Agency and the New York State Bureau of Aviation.
The F. A. A. prepared a site investigation report in September, 1965
which indicated that the present site met their minimum criteria which
included the determination that the site is well located and is in close
proximity to the industrial hub of the community. It also indicated that
surrounding development around the facility is not heavy enough to be
harmful at the site of the airport. As a result, in December, 1965 the
airport obtained site approval from the F. A. A. to be eligible for the
federal aids to airports program. The county has now filed ,a request
for financial assistance for the proposed improvements.
If improvement does occur, and the airport remains in its present loca-
tion, consideration should be given to the provision of clear zones at
either end of the runway. These are suggested to be 1000 feet in length
and trapazoidal in shape, increasing in width from 250 feet at the end
of the runway to 450 feet at its extremity. Another protective measure
would be the adoption of structural height limitations as part of the local
zoning ordinance.
Recommendations
It is recommended that the County Airport be relocated to a suitable
site. Important considerations are that the site be of such size as re-
quired for a good facility with abundance of land for expansion and of
such location as necessary for relative accessibility to Interstate Route
81. The former in turn is readily accessible to industry, businesses,
the State University of New York at Cortland, and the flying public through-
out Cortland County and vicinity.
Until the proposed relocation is realized, the existing County Airport
should remain at its present site. Upgrading the facility at this time
- 114 -
would be a questionable investment of public funds in view of the fact
that the land requirements for an improved facility are more than the
present site and surrounding area can accommodate economically and
compatibly.
It is recommended that federal assistance should be requested at the
county level for the planning and development of an entirely new air-
port facility at a suitable, spacious location. The request for funds
to improve the present airfield at the existing site should be•withdrawn
and terminated.
The disposition of the county debt incurred from the recent acquisition
of the airport may be amoritized over a period of five to six years. It
is further recommended that interim arrangements be made for the
sale of the present airport property for residential development. This
would result in increase in revenue to the county from land sale and to
the town from taxation. It is estimated that the gross income from
land sale by the county may reach as high as $165, 000 if the airport prop-
erty were disposed of for an average of approximately $3, 000 per acre.
Airport Location
Throughout Cortland County, there are suitable sites for the future
county airport facility. The Cortlandville Planning Board recommends
that the county engage a qualified airport planning engineering firm to
undertake the airport location study. The results of such a study would
offer the County Board of Supervisors a more scientific basis for
decision making regarding the location and future development of the new
airport.
Considerations in locating or relocating an airport vary. However, if
items which apply only to the largest facilities are kept in mind when
choosing a location, the development by stages from smaller to larger
will be made easier' and more economical. Topography, subsoil con-
ditions and drainage, local weather conditions, land costs, development
costs, location and flight patterns, accessibility, and land use within
the immediate area are important considerations in making a general
location survey. A county airport with two 2, 500 foot runways might
require as much as 160 acres of land.
While this report feels that a county-wide study should be made of
potential sites and that the airport should be relocated at the best
possible site, three individual sites within the Town of Cortlandville
are recommended as potential locations for a new airport facility:
- 115 -
Gracie Road Site
Within the southwestern section of the town, there is an
abundance of land, which is practically level and readily
accessible to industry and population concentrations.
The area is generally bounded on the west and south by
the fish hatchery and a forested conservation reserve;
on the north by the future industrial park as shown on the
proposed land use map and on the east by State Route 281 .
The advantages of this location are its proximity to local
industries, the City of Cortland and outlying suburbs, the
compatibility of land use relationships presently and in
the future, and the accessibility to utilities and connecting
highways including Interstate Route 81 and State Routes
281 and 222. The latter provide for the most advantageous
connections to ground transportation facilities and to such
urban centers as Cortland, Ithaca, Homer and others in
surrounding counties. This location has the added advan-
tage that it would not be necessary for planes to fly
directly over the city when utilizing the airport. The run-
ways may be located in the same direction as the present
runways.
Hatfield Road Site
Located in the northwestern corner of the town, this site
lies within a partially wooded area south of Hatfield Road
and east of McCloy Road. It is slightly removed from uti-
lities and Interstate Route 81, but offers the advantage of
an almost unchallenged abundance of land at land costs
favorable to the county. The surrounding land use is pri-
marily rural or open space. Clearance of trees and minor
adjustment in topography can be made so at reasonable
cost and are offset by the advantages enumerated above. The
location is accessible from State Route 281 . Driving time is
approximately ten minutes from downtown Cortland. The run-
way may extend NW to SE for more than a mile with no topo-
graphic hinderances. To navigate to and from this location,
it may be necessary for planes to fly directly over the town's
built-up western residential suburbs.
- 116 -
Carr Hill Site
Immediately accessible to Interstate Route 81 via the Polk-
ville interchange, this elevated location with a moderate
amount of grading and levelling is able to prove for a one-
mile runway extending north to south. The area lies next
to and north of the Polkville interchange and State Route 41 .
The advantages of the location in addition to its proximity
to connecting highways and utilities is its elevation away
from river bottom and low lands avoiding fog and flooding.
The land use in the surrounding area when evaluated in
terms of possible obstructions and cost of acquiring suf-
ficient property for the present and to provide for the future,
is most favorable. Some minor disadvantages may include
problems of access and the runway positions in relation to .
the prevailing wind.
Conclusion •
In the airport location study proposed, it is desirable to consider
general location and specific locational factors. The airport's func-
tion and operation must be adapted or "tailored" to county needs.
An accurate appraisal of what type of airport facility is needed to
meet the requirements of Cortland County necessitates a general
survey of the service area and its surrounding trade area, the gather-
ing of necessary data and its interpretation, so that plans for the
work to be done may be made intelligently. This is so because the
establishment, development, and operation of a county airport is as
much a business as is any other commercial enterprise.
•
- 117 -
SCHOOL PLANS
The Town of Cortlandville is presently served by four school districts,
all of which extend out of the town and serve areas beyond the corpo-
rate limits of Cortlandville. Since school district boundaries are not
coterminous with town lines, it is most difficult, if not impossible, for
town agencies to-establish reliable guide lines for school facility
development.
The four school districts within the town are:
The McGraw Central School District with headquarters in the
Village of McGraw. This district serves the eastern portion of
the Town of Cortlandville. The western boundaries of this district
are formed by a line running south from the southeastern corner
of the City of Cortland to the southern town boundary, and from
the center of the city's eastern boundary irregularly east and
northward to the town line at a point just east of Streeter Road.
The Homer Central School District which has its central location
in the Village of Homer serves all of the Town of Cortlandville
beginning at the northeastern corner of the City of Cortland west-
ward across the town north of the city, wrapping around the city
west and south to an irregular line running east and west from near
the southwestern corner of the city.
The Dryden Central School District serves a small portion of the
Town of Cortlandville. This area abuts the Homer Central School
District on the north from Fairview Drive to the western town
boundary on a line midway between the Cortland-McLean Road and
the Cortland-Groton Road. The southern boundary of this dis-
trict extends irregularly south and westward from Fairview Drive
just north of the Cortland-McLean Road to the western town boun-
dary following an irregular path a short distance south of Lime
Hollow Road.
The Cortland School District serves the balance of the Town of
Cortlandville. This district was formerly limited to the City of
Cortland, but now includes the south and southwestern portions of
the town as well as the area of the former Virgil Central School
District, south of the town.
Except for the schools operated by the McGraw Central School District
- 118 -
in the Village of McGraw and in Blodgett Mills, none of the school
districts serving the town operate schools within the Town of Cort-
landville. The Homer District has a 1250 capacity school just north
of the town line which is now serving as a combined high school and
junior high school. Elementary students attend a 950 capacity school
in the center of the village. Under construction, with anticipated
occupancy by September, 1966 is a "middle" school located north of
Homer Village which will hold grades 4 through 6 initially. The Cort-
land School District operates a new high school just north of the town
boundary within the city between South Main and Pendleton Streets.
It also has an elementary school on a large site just within the city
off Tompkins Street, and several schools in the Town of Virgil, to the
south. There are no schools operated by this district in Cortlandville
nor any within the small portion of the Dryden School District in the
town.
Expansion is being contemplated by the McGraw School District which
is initiating the construction of a new elementary school in the village.
This district presently has a structurally sound facility in the Village
of McGraw and a small older frame building in Blodgett Mills which
has outlived its usefulness. In addition, it leases two structures in
McGraw which are basically designed for multi-family residential use .
This district, with a basic school capacity of about 650 pupils in its
only sound structure has a district enrollment of about 950 pupils. The
proposed new school will be designed to house approximately 500 ele-
mentary students at initial capacity, but will be so built to permit ex-
pansion if required by future enrollments. The construction of this
school will enable the district to discontinue the use of the leased
buildings and to discontinue the Blodgett Mills School.
The Homer School District does not foresee the need of additional facil-
ities for their district within the Town of Cortlandville. If additional
space is needed because of increased enrollments, the space would be
provided by the construction of additional classrooms to the "middle"
school, now being completed. This school is being constructed to an
initial capacity of about 850 students but with central services such as
cafeterias, gymnasiums and library designed to permit expansion to
1200 students.
•
The Superintendent of Schools in Cortland advises that he envisions no
likelihood of school facility construction by the Cortland School District
in the southern portion of the Town of Cortlandville within the district.
The expansion of existing schools within the district would be the first
alternative if additional space is required.
The Dryden School District does not contemplate, nor should it, any
construction within the town.
- 119 -
Consequently, it appears that the general concensus of opinion from
the school authorities precludes the construction of new school facil-
ities within the Town of Cortlandville with the exception of the new
elementary proposed for construction in the Village of McGraw with-
in the twenty-year planning period of this study.
However, if the population of Cortlandville increases to 11, 115 in
1985 as projected in this report, it is quite possible that the contem-
plated expansions of the existing schools in the various districts will
not be sufficient to meet the demand. Consequently, the plan suggests
that two future elementary school sites be taken into consideration -
one in the Homer District, west of the city and one in the Cortland
District, south of the city. Neither of these is given other than a
generalized location, indicating that no specific site is recommended.
Recognition should again be made of the reluctance of present school
authorities to assign a need for new facilities within these portions of
their districts, nor can complete justification be presented for pro-
viding them. It is felt, however, that the plan for land use in the town
will, as it develops, need open public areas, some of which will be, of
necessity, school sites. Whether this occurs within the period pro-
jected by this study is not as important as the preservation of such open
areas as ultimate development occurs . The plan suggests consideration
of suitable area reservations for this purpose.
TABLE 35
SITE AND CAPACITY STANDARDS
School Site Sizes
Type of School Minimum Desirable Minimum Preferred Range
(acres) (acres) (acres)
Elementary 5 5 + 1 per 100 pupils ultimate 10 - 25
Junior High 10 10 + 1 per 100 pupils ultimate 20 - 40
Senior High 20 20 + 1 per 100 pupils ultimate 30 - 80
School Capacities
Type of School Maximum Classroom Capacity Desirable School Capacities
Elementary 30 pupils 450 to 600 pupils
Junior High 25 pupils 1000 to 1200 pupils
Senior High 25 pupils 1200 to 1500 pupils
•
- 120 -
OPEN SPACES AND RECREATION
During the past twenty years there has been a striking increase of
public interest in recreation throughout the United States, and as.a
result, a corresponding interest in the development of recreational
uses to serve the diverse needs of a growing population. An overall
deficiency in recreation space in terms of present needs is recog-
nized as a nation-wide problem. This is expected to be intensified
by an expanding population that shows no signs of slowing its rate of
growth, a greater mobility of the population and an increase in the
amount of leisure time which it has available. It has also been recog-
nized that recreation plays an important part in the development of
the growing child as well as in the daily lives of adults, and that is
should become a more important part of the community life. The con-
tinued growth of cities and the expansion of urban development into
the rural and suburban areas has intensified the need for more space
for recreational facilities. Continued increases in population and
the diminishing supply of vacant land has sharpened the problem and
has brought about the realization that something must be done to ac-
quire this greatly needed land before prohibitive prices make it no
longer available.
•
Land development in Cortlandville is so sparce as to create the illu-
sion that there is no immediate need for the reservation of vacant land •
for recreation purposes. There appears to be an adequate supply of
vacant land to permit the acquisition of the needed area only when it
becomes necessary. The truth of the matter is, as has so often hap-
pened in other communities, good usable vacant land can be expected
to be depleted at an increasing rate until much of the land suited for
recreation has disappeared. It will then be too late or too expensive
to acquire the land for parks and playgrounds where it is needed most.
The objectives of the recreational plan for Cortlandville are oriented
toward the development of publicly owned recreation areas on a town
basis. Proposals for the town are concerned primarily with the pro-
vision of space and facilities by the town that are easily accessible to
the community's present and proposed populations.
A well-balanced community recreation plan requires well-defined areas
and facilities to be located in close proximity to the residential neigh-
borhoods that will use these facilities. The type of facility and the age
groups to be served are other important considerations. For example,
facilities that are to be used primarily be children should be located
- 121 -
, as close as possible to the center of the residential neighborhood
served. In most cases it is desirable that playground sites should
not be located along heavily travelled streets or near a railroad,
commercial or industrial area, or separated from the residential
areas by natural or man-made barriers that will provide hazardous
conditions for the children that use them. On the other hand, regional
recreational facilities have larger land requirements and are usually
found around the periphery of intensively developed areas. They re-
quire greater accessibility within a metropolitan area and are neces-
sarily oriented toward the regional highway network rather than to-
ward a specific residential neighborhood.
It is recommended that the following recreation standards established
by the National Recreation Association be considered as a guide by the
town in the determination of future playground, playfield and park sizes
and locations. Such standards are to be considered as desirable and
not obligatory minimums. In some cases the standards can be met; in
others, it is neither practical or possible.
STANDARDS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF
RECREATION SITES
Minimum Area
Per 1, 000 Minimum Service
Type of Facility Persons Si ze Radius
Neighborhood Park 1 acre 2 - 8 acres 1/4 mile
Playground 1-1 /4 acre 3 - 6 acres 1/2 mile
Playfield 1-1/4 15-20 acres 1 mile
Community Park (or 6 acres 50-100 acres Total
other special facility) Community
Another rule of thumb in the determination of the adequacy of a communi-
ty's recreation space is the desirable standard of 10 acres of recrea-
tional space for every 1, 000 persons as recommended by the National
Recreation Association. The application of this standard to the present
population of Cortlandville would require 66 acres. The estimated 1985
population alone should not be the sole criterion of the adequacy of a com-
munity's recreational space because it does not afford a measure of the
quality of service that is desirable. Shape, location, distribution and
type are equally important.
- 122 -
Provision of Play Space for Small Children •
Play space for small children of pre-school age is considered to be an
important recreational need in suburban as well as in urban areas.
This is especially true for apartment developments and small lot sub-
divisions where private yard space is frequently too small to permit
the active play of children on a group basis. In some cases, facilities
can be provided on existing parks and playgrounds; in others, an iso-
lated vacant parcel could easily be developed as a play lot. A small
area of 2, 500 to 5, 000 square feet is generally adequate for the provi-
sion of a sandbox, swings, slides and open space for general play. It
may be feasible to encourage the cooperation of neighborhood groups
and local service clubs for supervision and needed improvements and
maintenance. Play space can often be acquired in new subdivisions
through the cooperative effort of the developer and the Planning Board.
Because of their size and the many factors which determine their loca-
tion, the exact location of these areas are not shown on the plan.
Neighborhood Parks and Playground •
Neighborhood playgrounds are primarily for children 5 to 15 years of
age and to a limited extent for informal play by young adults. The ideal
location is near the center of the neighborhood, preferably adjoining an
elementary school site. Space is generally provided for athletics, court
games, roller skating, a shelter house, wading pool and game play. Al-
though playgrounds are provided on existing school sites, many residen-
tial neighborhoods are inadequately served because of the distribution of
the schools throughout the town. The recreation plan proposes that ex-
isting facilities be used more extensively whenever possible by increasing
the variety of facilities offered. At the same time, it is recommended
that playground facilities be provided at new school sites to serve the
residential neighborhood in which it is located. This offers the best op-
portunity for the construction of playgrounds that will approach the de-
sired standards.
Town Parks
There is recommended as part of the town development plan the acquisi-
tion and development of two large town parks. The largest is the land
shown on the town plan as adjacent to the north of Hoxies Gorge, with an
area of approximately 315 acres. This area encompasses a minor stream
flowing into Hoxies Gorge through a heavily wooded valley, and open up-
lands at the end of the Hoxie Gorge Road. The wooded section of the area
could be developed for picnicking and passive recreation, while the more
level, open areas at the hilltop would make ideal sites for more active
- 123 -
forms of recreation.• The site-lies just to the north of an area of 150
acres in Hoxies Gorge proper, recently acquired by the Faculty-Student
Association, State University College, Cortland. It is understood that
recreational use of some type is planned for this area, as well.
In addition, the plan suggests for future open space a hundred-acre
parcel of land lying north of the existing railroad right-of-way and west
of Route 281 on both sides of Otter Creek. Whether this should be a
natural extension of Cortland's water system, or an entirely separate
town recreational project should be considered. In any case, it is
ideally located to serve the western portion of the town, and can be
developed for many forms of recreational pursuits.
It is suggested that the town take advantage of the New York State pro-
gram of public assistance recently authorized by the voters to finance
state and local acquisitions of park land. Limited funds are still avail-
able for park land grants to communities outside of New York City for
the acquisition of new sites at least 50 acres in size or for additionss
of at lease 25 acres to existing parks. State aid to localities would
cover 75 percent of the cost of the land and the local community would
contribute the remaining 25 percent.. The implementation of this pro-
gram has already had far reaching effects throughout the state and pre-
sents a rare opportunity to acquire much needed recreation land for
both present and future populations.
Cortland National Fish Hatchery
This federally owned fish hatchery is located along Beaver Creek west
of Gracie Road. The plan suggests expansion of the site, filling in the
gaps along the Gracie Gulf.Road frontage, extending northward to the
railroad right-of-way, west and south to the town line. Further,
rather than remain hidden, this facility should recognize its potential
as a recreational resource as have so many other hatcheries and pro-
vide the parking, viewing pools and controlled feeding facilities which
are summertime attractions for thousands of daily and weekend visi- -
tors from metropolitan centers in other locations.
- 124 -
' .
. .
_ .
. .
. .
. •
. . .
PLAN
E F IF E C
_ __T _
U A T II 0 N , . .
; .
. .
st4.--.4.41-............. s., .
.1.,,,m-• •,..• .
, -,..41•Aid ..
--.........N \I.
. i
• ti -----14-‘,111$ •
•
. -
;'• :1 '‘il •
1;1 .1' ,,ILI, ''. •
\
, ". I i.c;.; ;• .
1 lir!,;..•:,•..; .. . s
:: .,,1;• ,,v, .
01! illiiiig Cil t7.--,----Ili!.•
' . . 11 tip ' ''ll :.---
.
1 I ,:, ii
•
Aler:t z z of 1' 1,1,1 1:1,1111\iii.1.1,41iiiiiiiri,1 \I kill I,1,.
.lie
1 ,j•••• .;::1
s.
.,
.1111101°.1.:__Alri 4
10$1 - 1 Ift II/ )111
- r il
ill i .I
. 1
. .
. . .
, .
PLAN EFFECTUATION
Putting the Plan into Effect
The comprehensive development plan contained in this report is
• presented as a series of goals and objectives to be used as a guide
for the growth of the Town of Cortlandville during the period from
1966 to 1986. The plan establishes a general framework within
which such growth can occur and serve the best interests of the
individuals, firms, institutions and public bodies that make up the
community.
The plan seeks to guide and coordinate the improvements, both
public and private, that will be constructed as the town grows, in a
manner that will bring the greatest return to both public and pri-
vate expenditures and make the town a better place in which to live,
work and play.
Putting the plan into effect is the task facing the town after it has
thoroughly reviewed and endorsed the proposals of the plan. Effec-
tuation is brought about through the many decisions and determina-
tions of the Town Board, the Planning Board, the Board of Appeals,
and other special districts and private interests, as well as those
made by county, state and federal agencies. The plan is to be used
as a guide in making those decisions that will improve the general
welfare of the community. The Planning Board plays an important
role in the effectuation of the plan through its advisory activities,
consultation and coordination with other public agencies, recom- _
mendations with respect to the zoning ordinance, review and ap-
proval of new subdivision plats, review of site plans for planned
commercial and industrial districts, and preparation of the annual
capital improvements program. The Town Board also plays an
important role in carrying out the content of the plan through its de-
cisions on the town budget and actions, regarding street improve-
ments, creation of special districts, acquisition and improvement
of public properties and revision and amendment of the zoning
ordinance.
Zoning
A proposed zoning ordinance for the town has been prepared as part
of the planning program in order to revise and bring the existing
ordinance up to date. The new ordinance will be more comprehensive
- 126 -
and protective than the existing ordinance and will endeavor to carry
out the spirit and intent of the community development plan by con-
trolling and guiding the future development of the town's land area.
At the same time existing development will be protected by the new
ordinance from the invasion of incompatible uses. The zoning map
will necessarily reflect a compromise between the goals of the land
use plan and the existing land use pattern. It is only through inter-
ligent awareness of the relationship between the rigid controls of the
zoning law and the dynamic projection of the land use plan that policy
determinations will be made that will result in a better community.
In the future, the new ordinance will continue to be subject to many
different pressures for the amendment and variation of its provisions
and the Zoning Board of Appeals will continue to be petitioned for vari-
ances and special exceptions as the town continues to grow. It is
recommended that each request for variance from the requirements of
the zoning ordinance of a substantial nature be referred to the Plan-
ning Board for review before a final decision is made. Such requests
must be considered against the proposals of the development plan and
the effect such a variance would have upon the character of the sur-
rounding area. •
Subdivision Controls
Another important element in guiding future growth is the regulation
of the town's undeveloped land area. The Planning Board has been
given the power by the state enabling legislation to regulate the sub-
division of land within the town's boundaries in order to assure a good
standard of layout and street improvement and to protect the commu-
nity from unnecessary expenses for future maintenance and service.
The administration of these regulations consists of Planning Board re-
view of each subdivision plat in order to assure conformance-with the
general development plan and with approved standards for the design
of streets and lots and the installation of improvements.
The consultant has prepared amendments to the existing land sub-
division regulations in order to provide the town with more effective
•
control and protection over the development of its vacant land. Among
the requirements prerequisite for the approval of plats are that streets
and highways shall be of sufficient width, suitably located and graded,
coordinated with the existing street system and properly related to
proposals shown on the general plan. Another important requirement
is that the land shall be suitable for building sites and of such a
character that it can be safely used without danger to health or peril
from fire, flood or other menace. The Planning Board may require
- 127 -
that the developer shall suitably grade and pave all streets and in-
stall other improvements shown on such plats, in accordance with
the standards, specifications and procedures acceptable to the town.
•
As an alternative procedure to the installation of improvements the
developer may be required to furnish the town with a performance
bond sufficient to cover the full cost of these improvements. Under
certain conditions and subject to appropriate safeguards the Plan-
ning Board may waive the installation of any such improvements.
Through the effective regulation of land subdivisions adequate rights-
of-way for new highways can be reserved, and those portions of
major or secondary roads which occur within a proposed subdivision
can be required as a necessary improvement to be furnished by the
developer as a prerequisite for plat approval.
Official Map
The official map is another means of effectuating some of the pro-
posals of the Town Plan. The planning law provides for an "official
map" to be adopted by the local legislative body that shows existing
and proposed streets, highways, parks and drainage systems. The
official map is final and conclusive and makes official what is already
in existence or has been adopted as imminent construction and de-
velopment items. The purpose of the "official map" is to protect the
rights-of-way of proposed streets which the town intends to construct
in the future and to prohibit the erection of structures within rights-
of-way of the proposed streets. The map also shows prospective land
developers where proposed new streets, parks and drainage areas are
located in order to encourage the coordination of new and adjoining
subdivision layouts.
Capital Improvement Program
A long-range capital improvement program is an invaluable tool for
the effectuation of those elements of the development plan requiring
public capital investment. A long-range capital improvement program
is a schedule of projects needed in the foreseeable future, say a six-
year period, arranged in the order of their need and the village's abil-
ity and willingness to finance them. Capital improvement programs
must never be regarded as fixed and final but should be subject to con-
tinuous study and review. In contrast with the annual budget which
authorizes expenditures to the limits of individual department or activ-
ity appropriations, sets the property tax rate and estimates other
revenues available for financing authorized expenditures, the capital
- 128 -
improvement program does not authorize the raising of revenues.
It must be regarded as the best thinking available, at any point of
time, as to what capital projects will be necessary in the future,
their order of relative importance and the means of potential fi-
nancing.
Although the capital improvement program does not have the same
"official" standing as the annual budget, its status as a useful pub-
lic document should not be underestimated. To all public officials,
it is a constant reminder of potential obligations to be provided for
in the near future. Too much emphasis cannot be placed on the use
of the capital improvement program as a means of securing the pub-
lic debate and understanding that are necessary prior to the success-
ful initiation of any project.
Relation of Capital Improvement Program to the Annual Budget
As the capital improvement program is reviewed annually, new
projects for the seventh year in the future are added and projects for
the immediately following year are moved into construction. Moving
projects into execution involves provision in the annual budget for the
necessary funds and/or authorizing debt issuances.
While the foregoing relationship of the capital improvement program
to the annual budget is fairly obvious, there are other relationships
which should not be overlooked. Since practically all capital projects
will entail annual operating and maintenance costs after construction,
these costs should be considered along with purely original capital
costs. New or expanded facilities are almost certain to add to the
annual budget over and above the annual requirements for debt service
if debt financing is utilized. Replacement facilities on the other hand,
may have annual operating costs less than those of the abandoned
facility.
Scope of the Program
Capital improvements necessary to effectuate the General Plan will
result from decisions by a variety of public agencies. Many of these
agencies are in no way responsible to the Town Board and their sphere
of operation may include all or parts of other communities.
Ideally, a capital improvement program should include all projects for
which town taxpayers will be called upon to provide financial support.
- 129 -
In establishing a program for Cortlandville this is not possible.
Consequently, it is recommended that the capital improvement
program be presented in the following classifications:
Those projects which are town-wide responsibility.
Example: Town buildings, certain highway adjust-
ments and extensions, town-wide recreational
facilities.
Those projects which are the responsibility of
special purpose districts located wholly within the
town. Examples: Sewer districts, water districts,
lighting districts, hydrant'districts, etc.
Those projects which are the responsibility of
special purpose districts located only in part with-
in the town. Examples: School districts, sanitary
sewage treatment districts.
Those projects which are the responsibility of
superior levels of government; i.e. , Cortland County,
State of New- York, and conceivably the federal govern-
ment. Examples: Certain highway extensions and
adjustments.
Only the first of the foregoing classes can be so controlled by town
officials as to be included in the capital improvement program to
be formally adopted by the Town Planning Board. Projects in the
third and fourth classes should be included in memorandum form'
to the extent that the responsible agencies can be persuaded to
cooperate by furnishing necessary information to the Planning Board.
The Problem of Priorities
Determination of the order in which projects, competing for limited
public funds, should be undertaken is essentially a matter of public
policy. This determination cannot be reduced to an objective for-
mula. For some projects, the desirable sequence can be determined
with little debate. Illustrative of this situation is the time-worn ad-
monition that it is not wise to put permanent paving on a street this
year if you know that it must be torn up for the installation of under-
ground utilities next year. Most priority determinations will not be
so simple, however. Should a project for recreational facilities
take precedence over the construction of a town highway? Priority
•
•
- 130 -
•
in such a situation will be determined by the effectiveness of pub-
lic discussion and may be reflected in the results of public referenda
to authorize financing. Recognition that priortiy determination rests
finally with the electorate lends support to the recommendation that
the capital improvement program be subjected to extensive public
discussion well in advance of the time that a project reaches final
specifications and financing is authorized.
Annual Procedures
So that provision can be made in the annual budget for any projects
to be undertaken in the next ensuing year, it will be necessary to have
review and revision of the capital improvement program completed by
about October 1 of each year. To meet this deadline the following ap-
proximate schedule would be required:
Beginning about June of each year, the Planning Board, Supervisor
and Town Board should work closely in the review and revision of the
program prepared the previous year. This annual review would in-
clude the following:
a. Scheduling any projects for the seventh year
in the future.
b . Reviewing projects previously scheduled to
d determine if they still have the same order of
importance and refining cost estimates on the
basis of current status of plans.
c. Devoting especially close attention to projects
scheduled for the next ensuing year to determine
that plans are in such final condition to permit
accurate cost estimates for inclusion in the
operating budget and/or drawing necessary debt
financing authorizations.
Simultaneously with the above, information on the capital improvement
plans affecting the school districts, the county, and other governmen-
tal agencies should be obtained. The majority of these agencies, while
removed from direct town control, .may have a significant bearing on
the total local tax burden. - Furthermore, many projects of these agen-
cies need to be coordinated as to time of execution with town projects.
When the tentative program has been completed, it should be given wide-
spread publicity, including informal public hearings, to secure as much
public discussion and understanding as possible.
- 131 -
An important part of the annual review and extension of the capital
improvement program is the investigation of the possibility of state
and/or federal aid being available for certain projects. Both the
formulae for cost-sharing and the standards for eligibility of given
projects change frequently as a result of legislative enactments at the
state and/or federal levels and as a result of changes in administrative
regulations. This fluidity of conditions affecting the availability of aid
makes it highly important that the situation be reviewed continuously.
This investigation becomes critically important at the time cost esti-
mates are refined and detailed project planning begins. At this point,
available aids may be considerably more or less attractive from the
community's standpoint, or new programs may be enacted which were
not available at the time of initial scheduling of a specific project.
In the recommended first six-year program following, there are no
known aids available. Not scheduled is the recommended acquisition
of recreational land in the Hoxies Gorge area. This is a prime example
of the type of project for which aid availability should be checked at the
time imminent scheduling occurs. It would appear that this project, as
of now, might qualify for up to 75 percent of the acquisition cost under
state park land legislation. However, in view of recent federal empha-
sis on beautification and open space preservation programs, more
attractive aids may be available at the time the town feels financially
able to undertake this project.
•
- 132 -
•
RECOMMENDED PROGRAM
1966 to 1971
Capital improvements to be financed by town-wide appropriations are
apt to be limited largely to new highway construction and acquisition
of recreation space. Such "urban" services as sewage disposal and
water supply are financed, in this state, by the formation of special
purpose districts within which the capital and/or operating costs are
assessed to the benefited properties. Costs may be apportioned on
the basis of frontage, assessed valuation, flat-rate per parcel, or by
combinations.
Capital improvements for special district areas are apt to be initiated
by petition of the land owners affected. Consequently, timing results
largely from private decision. The town as a whole is not financially
involved except in the extension of its credit and the assumption of the
contingent liability for the payment of district debt.
Improvement and maintenance of town highways are assumed to be cur-
rent budget costs, even though certain improvements might meet legal
definitions of "capital expenditures" .
The projects recommended for inclusion in the 1967-71 capital improve-
ment program are:
1 . Construct a new road connecting Summers and Bennie
Roads. This road would be about 4200 feet in length.
The preliminary estimate of cost for right-of-way and
construction is $60, 000. Construction is recommended
in 1966 with the cost to be evenly divided, by use of
capital notes, to 1966 and 1967 .
2. Construct a new road from the western village line of
McGraw (West Academy Street extension) westward to
Polkville Road. This road would be about 4400 feet in
length. The preliminary estimate of total cost is
$62, 000. Construction should be coordinated with the
extension of West Academy Street by the village and is
recommended for 1968. The cost, again using capital
notes, is recommended to be divided between 1968 and
1969 .
- 133 -
3. Construct a new road extending Bennie Road a short
distance to the west and then generally northward to
Fairview Drive. The preliminary cost estimate is
$90, 000. Construction is recommended for 1970.
The cost could be spread over three years utilizing
approximately $30, 000 from 1970 current revenues
and a two-year capital note payable in 1971 and 1972 .
The foregoing highway program, as recommended, would result in an-
nual costs averaging slightly in excess of $30, 000. The annual cost is
roughly equivalent to a tax rate of $1 . 15 per thousand dollars assessed
valuation on the 1965 Assessment Roll basis. Continued growth in tax-
able assessments would result in lowering this rate equivalent. Further-
more, if these roads, or any of them, can qualify for inclusion in an
amended ten-year highway improvement program, the resulting state
aid would further reduce the rate.
4. The recommended extension of Ames Road from the
Hicks Hill Road to the McGraw-North Road is desirable,
but its priority is less critical than the above improve-
ments. Scheduling this improvement should be deferred
beyond the first six-year program.
The General Plan also recommends that a new county road of approxi-
mately 6000 feet be constructed southwesterly from the City of Cortland
to the vicinity of the Cortland-McLean Road utilizing the present right-
of-way of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. Construction must, or course,
await discontinuance of the right-of-way for railroad purposes at an un-
known date in the future.
5 . For town recreation purposes, the plan recommends
the acquisition of approximately 315 acres of land north
of Hoxies Gorge in the southeastern part of the town. It
is recommended that acquisition be made as soon as
negotiations permit to preserve this area of natural beauty
for town residents. The recommenced acreage is approxi-
mately 315 and the estimated acquisition costs are $150, 000.
Town officials should investigate the possibility of acquiring
this area with state and/or federal aids. Until the extent
of such aids are known, it is impossible to estimate net
town cost, or to recommend a method of financing the local
share.
- 134 -
6. In addition, the plan recommends consideration of
acquisition and development of an area of approxi-
mately 100 acres west of Route 281 along Otter Creek.
This project should be considered for scheduling
somewhat subsequent to the first six-year program
and when determination has been made as to ultimate
disposition of the Cortland water supply area. Cost
estimates will necessarily have to be deferred until
appraisals can be made reflecting land values close to
the time of land acquisition.
An "Official" Capital Program
The procedures for the preparation of a long-range capital improve-
ment program discussed above may be utilized informally by any
municipality. The procedure may be formalized by an ordinance of
the town board electing to proceed under the provisions of Section
99-G of the New York State General Municipal Law.
If the town elects to proceed under Section 99-G of the General Munic-
ipal Law, the following become mandatory rather than recommended
steps:
1 . The program shall be for a six-year period.
2. The program must be submitted to the Town Board
together with the proposed operating budget and must
contain, for each project:
a. Priority •
b. Description and estimated total cost
c. Proposed method of financing (budgetary
appropriations, reserve funds, aid from
other governments, or debt issuance. If
debt is proposed, the type of obligation is
to be specified with estimated period of
usefulness of the facility) .
d. Estimated effect, if any, on operating
costs for each of the three fiscal years
following completion.
- 135 -
3. The operating budget must contain provision for any
part to be financed by direct appropriation in the
year to which the budget pertains. -
4. The Town Board will officially adopt the capital pro-
gram after review and revision. Public hearing re-
quirement for adoption of the operating budget applies •
to the capital program.
5 . After adoption, the capital program may be amended
only by two-thirds vote of the membership of the en-
tire Town Board. No capital project may be author-
ized or undertaken unless it is included in the capital
program as adopted or amended.
6. The term "capital project" is defined to include:
a. Any physical betterment or improvement, in-
cluding furnishings, machinery, apparatus or
equipment for such physical betterment or im-
provement when first constructed or acquired.
b. Any preliminary studies or surveys relating to any
physical betterment or improvement.
c. Land or rights in land.
d. Any combination of a.,b. , and c.
The primary advantage of proceeding under the provisions of Section
99-G of the General Municipal Law are:
1 . The immediate and long-range effects of a project on the
operating budget must be considered before a project is
undertaken, and
2. Omissions or "emergencies" must be of such magnitude
as to command the support of two-thirds of the entire
Town Board in order to b.e added to the program after the
adoption of the operating budget for the current year.
•
- 136 -
- C HART I
TYPICAL GROSS - SECTIONS
TOWN OF CORT LAN DVILLE
RURAL STREET OR ROAD
ie. 4. :Iv + 6'
k.� .tirAlrwi.1Al
LOCAL RESIDENTIAL : STREET
6 ' ,
S IQ' sit so' 5.
I 414,44111NT. , rob.
COLLECTOR STREET OR ROAD
C 5• ,k jZ• as' .�. 1z _ 5'_fir •
=�4r I�iieyy;,N r,.... •
71s.
- _ 5'.4. 2e. r .0. +
104.„6641.40404
PRIMARY OR MAJOR THOROUGHFARE
IC1o'
'i' `[ ,0 4. 5•eis
5
�...... •
a.
!fir!«4 .•4' ..
LELAN 1Vi.BROOKINS, TOWN CLERK
15 Terrace Road
Cortland, New York 13045
CHART I
TYPICAL CROSS - SECTiONS
TOWN OF CORTLANDVIL_LE
RURAL STREET OR ROAD •
4. :I:-
$44444444tiraw4""
cd�s.ca cc, a) v�,re•etw _1
LOCAL RESIDENTIAL STREET
lo• 64: . {o, 1.. 5.
COLLECTOR STREET OR ROAD
!' 5• sz•� 'I' 441.: + 1z* 6T f
7s'
- zee • r s.+ 5.1
==34411, --141",1064101410.r tom°
PRIMARY OR MAJOR THOROUGHFARE
Jot
1:1=a4-8. 4. 3°' ta 4,�• 10 1 5.445.1.1
1.
TOWN OF CORTLANDVILLE
FINANCES
Achievement of the goals of adequate public physical facilities and
services is largely dependent upon the community's ability to tax, in one
form or another, to pay the cost of such facilities and services. Decisions
regarding such public services are not always within the province of town
authorities. School district, the county, and the state will often make deci •
-
sions -affecting the public services available to town residents. As another
example, residents and property owners of relatively small segments of the
y
town may make the essential decisions regarding such a service as water
supply by forming a district for this purpose.
To the extent that decisions rest with local officials, the pressures of
all other levels of government upon the taxpayers must be kept in mind.
The taxpayer's "ability" to pay increased or alternative taxes cannot be
found by objective formulae. To a very great extent, the job of responsible
public officials is to find the balance point between citizen reluctance to
pay taxes and the citizen pressures for public facilities and services. -
This report summarizes the recent experience of the town as to expen-
ditures, revenues, and the property tax base and rates for general town pur-
{-, poses and for special purpose districts within the town.
r
TOWN EXPENDITURES.
Town expenditures for the years 1959 - 1964 are summarized in Table I.
Total expenditures show no clear trend. Even if we eliminate the non-
recurring capital outlays of the years 1961 - 1963, the low point was the
year 1961 and the high point was in 1963. Expenditures, excluding these
capital outlays, of 1963 were about 20 per cent over 1959 and about 38 per
cent over 1961 .
Highways
It is apparent from Table I that highways are the most significant of the
town's expenditures. In terms of total expenditures (excluding the capital
outlays mentioned above), highway expenditures ranged between 62 per cent
and 69 per cent. In each of the six years studied, the town was involved
in highway construction projects under the state-aided 10 Year Improvement
Program. The "project" nature of such expenditures would lead one to expect
the wide annual variations which have prevailed. The range has been from
$5, 100 in 1961 to $17, 400 in 1959.
Highway expenditures classified as current operation and maintenance,
showed wide variation. The high of $92, 700 in 1963 was about 53 per cent
greater than the low of $60, 700 in 1961 . These expenditures are extremely
hard to control within the limits of planned budgets. For example, annual
snow fall variations can, alone, upset the best of budgets. Similarly, frost
damage may vary widely from year to year. However, an even more significant
2
TABLE I
TOWN OF CORTLANDVILLE
EXPENDITURES FOR THE YEARS 1959 - 1964
(rounded to nearest $ 100 ).
1959 1960 1961 1962 1963. 1964.
Highways
Current Operation and Maintenance $ 69, 000 $ 87, 100 $ 60, 700 $ 90, 200 $ 92, 700 $ 87, 100
Construction (10 Year Improvement
Program) 17, 400 11, 300 5, 100 15, 000 10, 000 8,000
Debt Service 5, 000
Total Highways $ 86, 400 $ 98, 400 $ 70,800 $105, 200 $102 , 700 $95, 100
Other
Current Operating and Maintenance
Executive, Legislative,
Judicial Offices $ 7, 000 $ 8, 000 $ 8, 500 $ 8, 100 $ 8, 600 $ 9, 100
Staff Offices 15,200 9, 700 9, 900 15,400 17, 100 17, 700 .
Elections 1,200 1, 400 1, 400 1, 400 1, 300 1, 300 0,
Safety 1, 700 2, 400 2, 300 2, 100 2,900 3, 300
Sanitation 900 1,200 1, 400 1, 500 1, 900 2, 300
Ambulance 3, 500 3, 800 3,900 3,500 3, 600 3, 700
Library 300 500 500
Overhead and Miscellaneous
Insurance 6, 600 8, 800 6, 600 6, 300 8,900 4, 400
Employee Benefits 4, 300 4, 300 4, 800 4,900 7, 000 7, 000
All Other 5 ,200 5, 600 4, 800 6, 700 3,500 5 ,200
Total Current Operating & Maintenance$ 45, 600 $ 45, 200 $ 43, 600 $ 50, 200 $ 55, 300 $ 54, 500
Capital Outlay
Town Hall 44, 200 15, 200
Land Purchase 8, 800
Total Other Than Highway $ 45, 600 $ 45,200 $ 87,800 $ 65, 400 $ 64, 100 $ 54,500
TOTAL EXPENDITURES $132, 000 $143, 600 $158, 600 $170, 600 $166, 800 $149, 600.
Source: Summarized from Town Supervisor's Annual Reports
fir i 4 Ca
factor contributing to the 1961 low was the relatively small expenditure for
egi.z ment purchase and repair. In 1961, the town spent approximately $14, 000
for this item. For the other five years, the range was between $35, 800 and
$43, 500. It is well to plan equipment purchases to achieve equal annual
outlays as nearly as possible. However, the high unit cost relative to the
total highway budget of a single piece of highway equipment may make desired
uniformity impossible.
Highway debt service has been limited to the repayment of $5, 000 in 1961
borrowed in 19 60. The extremely short term of this borrowing is reflected
in the actual interest cost of only $14. 58 shown in the Supervisor's annual
report.
Other Than Highways
Town current expenditures, for purposes other than highways, have aver-
aged about 35 per cent of total expenditures. A generally upward trend is
evident. For the years 1959 - 1961, the average expenditure was $44, 800
with a range of only $43, 600 in 1961 to $45, 600 in 1959. For the years 1962 -
1964, the average was $53, 300 with a range from $50, 200 in 1962 to $55, 303
in 1963.
Included in this group of "other" expenditures is a large number of offices
and services. Expenditures for the offices of Supervisor, Council, and Justices
show a rather general increase from $7, 000 in 1959 to $9, 100 in 1964, or an
increase of 30 per cent. ;�
4
•
•
The expenditures for the staff offices of Clerk, Assessor, Engineer, and
Attorney varies from $9, 700.in 1960 to $17, 700 in 1964. The 1959 expenditure
of $15,200 included expenditures of $5, 841 for engineering services; this
expenditure was much higher than in any other year. Excluding engineering
services from this -group leaves a range from $9, 400 in 1959 to $15,900 in
1964, or an increase of 69 per cent. In 1964, the offices discussed above
accounted for about 18 per cent'of total town expenditures.
Expenditures for .elections varied between the low of $1,200 and high of
$1, 400. The 19'64 expenditure was aleSs. than 1 per cent of the town total.
Outlays for the function's'of'safety and,sanitation have reflected the
increasing,suburbanizatior of the town.. Safety expenditures (traffic control
and dog•control) increased steadily t roughout the six years studied. The
1964 expenditure represents an increase of 94 per cent over 1949. This ser-
vice accounted for about 2 per cent of the 1964 total, but about 1 per cent
•
in 1959. Sanitation expenditures (refuse disposal) showed an even greater
increase. The ,1964 total was about 155 per cent greater than in 1959. Rela-
tive to total expenditures, this function accounted for about 1-1/2 per cent
of,the 1964 total. .
Expenditures for ambulance service have varied between a low of $3, 500
in 1959 and 1962 and a high of $3,900. in 1961.
A town contribution for library service, first reported in 1962, has taken
considerably less than 1/2 of 1 per cent.cflthe:budget.
5
Insurance premium expendituresshowed peaks in 1960 and 1963 and a
drop in 1964. Variations in the tine covered by policies written may be a
more significant factor than real variations in annual cost, however.
In 1963 and 1964 expenditures for employee benefits (retirement, social
security, and group health insurance) were about 63 per cent over the 1959
and 1960 outlay. Group health insurance, first identified in 1963, have
accounted for about $1, 500 of the expenditures of 1963 and 1964. In 1964
this item accounted for about 4. 7 per cent of total town expenditures.
The "all other" class of expenditures includes a variety of purposes.
Individually these items are quite insignificant;. in total, the 1964 outlay
was about 3.5 per cent of the town's budget._ Operation and maintenance
of the town hall has been the most significant item-in this class which also
includes such expenditures as zoning, planning, vital statistics, cemetery
maintenance, patriotic observances,, etc.
Capital Outlays
Other than highway construction, major capital outlays were limited to
the construction of a new town hall in 1961 and 1962 and an item of $8, 800
identified as "purchase of land" in 1963. Outlay for the town hall, including
land but not including the above item, totalled just under $60, 000.
FINANCING TOWN EXPENDITURES
Revenues of the Town of Cortlandville for the years 1959 - 1964 are sum-
marized in Table II.
6
It is important to note that of the seven sources listed in Table II, only
the first (and to a limited extent, the last) is subject to direct control by
town officials. State aid for the 10 Year Improvement Program essentially
represents partial reimburstment for prior expenditures; this is the only source,
of which the yield, is directly related to prior budgets.
It is a commonplace that real estate taxes are the backbone of local
government finance. This has certainly been true for Cortlandville. Excluding
the highway improvement program reimbursement from the totals of Table II
reveals that local real estate tax levies produced from 72 per cent to 73.5
per cent of regular revenues from 1959 through 1962; the 1963 and 1964 per-
- centages were 66. 7 and 68. 1 per cent, respectively. The high levy was for
1962 which was nearly 24 per cent over 1959; the 1964 levy was down to
11 . 4 per cent in excess of 1959.
State aids are of three types. The highway improvement program reim-
bursement has been discussed above. Per capita aid is a highly inflexible
source since it is governed by the latest census and state legislative for-
mula as to grant base. While it is possible for the base of the grant to be
changed annually such change is highly unlikely. The population count nor-
mally changes only each ten years. This source produced from 11.2 per cent
in 1960 to 13. 8 per cent in 1963 of regular recurring revenues of the town.
The highway grant, based upon town road mileage, has been even more in-
flexible. The almost static amount has been reflected as a slight downward
•
TABLE II
TOWN OF CORTLANDVILLE
REVENUES FOR THE YEARS 1959- 1964
(rounded to nearest $ 100 )
1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964
Real Estate Taxes $ 91 , 100 $ 93, 500 $106, 900 $112, 400 $ 97,200 $101, 500
State Aids
Per Capita 14, 400 14, 400 18, 700 20, 100 20, 100- 20, 100
Highway - Mileage 4, 700 4, 700 4, 700 4, 700 4, 700 4, 800
Improvement
Program 10, 100 20, 300 2 , 800 7, 900 5, 200
co
Niortgage,Tax . 5, 600 7, 300 6, 600 8, 400 10, 800 9, 900
Dog Licenses 1, 500 1, 500 1, 500 1, 500 1, 600 1, 600
Fines, Fees, Interest,
Miscellaneous 6, 800 7, 200 7, 200 9, 700 11, 400 11 , 200
Total Revenues $134,200 $148, 900 $148, 400 $164, 700 $151 , 000 $149, 100
Source: Summarized from Town Supervisor's Annual Reports
n 1'
■ Aia.
1
proportion of total revenues. This source has produced from 3. 7 per cent
to 3.2 per cent of total recurrent revenues.
The mortgage tax is returned to the town by the county which acts as
collector. Yield reflects real estate exchange activity in the community.
The yield is highly variable as Table II indicates; however, there is no neces-
sary correlation between the variations and town revenue needs. This sourse
has produced from 4.5 per cent to 7. 4 per cent of total revenues.
Proceeds from the dog license fund (license fees minus cost of damage
by dogs) have been steady, but have held to..just about 1 per cent of total
revenues.
The final class of revenue shown in Table II is a catch-all for a variety
of relatively small sources. The total class has ranged from 5. 1per cent
in 1961 to 7.8 per cent in 1963, of total revenues. Certain sources, such
as clerk and collectors fees are regularly recurring; others such as sale of
equipment or insurance indemnities are irregular.
The town has also utilized reserve funds, in addition to the current
revenues of Table II, to finance the new town hall. This fund had a balance
of $23,258 as of the beginning of 1959. Additions were made as follows:
Interest Earnings General Fund Transfer Miscellaneous
1959 $1, 112 .50 $10, 450.00
1960 1, 052. 45
1961 1,035. 19 10, 000. 00 $60.00
1962 12 , 378. 76
Totals $3,200. 14 $32 ,828. 76 $60. 00
9
This fund was extinguished during 1962 upon completion of the town
hall.
The town avoided financing any of its activities by the incurrence of
debt except for the very short term highway note discussed earlier. This
is an enviable record.
THE TAX BASE AND TAX RATES
Since approximately 70 per cent of town revenues are received from the
tax on real estate, trends in the growth in assessed valuations - the tax
base - are very important.
Properties subject to general town taxes as assessed by local authorities
and by state authority have both shown significant growth. At the same time
the so-called "pension exemption" has also increased. Properties subject
to general town and county taxes (including "special franchise" assessed
by the state) grew 34. 6 per cent from 1959 t6 1965. The average annual rate
of gain was 5. 8 per cent and the range of annual change was from 2 . 0 per
cent (1961 over 1960) to 7. 6 per cent (1960 over 1959) .
During this same period, the "pension exempt" property increased from
$151, 950 for the 1959 tax year to $238,960 for the 1964 tax year. This repre-
sents a growth of 57. 3 per cent; however, relative to the total assessment
roll, the pension exempt property onlyincreased from about .8 p p p y per cent to
about .9 per cent.
10
According to the county treasurer of Cortland County, assessed valua-
tions were assumed at 90 Per cent of full value for equalization purposes
throughout the period.
The tax rate is the factor by,which the total tax levy is distributed among
the owners of real estate. A single tax rate for all local purposes is not
the case. By law, properties within village limits are not subject to taxes
for certain highway purposes, for example. Furthermore, properties within
certain special purpose districts for example, water or sewer districts, are
subject to a levy not placed upon properties outside the district. Since tax
rates are subject to both total levy and total assessed valuation, they have
been subject to considerable fluctuation. Table III shows the growth in
assessed valuations and changes in county and town (both outside and inside
village) tax rates.
DEBT LIMIT
As indicated above the town has avoided long-term debt financing for
town services. Special district debt is, in a sense, a contigent liability of
the town. The possibility of the town being required to meet such debt pay-
ments from general town funds is quite remote. In computing the constitutional
debt limit, water district debt is not considered an encumbrance; however,
sewer district debt is deducted to arrive at the maximum debt incurring power
of the town.
�. Cs
I .
•
TABLE III
TOWN OF CORTLANDVILLE
ASSESSED VALUATIONS AND TAX RATES 1959 - 1964
Tax Rates per $1 , 000 Valuation
Town Rate Town Rate
Valuations (add 000) County Outside Inside
Taxable Exempt Rate Village Village
1959 $19, 404 $152 $7, 866 $4 . 149 $1 .505
1960 20, 981 200 6. 571 4. 862 2.952
1961 20, 393 220 6. 969 5 . 437 3. 046
1962 ' 22 , 302 226 6, 622 5, 4941 3. 0981 c,,
1963 23, 083 223 7. 020 4. 44961 2 . 8866
1964 24, 548 230 7. 651 4. 44286 2,. 680
1965 26, 014 239
Sources: Valuations from Town Supervisor's Annual Reports
Tax rates from Treasurer, Cortland County
Town debt, chargeable to the limit, is restricted to 7 per cent of the
average full value of taxable property. The limit is computed by averaging
the five most recently completed assessment rolls. The limit has been in-
creasing with the general increase in taxable values. In round figures the
debt limit of the Town of Cortlandville is about $1 . 5 million. As of the end
of 1964, sewer district bonds of $167, 000 were chargeable to the limit.
SPECIAL DISTRICT FINANCES •
In addition to the general town services discussed earlier, some of the
t.
town taxpayers must also support specialized services rendered to limited
parts of the town. For fire services, the town is divided into two fire pro-
tection districts: one district is served by the Homer Fire Department, the
other by the McGraw Fire Department. Public water supply and sewer ser-
vices are also provided by special purpose districts.
Debt incurred for capital construction in the water and sewer districts
is retired and operating costs are met by charges to the benefited property
owners.
Water Districts
During the six years covered by this study, water district operations
may be summarized as follows:
13
Approximately
Receipts:
Operating Income and Assessments $137, 000
Borrowing (net borrowing) 132, 000
Total $269, 000
Payments:
Operating Expenses $ 63, 500
Interest Costs 36, 000
Construction 118, 000
Debt Retirement (net) 24, 000
Total $241, 500
As os the end of 1964, outstanding water debt was $258, 000. An issue
of 1959 with a balance of $126, 000 is payable in serial installments through
1988; a 1964 issue with a balance of $132, 000 is payable through 1992.
Sewer Districts
Sewer district operation for the six year period may be summarized as
follows:
•
14
Approximately
Receipts:
Operating Income and Assessments $ 76, 900
State Aid 4, 300
Borrowing (net) 195, 000
Total $276, 200
Payments:
Operating Expenses $ 12, 900
Interest Costs 29, 900
Construction 190, 100
Debt Retirement (net) 28, 000
Total $260, 900
At the end of 1964, sewer district bonds were outstanding in the amount
of $167, 000. These bonds are scheduled to mature serially through 1989.
Fire Protection Districts
Payments to the Homer and McGraw Fire Departments, from taxes and
foreign insurance premium taxes primarily, were approximately as follows:
1959 $3, 050
1960 3, 000
1961 3, 850
1962 3, 950
1963 3,950
1964 7, 100
15
SUMMARY
The Town of Cortlandville is in excellent financial condition. Both current
operating costs and capital outlays have been met from revenues and reserves.
While the town is dependent upon the real estate tax for a very high proportion
of its total revenues, taxable assessed valuations have increased at a rate
which has permitted relatively stable tax rates. While the town is contin-
gently liable for special district debt, the possibility of the necessity of using
general town funds for this purpose is remote. In fact, the special districts
with debt outstanding have been able to meet operation and debt costs and
still increase cash balances. a
t
16
C1r
$_ -APPENDIX
Reconciliation of. total expenditure and revenue figures of this `report
- with those reported in State Comptroller's Special Report on Municipal
Affairs for 1963
Total Expenditures per Comptroller (p. 54) $174, 820
Deduct interfund - transfer between Highway
Item 3 and 10 Year Highway Improvement
Program for equipment rental 7, 830
$166,900
Expenditures per Table I, this report $166,800
The difference is due to rounding of figures used in this report
Total Revenues per Comptroller (p. 52) $158, 844
Deduct interfund transfer described above 7, 830
$151, 014
Total Revenues per Table II, this report $151,000
The difference is due to rounding
The preparation of this report was financially aided through a Federal grant
from the Urban Renewal Administration of the Housing'and Home Finance Agency,
under the Urban Planning Assistance Program authorized;by Section 701 of the
Housing Act of 1954, as amended. This report was prepared under the Urban
Planning Assistance Program for the State of New York Department of Commerce.
It was financed in part by the State of New York and in part by the Town of
Cortlandville, Cortland County, New York.
17