The Greenway mission is to continue and advance the State's commitment to the preservation, enhancement, and development of the world-renowned scenic, natural, historic, cultural, and recreational resources of the Hudson River Valley while continuing to emphasize economic development activities. It is designed to encourage Hudson River Valley communities to develop projects and initiatives related to natural and cultural resource protection, regional and local planning, public access to the Hudson River and heritage and environmental education. 

The Greenway works with communities on a voluntary basis to assist in the development of local land use plans and programs related to the Greenway criteria. The Greenway provides technical assistance and funding for these community planning projects. Greenway community planning projects can be undertaken by a single community to address local issues or a group of communities working together to address both local and regional issues.

Interested communities pass a resolution supporting the Greenway criteria, thereby qualifying them for Greenway technical and financial assistance. Typical grants under the "Greenway Communities Grant Program" range from $5,000 - $10,000, with greater financial assistance available for projects involving two or more municipalities.

The Greenway planning approach is one of thinking regionally as communities plan locally. It includes physical connections and linkages between communities for local and regional benefit. Additionally, it extends beyond physical linkages to encourage voluntary regional cooperation among the communities and counties of the Hudson River Valley to address issues of collective concern and promote mutually beneficial regional approaches.

The Greenway Compact program takes community planning one step further by providing a process for voluntary regional cooperation to further the Greenway criteria of natural and cultural resource protection, regional planning, economic development, public access, and heritage and environmental education. For communities that choose to participate, a variety of financial and procedural benefits are available.

The Greenway has designated the counties as the basic planning areas for the development of the Greenway Compact, although sub-county associations of local governments may also be able to prepare a regional planning compact. Each Compact area will develop a regional planning compact that addresses the Greenway's five criteria as well as:
Incorporation of provisions to identify development of regional impact and areas of regional concern and identification of necessary public facilities and infrastructure consistent with the Greenway criteria.

The voluntary participation of municipalities preserves local decision-making authority while providing expanded opportunities for regional cooperation. Public and community participation in the development of county Greenway plans is critical to their success. Greenway compacts reflect the concerns of local communities and provide a regional context for local planning efforts.

If your municipality has not yet become a Greenway Community please click on Guidelines & Application for info on how to reap the benefits of this great program.

The Design Guidelines are a draft version of what will be included in the Rockland Greenway Compact Plan.  As more portions of the plan come to a draft version we will add them to website.

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