The Greene County Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Planning serves to advance the sound, orderly and sustainable economic and physical development of the County in order to increase prosperity and improve the quality of life for all Greene County residents.
As a multi-disciplinary agency, Greene County Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Planning will prepare a number of plans and studies as well as gather, review and analyze data to advance the sound, orderly and sustainable economic and physical development of the County in order to increase prosperity and improve the quality of life for all Greene County residents.
To foster economic development and municipal planning, the department cooperates with economic development agencies; municipalities, chambers of commerce, and foundations, working to improve agriculture, housing, public transportation, infrastructure and the natural environment.
The Department oversees and often administers the development of a variety of regional planning efforts. This service may include partnering with other municipalities for a government funding request and the subsequent administration and coordination of the project.
The Department is legally obligated to conduct reviews and render advisory opinions on land-use proposals covered under Section 239 of NYS General Municipal Law 239.
Greene County Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Planning, with the County Planning Board, the New York Department of State and Columbia County Planning sponsors training sessions in land use and zoning issues for county, local appointed and elected officials. Recent topics included: open meetings law and FOIL, adopting zoning for the first time, understanding SEQR, and a mock site plan review exercise.
The Department provides assistance to other county departments, municipalities and various community organizations in grant writing and grant administration for projects such as infrastructure improvements, housing activities, and economic and community development projects.
The Department provides demographic data products such as census figures, as well as other data including performance indicators.
Greene County has 14 towns and 5 villages, divided into three regions that are distinct in land uses, environmental features, transportation patterns and infrastructure needs. Links to Zoning Codes for each municipality are provided here: The three regions include the River towns and villages (Town of Catskill, Village of Catskill, Town of Athens, Village of Athens, Town of Coxsackie, Village of Coxsackie and New Baltimore); Valley Towns (Cairo, Durham and Greenville); and Mountain Towns and Villages (Ashland, Halcott, Town of Hunter, Village of Hunter, Jewett, Lexington, Prattsville, Village of Tannersville and Windham). The Towns of Ashland, Durham, Hunter, Prattsville and Windham do not have zoning.
The County also has several hamlets including Cornwallville, Climax, Earlton, East Durham, Freehold, Haines Falls, Leeds, Oak Hill, West Kill and Maplecrest.
Greene County is bounded by Albany County to the north, Schoharie County to the northwest, Ulster County to the south, Delaware County to the west and the Hudson River to the east. Columbia County, its twin county is directly east with Rensselaer County northeast.