Glen Cove will receive two state grants totaling $225,000 to update its infrastructure and city codes. All items will comply with new state requirements as well as the city’s comprehensive plan, which was adopted by council members in July.
“Everything is going to complement each other, and it’s all consistent with the plan that was adopted in July,” said Ann Fangmann, executive director of the Community Development Agency.
“We’re just, really looking to move the city forward every single day,” Mayor Pamela Panzenbeck said.
The $75,000 MS4 Mapping grant will complete the mapping of the city’s stormwater system to comply with the state requirements. The new requirements for MS4 Mapping, which stands for municipal separate storm sewer system, need more information than the city currently has in its maps. Fangmann said the funds from the state will help the city complete its maps by the deadline.
“The grant will allow us to take care of mapping those systems through the grant,” Fangmann said. “The city would’ve had to do this either way.”
Fangmann said the state implemented new mapping requirements that will be required as of 2027.
The state said the project will help improve the city’s response to severe weather conditions through flood mitigation.
The $150,000 Smart Growth Code Updates grant will update zoning, land use, building and environmental regulations to comply with sustainability goals in the 2024 Smart Growth Comprehensive Plan, according to the state. The state said the updates will better housing, business and sustainability.
Fangmann said the city council adopted a Smart Growth Comprehensive Plan with sustainability elements in July. She said the city applied for state funding after its adoption last year.
“Throughout the comprehensive plan document, there are many, many recommendations for updates to city code,” she said.
The code has nine chapters with recommendations for different aspects of city development, including infrastructure, business and sustainability, Fangmann said.
This grant will allow the city to hire a consultant to help the city update its language in the codes.
Fangmann said the code changes will be applied moving forward but will not be retroactively implemented.
“It’s a comprehensive code update,” Fangmann said.
Both projects are dependent on a grant agreement from the state, Fangmann said. Once the city receives the agreement in about three to six months, the city will be able to begin its project, which could take up to 18 months to complete, she said.
The city has already begun infrastructure projects aimed at meeting new state requirements and plan updates like upgrades to its water district and zoning changes for transit-oriented developments.
“The city wanted to jump ahead on a few items,” Fangmann said.
She said everything approved has been consistent with the comprehensive plan approved by the council in July.
“Everything will complement each other,” she said.
