Planning and Environmental

Mission

The City of Niagara Falls Department of Planning and Environmental Services was created to promote and protect the health, safety and general welfare of all residents by enhancing and conserving the social, economic and environmental health of the residential, commercial, industrial and recreational areas by fostering the most appropriate use of municipal land and resources.

The Department of Planning and Environmental:

Maintains the City’s comprehensive plan, including transportation, land use, housing, public service, community facilities and its other elements;
Administers zoning, subdivision and handles amendments to these and related codes;
Advises on disposition of City owned property, including dedication or vacation of streets, alleys and some easements;
Assists in capital improvements and economic development;
Engages in site planning and design for construction, sale, lease or other use agreements involving City holdings;
Provides staff services to the City Officials, Planning Board, Historic Preservation Commission, Board of Appeals, and others;
Provides services for code enforcement, community development and other regulatory agencies;
Maintains maps, aerial photography, demographics and other information related to community growth and change;
Works with schools, businesses, institutions and private individuals to ensure compliance with city development regulations and general consistency with our development goals.
Coordinates and manages certain initiatives, grant opportunities, FEMA flood zone maps, State Environmental Quality Review, and the City’s Geographic Information Systems.

While our mission is focused on zoning and physical planning and largely accomplished through zoning enforcement, site plan review and land use analysis, Planning is a comprehensive field, that requires the City’s Planning Department to have access to all kinds of information. On a typical day, the Planning and Environmental Department may field calls for land use regulations, floodplain data, demographics, brownfields, recycling, economic development, municipal operations or other topics.

Staff:

Mr. Kevin Forma, Director of Planning

Vickie Hall, Planning Clerk

Edyta Chorostkowska, Environmental Planner

Michael Pesarchick, Planner II

Contact:

NFNY.Planning@niagarafallsny.gov

716-286-4470

Below are links to various resources related to the Department