Planning Services

By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.

Benjamin Franklin

Land Use Regulations

Many municipalities in Montgomery County have adopted comprehensive plans and zoning regulations to promote vibrant places to live and guide future development. The County is committed to making the most up to date land use and zoning documents available to the public and can be found here.

This area is what it is because our citizens are what they are.

Plato

Municipal Demographics

Montgomery County, NY is a hidden gem with a growing economy, abundant skilled labor pool, and a thriving community. Montgomery County is strategically located within the Capital Region of New York State, with easy access to major highways and transportation hubs. The county is home to many diversified industries, including advanced manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and hospitality. The skilled labor pool provides an ample workforce for these industries, with a robust educational system that includes vocational schools, community colleges, and four-year colleges and universities. Moreover, Montgomery County offers a high quality of life with a strong sense of community, historical sites, recreational opportunities, and a low cost of living. With its promising economic future and a welcoming community, Montgomery County is an excellent place to live, work, and raise a family.

Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations.

Dr. Mae Jemison

Microenterprise Grant Program

The Montgomery County Microenterprise Grant Program (MCMGP) provides grant funding between $5,000 and $35,000 to for-profit commercial enterprise that have 5 or fewer employees. Funding can be used for a variety of purposes, including inventory, procurement of machinery, furniture, fixtures and equipment; operating capital and other needs. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. More information on the Montgomery County Microenterprise Grant Program (MCMGP) can be found in our slide deck, by downloading our Montgomery County Micro Program Application, as well as our Microenterprise Grant – Letter of Agreement.

Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.

Alan Lakein

Planning Board Referrals

Material is sent to MCPB for review and recommendation because the property affected is located within 500 feet of a municipal boundary or any existing/proposed County or State park, recreation area, and farm operation within an Agricultural District. Also, any existing/proposed right-of-way of a stream, drainage channel, or County and State-owned land on which a public building or institution is situated.

A Full Application can be submitted to the MCPB as a hard copy, consisting of three (3) copies, or as a digital copy to our Dropbox, along with the MCPB Referral Form.

Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.

John F. Kennedy

Training Opportunities

Montgomery County Business Development Center works with a number of agencies to provide trainings that cover a variety of areas including grants, marketing, entrepreneurship, business basics, and more. Below are some links to pre-recorded and upcoming training opportunities.

You can't use an old map to explore a new world.

Albert Einstein

Mapping

Our office offers a wide variety of maps and geographic information system (GIS) services, including – but, not limited to – tax parcels, snowmobile trails , roads, wetlands, water bodies, municipal boundaries, zoning, land use and aerial imagery. Please contact our office for availability.

Other maps such as Election & Legislative Districts can be found in our Public Documents section.

Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Agricultural Districts

Montgomery County has long recognized the importance of agriculture. To place additional protection on our valuable agricultural lands, the first agricultural district was created in 1975 in Montgomery County. The County currently has 3 separate agricultural districts, which cover approximately 176,000 acres or about 2/3 of the County. These districts consist of viable agricultural lands, or, in other words, lands that are currently used for agriculture or may be used for agriculture in the future. Therefore, agricultural districts may include not just farm fields, but also residential, forested, and commercial properties.

Agricultural Districts are reviewed by the County and re-certified by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets every eight years. During the review, landowners can decide if they want their property to remain in the District, or be removed or added. Owners of property within the Agricultural District will receive a mailed written notice of review. Both graphics for districts and future reviews.

Montgomery County Agriculture Districts schedules, maps, graphics and FAQ can be found in our Public Document Section.

Let us permit nature to have her way. She understands her business better than we do.

Michel de Montaigne

Sustainability & Environment

Montgomery County recognizes the role and responsibility for public agencies to protect and conserve natural resources, use financial resources effectively and efficiently, and celebrate the achievements of a healthy and productive organization.

DEC Climate Smart Community

The Montgomery County Legislature formalized its commitment to sustainability by adopting a resolution in 2016 to become a NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Climate Smart Community. Learn more about the DEC Climate Smart Community.

NYSERDA Clean Energy Community

Local governments in New York State can use the Clean Energy Communities program to implement clean energy actions, save energy costs, create jobs, and improve the environment. In addition to providing tools, resources, and technical assistance, the program recognizes and rewards leadership for the completion of clean energy projects.

Montgomery County has completed 4 of 10 High Impact Actions to earn a Clean Energy Community designation and received a grant for $150,000 which was used to purchase four electrics vehicles (EV) and 2 EV charging stations to help further green the County vehicle fleet.

Benchmarking is a way to understand your energy performance—comparing energy consumption to that of a similar organization or past performance or nationally recognized standards. Here is Montgomery County’s latest benchmarking assessment

EIC Open C-PACE Program

EIC Open C-PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) is operated by Energy Improvement Corporation (EIC) and provides long-term alternative financing to fund clean energy projects in commercially owned buildings. Open C-PACE is not a bank loan and differs from traditional financing options because:

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