The Town of North Hempstead Department of Planning and Environmental Protection has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking a consultant to partner with the town in preparing a townwide Comprehensive Master Plan.
Working closely with the Planning Department, the selected consultant will help guide a robust community engagement process that gathers input from residents, businesses, civic groups, and other key stakeholders. The effort will mark the first update to the town’s long-range planning document since 1989 and serve as a roadmap guiding the Town’s growth, development, preservation, and investment priorities for the coming decade.
The Department of Planning and Environmental Protection has completed preliminary research to help shape the scope of the Master Plan update. They reviewed the Town’s existing plans and policies, assembled background materials, and evaluated key planning topics. This initial analysis will provide a foundation for the selected consultant and help deliver a comprehensive planning process. The selected consultant combines approaches used successfully in other New York State communities and will bring a proven track record of developing comprehensive master plans.
A Comprehensive Master Plan is a long-term vision document that guides how a municipality determines its future. It addresses a wide range of issues, including transportation, economic development, sustainability and resiliency, parks and open space, and overall community character. While the plan itself does not change zoning or establish specific development projects, it provides a framework that helps guide future policy decisions, land use planning, and capital investments.
Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said this update is particularly important as North Hempstead’s current plan — adopted in 1989 — may no longer fully reflect the town’s present-day demographics, housing needs, economic landscape, and environmental considerations.
“Believe it or not, it’s been 37 years since the town last updated its master plan,” DeSena said. “I first announced this as a priority in my 2022 inaugural address and repeated it in every State of the Town since. But for years, the effort remained stalled until I hired Commissioner Nancy Shahverdi.”
Shahverdi leads the town’s Department of Planning and Environmental Protection. Working with a planning consultant and advisory committee, the department will undertake a community-driven planning process designed to gather input from residents, civic organizations, businesses, and other local stakeholders.
“The plan will help establish a shared vision for North Hempstead’s future,” said Councilman Dennis Walsh. “Our economy, environmental challenges, and infrastructure needs have changed significantly, making this update more important now than ever.”
The new plan will explore several key focus areas, including:
- Opportunities for residents to age in place
- Revitalization of commercial corridors
- Improved walkability and transit connectivity
- Climate resilience and sustainability
- Access to parks and open space
- Preservation of the unique character of the town’s hamlets and downtowns
Residents will have multiple opportunities to participate through public meetings, open houses, online surveys, and other outreach efforts designed to ensure broad participation across the town’s diverse neighborhoods.
Once completed, the Comprehensive Master Plan will include recommended strategies, potential zoning updates, and implementation actions that will help guide the Town’s future decision-making and investment priorities.
Announcements and public engagement opportunities will be included on the Town’s website as the process moves forward.