“Canastota Connected” Community Comprehensive Plan

At its regular meeting on January 7, 2026, the Village of Canastota Board of Trustees approved the Village’s first community comprehensive plan.

Developed by the community for the community, this plan establishes a unified vision for the Village and provides the framework to move towards it. Through this planning process, we have identified this vision for the community:

Canastota is a small but mighty village. The Village of Canastota will strive to maintain its small-town feel and preserve its unique sense of place, while enhancing the community’s quality of life. The Village will be well-connected and vibrant, resulting in residents and visitors readily engaging in a thriving downtown, the Empire State Trail, and future connected Thruway Innovation District. Recreational resources and activities will continue to be strengthened. Canastota recognizes the need to continue to grow its public and private partnerships to improve the Village economic stance and make it an inviting place for residents and visitors alike.

To achieve this vision, the Village of Canastota will focus on seven priority areas:

– Downtown: Canastota’s recognizes that its intact historic downtown is a gem and wants to continue to enhance and grow
it as the main community center.
– Thruway: Canastota will utilize its NYS Thruway exit to propel new industry with a priority to connect the new Thruway
Innovation district to downtown.
– Old Erie Canal: The Village built up around the Erie Canal which will continue to be an integral part of the community’s identity and source for tourism and quality of life including through continuing to create a destination waterfront in
downtown.
– Recreation: Integral to the community fabric and quality of life are the public and community spaces including our parks, trails, and schools. The Village wants to further enhance and connect this network of public and community spaces to better serve and connect our residents.
– Economic Development: Canastota prides itself with, and will continue to support, small business owners as well as be a location for larger industry including at the Canastota Business Park; there is an emphasis to market available sites and buildings.
– Housing: Canastota will seek new initiatives and creative partnerships to help maintain our current housing as well as develop new housing.
– Future Land Use: How the community uses its land is key and Canastota wants to focus on clearly defining its future land use to help support this vision.

Through implementation of this plan, Canastota will harness its resources and assets to further propel its future.

Fore more information on the “Canastota Connected” Community Comprehensive Plan you may call (315) 697-7559 or email village@canastota.com.