The Land Use Center was established with funds from the Empire State Development Corporation
and the New York State Education Department Special Legislative Projects.
Housed in a quiet study area, the Land Use Center provides land use resources for town, village, and
county land-use decision makers, for planning departments, conservation advisory commissions,
and zoning boards, students, and the public concerned about such issues.
For a list of the library's holdings in the Land Use Center click here.

The Land Use Center
* is the first of its kind in a public library in the Hudson Valley, and is believed to be the first in the
United States.

* is open during library hours, including evenings and weekends, giving access to materials at times
when government offices are not open.

* has circulating materials that those people with library cards from the Mid-Hudson Library System
can borrow and which are available on interlibrary loan to others.

* has reference materials including United States Code Annotated and McKinney's Consolidated Laws
of New York, Annotated.

The Land Use Center collection is being developed on an ongoing basis.
It will contain materials on, but not be limited to:
Community planning
Citizen activism
Cultural and historical resources
Environmental assessments (Town of Carmel)
Environmental impact process
Lake management
Land trusts
Management plans
Mediation
Open space preservation
Planning
Regional studies
Smart growth
Storm water runoff
Sprawl
Watershed issues
Wetlands management
Zoning

LINKS:

In Putnam County
Carmel Historical Society	Chartered by the New York State Education Department Board of Regents to 'preserve local history and inform the community of our past.'
Friends of the Great Swamp (FrOGS)	A community group comprised of concerned citizens, public agencies, and local businesses and organizations. Since 1990, it has been an active voice for protection of the functions, values and integrity of the Great Swamp.
Preserve Putnam County	A private family-initiated not-for-profit educational organization established in 1999 to foster preservation of the historic architectural character and natural environment of Putnam County, NY.
Putnam County Coalition to Preserve Open Spaces	Open Space contributes to the town and country's unique rural character. We are dedicated to the protection of open space in Putnam County.
Putnam Smart Growth Alliance	Purpose: to educate the residents of Putnam County on all aspects of regional growth and development that promotes and maintains a high quality of life across the Highlands region
Save Open Spaces, Inc./Putnam County Land Trust	A non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting natural resources through ownership of sensitive lands, easements, planning strategies, and environmental education in Putnam County, NY.
In the Region and State
Bike Hudson Valley	Goals: To enable more people to discover the experience of riding bicycles on the beautiful routes and roads of the Hudson Valley.
Copperas Ridge Project, Impact on Rockaway Taxpayers	A report used in a successful case history.
Cornell Cooperative Extension Service	The extension service of Cornell University, with the purpose of providing the most up-to-date information and techniques in horticulture, agriculture, leadership and youth development, and many other aspects of interest to individuals and to the community.
Croton Watershed Clean Water Coalition (CWCWC)	The Croton Watershed Clean Water Coalition strives to protect and improve the waters of New York City's Croton Watershed, a critical component of the water supply for over half the population of New York State.
Federated Conservationists of Westchester County, Inc.	A not-for-profit coalition of local environmental groups for combating pollution and preserving Westchester's many precious natural resources.
Hudson Greenway	An innovative state agency created to facilitate the development of a voluntary regional strategy for preserving scenic, natural, historic, cultural and recreational resources while encouraging compatible economic development and maintaining the tradition of home rule for land use decision-making.
Hudson Highlands Land Trust	Seeks to preserve the special character of the Highlands through land conservation, advocacy, educational programs and the promotion of sound land-use planning.
Hudson River Sloop Clearwater	Clearwater conducts environmental education, advocacy programs and celebrations. The nucleus of the activities is to protect the Hudson River, its tributaries and related water bodies, and to create public awareness of the estuary's complex relationship with the coastal zone.
Hudson Valley Bikeways and Trailways (NY DOT)	A regional system of over 1000 miles of multi-use trailways/shared use paths, within linear greenways, is planned for the Hudson Valley and a good portion is already constructed and open to the public.
The Nature Conservancy, Eastern New York Chapter	The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive.
New York City Department of Environmental Protection	The Department of Environmental Protection’s web site offers a wealth of information about the workings of the Department as well as our plans for the future.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation	The New York State DEC exists to: conserve, improve, and protect New York State's natural resources and environment, and control water, land and air pollution, in order to enhance the health, safety and welfare of the people of the state and their overall economic and social well being.
New York/New Jersey Trail Conference	A federation of more than 95 hiking clubs and environmental organizations and 10,000 individuals dedicated to building and maintaining marked hiking trails and protecting related open space in the bi-state region.
Open Space Institute	The mission of the Open Space Institute is to protect scenic, natural and historic landscapes to ensure public enjoyment, conserve habitats and sustain community character.
Parks & Trails, New York	A non-governmental, not-for profit, statewide membership organization. Our mission is to work to expand, protect and promote a network of parks, trails and open spaces throughout the state for the use and enjoyment of all.
Riverkeeper	Riverkeeper's mission is to safeguard the ecological integrity of the Hudson River, its tributaries and the watershed of New York City (protecting the city's drinking water supply) by tracking down and stopping polluters. Since 1983, Riverkeeper has investigated and brought to justice more than 300 environmental lawbreakers.
Scenic Hudson, Inc.	An environmental organization and land trust working to protect, preserve and restore the Hudson River and its riverfront as a public and natural resource.
Sustainable Hudson Valley	An organization with a mission to educate, inspire and support communities in creating sustainable local and regional economies, and people in becoming more conscious consumers and effective citizens to support a sustainable future.
In the Nation
American Planning Association	Since 1949, APA's program of applied research has resulted in practical, up-to-date information about the best practices in urban and regional planning in the U.S.
Appalachian Trail Conservancy	A volunteer-based, private nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of the 2,175-mile Appalachian National Scenic Trail, a 250,000-acre greenway extending from Maine to Georgia. Our mission is to ensure that future generations will enjoy the clean air and water, scenic vistas, wildlife and opportunities for simple recreation and renewal along the entire Trail corridor.
Campaign to Protect America's Lands ('On The Commons')	A Washington, D.C. policy advocacy group that fights to protect public lands from private exploitation.
Center for Land Use Interpretation	The Center is a research organization involved in exploring and understanding land and landscape issues.
Center for Watershed Protection	A non-profit corporation that provides local governments, activists, and watershed organizations around the country with the technical tools for protecting some of the nation's most precious natural resources: our streams, lakes and rivers.
Environmental Valuation & Cost-Benefit News	Covers legal, academic, and regulatory developments pertaining to the valuation of environmental amenities and disamenities, such as clean air, trees, parks, congestion, and noise.
Forest Conservation Portal	Ecological Science Based Forest Conservation Advocacy
International Institute for Sustainable Development--Linkages	Provides a variety of multimedia informational resources for environment and sustainable development policymakers, including daily coverage of international negotiations, analyses and photos.
Land Trust Alliance	Land Trust Alliance is a national coalition of trusts for land conservation to the benefit of communities and natural systems.
Project for Public Spaces	PPS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating and sustaining public spaces that build communities. They provide technical assistance, training, research and other services. Since its founding in 1975, the organization has worked in over 1,500 communities in the United States and around the world, helping people turn their public spaces into vital community places.
Trust for Public Land	A national, nonprofit, land conservation organization that conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, community gardens, historic sites, rural lands, and other natural places.
Water Conserve 2.0	A Water Conservation Portal & Search Engine.