Greenway Compact Program
The Greenway Compact Program is a voluntary community planning approach supported by the state for the 13 counties in the Hudson Valley region. Greenway Compact members are eligible for state grants, planning assistance, certain state liability protections, and other benefits. Dutchess County communities have already received more than $1.7 million in Greenway-related grants. The Greenway program is entirely voluntary, respects local home rule, and relies on incentives and guidelines rather than any new regulations or requirements.

The Greenway Compact promotes intermunicipal cooperation on five complementary goals:

• Natural and cultural resource protection;
• Economic development including agriculture, tourism, and urban redevelopment;
• Public access and trail systems, including a Hudson River Greenway Trail;
• Regional planning; and
• Heritage and environmental education.

Greenway Connections & Guides
To implement the program, Dutchess County created Greenway Connections, a highly-illustrated, easy-to-use sourcebook of inspiring ideas, how-to guidelines, and case study examples that are designed to help local officials and citizen groups make better decisions on improving our surroundings. It also describes the types of projects that are eligible for Greenway funding. The Guides offer detailed recommendations on a variety of current planning topics, from retrofitting commercial strips, saving farmland, designing conservation subdivisions, and creating walkable centers, to site specifics on signs, parking, lighting, and landscaping.