Just 5 percent.
That’s the percentage of Genesee County residents that County Planning Director Felipe Oltramari hopes will take a few minutes to complete the Empire State Broadband Assessment survey that can be found at www.geneseebroadband.com.
Oltramari, speaking after Wednesday night’s Genesee County Planning Board meeting at County Building 2 on West Main Street Road, said the survey is an important tool as New York State attempts to expand internet access to its residents.
“By getting 5 percent of Genesee County residents to take the survey (less than 3,000 people) that will help determine the distribution of funding to fill in the gaps in broadband,” he said.
Millions of dollars are available for broadband development, Oltramari said. In Genesee County, government officials already have indicated they are setting aside a portion of the $11 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding it is receiving for that purpose.
Upon going to the website, the user is directed to the state’s “Advancing Broadband for New York” initiative featuring two large blue buttons: one marked Speed Test & Survey and the other marked Survey Only.
The speed test measures both the download and upload speeds from that location. It is important that the speed test is taken from a home or business computer, and not a mobile device. Additional instructions and information are provided.
The survey, according to the website, is “to understand how you utilize, or would like to utilize, broadband capabilities in your home or business in your community.” The questions are not difficult to answer and the entire survey takes five to seven minutes to complete.
When finished, a “thank you” message appears and links to additional resources, such as the New York State Broadband Program Office, and Data USA: County & City Data based on the U.S. Census, are provided.
Oltramari said the county will be conducting a marketing campaign to spread the word about the broadband survey.
He also reported that the first draft of the county’s updated Comprehensive Plan – part of the Genesee 2050 project – is complete and will be shared with the public in the coming weeks.
County planners recommended approval of a dozen referrals last night, most notably:
- A site plan for a 5-megawatt ground mounted commercial solar system in an Industrial (I-1) district at 7054 West Main Rd. in the Town of Le Roy. The project, being developed by AES Clean Energy, based in Louisville, Colo., is on land owned by Route 5 Storage LLC, not far and on the other side of the road from the intersection of Keeney Road.
- A site plan review for a 1,944-square foot (81 by 24) addition to the existing building owned by Gadd Properties (Alexander Equipment) at 3266 Buffalo St., Alexander;
- A site plan review for the Burning Barrell BBQ restaurant to be operated by Nicholas Rada at 10 East Main St., Corfu;
- A site plan review and area variance request for Harrington’s Farm Market to replace an existing greenhouse with a new 2,304-square foot (48 by 48) greenhouse on its property at 5282 Clinton St. Rd. in the Town of Stafford;
- A sign permit request from Pierrepoint Visual Graphics, Inc., of Rochester, to place new signs for a proposed UR Medicine office building at the Gateway II Industrial Park at 7999 Call Parkway in the Town of Batavia.
Previously: Genesee County legislators call on G/FLRPC to provide answers to broadband availability question
I completed the survey. I
I completed the survey. I wish Empire Access would come up Bank St Rd in the town of Batavia!