Planning has been a part of the Town of Bedford’s history since its inception in 1680 when the 22 men from Stamford, after acquiring the “Hopp Ground” set out to plan for a meeting house, a grist mill on the Mianus River and a guying ground — and agreed no house lot would be less than three acres but could be more. Municipal planning is a deeply rooted American tradition and is of critical concern today in Bedford as the challenges of needed housing, prudent land use, and environmental protection are faced.

Bedford’s planning policies are implemented at three levels:

• The Town Board approves the laws establishing planning policy.
• The Planning Board assists in the formulation of and carrying out of policy.
• The Zoning Board of Appeals which has the authority to grant variances from the Zoning Ordinance.

To accomplish these goals, several tools are available to these municipal bodies:

• The Town Development Plan, a comprehensive land use plan for the development of a community which is now undergoing an extensive revision. This document is a statement of planning policies and goals of the Town to guide future growth and development and a link is located under available studies on this page.
• The Zoning Ordinance, a document adopted by the Town Board defining the various districts within the Town and the regulations that govern all of the districts.
• The Land Subdivision Regulations, a part of the Code of the Town of Bedford dealing with procedures and standards under which new lots are created

 Added May 25, 2017
Bedford: A Horse Friendly Community
The Town of Bedford is one of the last remaining horse communities in the United States making it a unique and special home for horse loving families. The Bedford horse community features over 150 miles of beautiful and scenic riding lanes maintained by the Bedford Riding Lanes Association. Take a quick drive through the roads of Bedford and experience the quaint barns and rolling paddocks that remain beloved by the community. The town also features gravel roads which connect the riding lanes in a fashion that makes the entire town accessible by horseback.

The horse-centric culture continues beyond the trails as well.  It is not uncommon to find many people enjoying lunch at local restaurants in their riding boots. In addition, Bedford features riding barns and lesson programs that can accommodate nearly every level and discipline of rider. The combination of multiple horse friendly features and the proximity to New York City make Bedford the ideal town for New York horse lovers.

Working with members of the horse community, we’ve developed some FAQs for owners or prospective purchasers which we hope you’ll find helpful.

Sincerely,
Chris Burdick, Supervisor