New York State Coastline Visual Analysis
Date completed: 1989
Client: New York State Coastal Management Program, Albany, NY.

The state-wide system was first applied in the scenic and historic Hudson River valley where dramatic natural beauty has been enhanced by almost 400 years of human use.

Dodson Associates developed a state-wide system for evaluating coastal scenic quality and implemented the system in the coastal zone of the Hudson River Valley from Troy to Manhattan. The system allows the state of New York to accurately survey the visual quality of its coastline and to implement legal measures to protect the visual quality of the coastal area from large-scale development impacts. The Hudson River portion of the project identifies and maps specific areas along the river which were proposed for designation as Scenic Areas of Statewide Significance. After a lengthy public review process, these areas were officially designated by the State of New York in 1993, providing them with protection from negative visual impacts.

The Hudson River scenic landscape survey extends from Troy to Manhattan.

Detailed analysis identified visual districts, views, discordant features and historic features.