I. Introduction:
The following document contains a comprehensive plan for the Town of Hannibal,
New York. The plan and its inherent goals are the result of information supplied by
Town residents through a mail survey distributed by the Town of Hannibal Zoning
Commission and the Town Board in the fall of 1993. Input for this plan was also
obtained during a productive public meeting in February of 1994 at which residents
were able to voice their opinions regarding the future of Hannibal and its residents.
This document is extremely important for every resident of the Town. It contains the
framework by which the Town will plan for future development, conserve its local
resources, and create a quality place to live for Hannibal residents. The Hannibal
Zoning Commission would like to invite every citizen to read and review this plan and
participate in the planning process to the extent possible.
A major issue raised in discussions at the public meeting and among the zoning
commission members is the fact that Hannibal is a rural town. The people who live
here want to live in the country and would like the Town to retain it's rural character in
the future. In fact one resident clearly stated that, "If we wanted to live in the city we
would move to the city [and] we like Hannibal the way it is." Many want to see
commercial development limited to the Village and would like to see development
outside of the village to be in harmony with the country setting. The idea of "Rural
Character" refers to a number of visual, environmental and cultural factors. When one
thinks of Rural character one may envision farms and barns, fields and woodlands,
rolling hills and ponds. a quaint quiet village and hamlets connected by scenic country
roads. It is this visual character that the residents of Hannibal have chosen as a
defining reason for calling Hannibal their home. Town officials feel that this document
will provide a framework for a planning approach that will ensure that this character is
maintained for future generations.
II. Inventory and Analysis:
A. Historical Development.
Originally, land comprising the Town of Hannibal was Iroquois territory. In 1788, the
State of New York purchased all of the lands of the Onondaga and Oneida tribes
except for a few small reservations. A good portion of this land was set aside for the
purpose of making land grants to veterans of the Revolutionary War. The Military Tract
commenced on the southern shore of Lake Ontario at the mouth of the Oswego River
(then known as the Onondaga River). The tract included all of the current land in
Oswego County west of the river plus the counties of Cayuga. Onondaga, Seneca.
Cortland and portions of Wayne, Tompkins and Schuyler Counties. The Military Tract
was divided into townships of one-hundred lots of 640 acres each. Robert Harper,
Hannibal Comprehensive Plan page