The City also offers abundant natural resources include both the Allegheny River and Olean Creek which offer fishing, scenic views, and paddling.
Community services and facilities within Olean include Fire and Police Departments, Olean General Hospital, Olean Medical Group, Universal Primary Care, Olean City School District, and the Olean Public Library. The City also offers higher education through Jamestown Community College and St. Bonaventure University.
Olean is well connected to major transportation routes including Routes 16 and 417, the Southern Tier Expressway, and US Route 219. The City recently completed a Complete Streets Policy, Walkable Olean, which has decreased injury accidents and increased property values. Walkable Olean II to further infrastructure and beautification. The City also facilitates an annual Sidewalk Program to assist in pedestrian activity, accessibility, and safety. The City is also served by the Olean Area Transit System which provides regular transit services throughout the city and connections to other destinations within the region.
The City continues to invest in local infrastructure and provides water and sewer services to its residents. Olean recently upgraded the wastewater treatment plant in 2018 with costs nearing $20 million.
Public Participation
The Comprehensive Development plan was shaped by outreach sessions held within the City to gain feedback from those who live and work within Olean. The planning process also included regular Task Force Committee meetings. A breakdown of the outreach is provided below:
•Four one-on-one
interviews with key stakeholders
•Six TFC meetings
•One survey
•Two Public meetings
•One engagement event with high school students
•Project updates through communication channels
The outreach noted above allowed the City and community to provide a future-oriented guide for elected officials, local leaders, residents, business owners, regional entities, and other stakeholders that align with Smart Growth Principles which will be used when determining an approach to new projects or policies.