TOWN OF PITTSFORD
Comprehensive Plan | 2009 Update

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Presentation of 2009 DRAFT Comprehensive Plan

A public meeting to present the draft Town of Pittsford 2009 Comprehensive Plan Update was held on Wednesday, June 17, 2009, from 7 to 9pm at the Pittsford Community Library. The meeting was one in a series of public meetings and workshops that have been held throughout the course of the comprehensive plan project, starting with the kick-off meeting in January '09. Copies of the draft plan were made available to the public at the Town Hall, Pittsford Community Library and on the town's website in advance of the meeting. The draft plan presented at the June 17 meeting represents a culmination of many months of hard work and input by town residents, staff and elected officials. The feedback received at the meeting will help to inform the preparation of the final draft plan.

Meeting Synopsis
Approximately 40 individuals braved a sudden and heavy downpour of rain to participate in the workshop. As with prior public meetings, the workshop began with a summary presentation (link below). The presentation focused on the draft plan's goals and strategies, which were organized under the following three topic areas:

1. Land Use and Zoning
2. Transportation
3. Parks, Recreation, Trails, and Sidewalks

Following the presentation, workshop participants were asked to provide feedback. All comments received at the meeting were recorded on large notepads at the front of the room and have been incorporated into the running list of comprehensive plan comments that will be periodically updated throughout the course of this project (see "Record of Comments" below). The comments will be used to help refine and shape the final draft comprehensive plan. A number of comments came in the form of questions, which provided an opportunity for dialogue and discussion, and the exploration of plan concepts in more detail. Several of these "question-answer dialogues" are summarized below: :

1. What is meant by "Build-Out"?
   The term "build-out" is used frequently throughout the draft 2009 Comprehensive Plan Update. A number of workshop participants asked for clarification on this term and its relevance to the Town of Pittsford and the current planning project. Essentially, "build-out" denotes a stage in the growth of a community when the supply of "raw" land for new development runs out. In a metropolitan area, build-out generally occurs first in the central city and then radiates outward, starting with the suburbs immediately adjoining the central city ("inner ring" suburbs) and then beyond. Metropolitan Rochester has been no exception to this rule. The City of Rochester and inner ring suburbs - such as Irondequoit and Brighton - have by-and-large already reached build-out. In these communities, there is little undeveloped land remaining for new development. The Town of Pittsford is now approaching build-out itself. A basic and conceptual build-out analysis undertaken for the comprehensive plan project - based on currently available data and assumptions about recent and likely future trends - concluded that the Town of Pittsford will reach full build-out in the year 2027.

Build-out does not mean that every last acre of land in Pittsford will be developed. In fact, Pittsford has planned ahead to ensure that even in full build-out, the town's open space resources and character are preserved. The town's efforts in recent decades to protect open space ("50-50" zoning) and active farmland (the "Greenprint") help to preserve important resources, as a counterpoint to the town's more developed areas. Today, less than 10% of land in the town has the potential to be further subdivided and developed. Moreover, more than half of this land is subject to the town's 50-50 zoning, which will ensure the preservation of additional open space as such lands develop.

Build-out communities like Pittsford, who have planned ahead to maintain quality of life and town character, continue to attract residents and investment, even as the supply of undeveloped land dwindles. The 2009 Comprehensive Plan Update seeks to proactively address the issues and opportunities that build-out presents. By retaining and leveraging its unique assets and strengths, while allowing for renewal and re-investment, Pittsford can stay healthy, strong, and relevant for generations to come.

2. Where are pressures to re-subdivide lots and to expand existing homes coming from?
   Pressures to re-subdivide lots on which homes are already located are likely to increase as the amount of land available for new development decreases. Such lots are large enough to re-subdivide under existing zoning, but traditionally the pressure to do so was less, when there was a larger supply of undeveloped land in the town. In addition to re-subdivisions, there is also likely to be increased pressure to expand and enlarge existing homes in the town, particularly older, smaller homes. Essentially, it comes down to a question of supply and demand. Any community has a finite supply of land for new development. As the supply of such land dwindles, the value of land in the community increases. This is particularly true in communities where the demand for new homes and land remains high. Demand is likely to remain high in Pittsford, for many reasons, including a nationally recognized school district, preserved farms and open space and many other qualities - all of which make the town a desirable place to call home. Hence, a decreasing supply of undeveloped land in the Town of Pittsford means that development pressures will increasingly make themselves felt on the town's already built-up landscape (i.e., existing lots and homes). Over time, multiple re-subdivisions and expansions to homes can alter the character of a community. The town's challenge, as it approaches build-out, will be to accommodate some reasonable level of re-subdivisions and home expansions, while maintaining the town's established character and quality of life.
   


3. Project Schedule
   A revised final draft plan will be compiled, based on the feedback from the June 17 meeting, and reissued to the public as soon as it is complete for review and comment. While no firm dates have yet been established, it is anticipated that the Town Board will hold a public hearing on the adoption of the plan sometime in the late summer or early fall - which translates into roughly a year-long comprehensive plan process, from start to finish.

Record of Comments
Comments received at this workshop were recorded and compiled according to the three topic areas noted above. These comments, along with all comments received at subsequent public meetings and comments submitted in writing and email, can be viewed by clicking the link.

Slideshow Presentation - 2.98 MB 

Meeting Handout - 181 KB
A handout summarizing the draft goals and strategies for the 2009 Comprehensive Plan Update was distributed to workshop participants. The handout can be viewed by clicking on the above link.

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