Questions & answers

A comprehensive plan is a long-range policy document designed to guide the future physical, economic, and social development of Carlton — the Town's blueprint for the next 20 to 30 years. It establishes a shared community vision and identifies goals, strategies, and actions needed to achieve it.

Source: Town of Carlton Comprehensive Plan Workshop handouts.

No. PlanCarlton.org is a community-run engagement site, independent of the Town of Carlton government. For official notices, meeting minutes, and legal documents, please contact the Town directly.

The Town's own comprehensive plan process is being led by the Steering Committee with support from Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council (G/FLRPC) — contact Jenny Loewenstein at jloewenstein@gflrpc.org.

Volunteer residents. If you want to help — moderating comments, curating documents, writing summaries of workshops — email hello@plancarlton.org.

Fact: A comprehensive plan helps the Town plan ahead by identifying priorities and strategies to avoid costly reactive decisions later, and positions the Town to pursue funding opportunities as they arise.

Source: Town of Carlton Comprehensive Plan Workshop handouts.

Fact: The comprehensive plan is a policy framework, while a zoning ordinance is the legally binding law. The plan recommends how land should be used in the future, but a distinct legislative action (rezoning) is required to legally enforce those changes.

Source: Town of Carlton Comprehensive Plan Workshop handouts.

Fact: It's a living document that is updated as community needs and goals evolve.

Source: Town of Carlton Comprehensive Plan Workshop handouts.

Public comments and structured submissions here are compiled and shared with the Town's Steering Committee as community input. Comments here do not replace submitting official comments to the Town at public hearings — they supplement them.

No — but tell us where you're commenting from. Neighbors from adjacent towns (Yates, Kendall, Ridgeway) and seasonal residents are welcome. Full-year residents will have the most weight with the committee.

The Steering Committee is following a five-phase process:

1. Launch (January – March 2026) — Coordinate with partners, review past plans and data
2. Listening (March – May 2026) — Engagement plan and community survey
3. Visioning (May – September 2026) — Community workshop, goal & theme identification
4. Action (September – November 2026) — Develop strategies & actions, implementation plan
5. Adoption (November – December 2026) — Public hearing, environmental review, Planning Board

Source: Town of Carlton Comprehensive Plan Workshop handouts.

The community survey generated more than 100 responses. Findings are compiled into the Engagement Report (available in Documents) and shape the vision statement, goals, and priorities of the plan.

Key themes so far: rural character, waterfront access, agricultural heritage, and community facilities are the priorities residents most consistently named.

Comprehensive Plan Workshop:

📅 September 23, 2026 · 6:30–8:00 PM 📍 Carlton Fire Co. Rec Hall · 1853 Route 98, Carlton

Join to learn about the plan update and provide feedback on how to strengthen Carlton and enhance your quality of life. See the Meetings page for RSVP.

The Steering Committee is targeting November–December 2026 for public hearing, environmental review, and Planning Board adoption. Timelines can shift — check the Meetings page for the current schedule.

The comprehensive plan is the policy (the 'what' and 'why'). Zoning is the tool that carries it out (the 'how'). Zoning changes have to be consistent with the comp plan — but they require separate action by the Town Board after public hearings.

The FLUM is the draft map of proposed land use classifications for Carlton — where residential, agricultural, commercial, recreation, and conservation land is proposed to sit. The draft August 2026 FLUM is in the Documents library.

The FLUM guides future zoning decisions but doesn't change zoning by itself.