Land Use & Zoning

What this section is

Land use is the enforcement arm of the Comprehensive Plan. This section describes the draft Future Land Use Map (FLUM) and the classifications used to guide zoning decisions after the plan is adopted.

The draft FLUM classifications

The August 2026 draft FLUM divides Carlton into these land use categories:

Residential (three sub-types):

• Rural Residential / Large Lot
• Hamlet Residential / Medium Lot
• Lake Side Residential

Non-residential:

• Agricultural
• Commercial
• Industrial
• Community Services
• Public Services
• Recreation & Entertainment
• Wild, forested, conservation lands and public parks
• Vacant Land

What the FLUM shows

Point Breeze appears as a mix of Commercial, Community Services, and Recreation & Entertainment — reflecting the destination role residents identified in the survey. The waterfront strip along Lake Ontario is largely Lake Side Residential. Agricultural land dominates the interior. Wild/forested conservation lands anchor several corners.

Solar development

Comments in the community survey flagged large-scale solar development as a concern. Land use decisions in the plan will need to address where and how utility-scale solar fits without displacing agricultural land or altering rural viewsheds.

Look at the map

The draft FLUM (August 2026) is available in the Documents library. Zoning changes flow from the plan but require separate legislative action — the FLUM is guidance, not a rezoning.

What we heard at Workshop #1 (Sept 23, 2026)

Participants reviewed the current land use map and the draft FLUM:

• Add forever-wild and conservation lands to the FLUM, especially campgrounds and other naturalistic parcels.
• The draft may include too many large areas of land dedicated to housing.
• Update guidelines for future use and development; concerns about data centers, STAMP, and large solar/wind projects.

How is "vacant land" classified on the map?

Vacant parcels on the map were identified using the property classification codes the Town assessor assigns to each parcel. Those codes are part of the statewide system maintained by the NYS Office of Real Property Tax Services; parcels shown as vacant carry a 300-series code (Vacant Land). A 300-series parcel can still have a small shed, garage, or other minor improvement. If someone owns a parcel with their home on it plus adjoining parcels with no structures, the adjoining parcels may be classified vacant. Some parcels may also show as vacant because assessor records haven't caught up with recent construction or a change in use. The parcel data came from the Orleans County Real Property Tax Services office and was current as of April 2025.

Source: G/FLRPC notes from the September 23, 2026 public workshop (~40 participants). See the full workshop recap.