How to Help Shape Pittsford's Community Climate Action Plan — and Why Your Voice Matters

The Town of Pittsford opened its Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP) Survey on August 5. It is asking every resident, business owner, and community organization to complete it — because the results will feed directly into the formal plan that guides Pittsford's sustainability decisions for years ahead.

The Survey Is Open — Here's What the Town Is Asking

The Survey Is Open — Here's What the Town Is Asking

The CCAP Survey takes less than 10 minutes. It covers community priorities for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, building resilience against climate impacts, and guiding the Town's long-term sustainability work. The invitation is broad — residents, business owners, and community organizations are all included — and you do not need to have attended a workshop or followed the Environmental Board's work to participate.

That breadth is deliberate. A climate action plan that captures only the opinions of already-engaged residents will reflect only those priorities. The Town wants to know what the wider community thinks matters, including people who don't typically show up to public meetings but have real stakes in how Pittsford grows, builds, and uses energy.

The survey is open now. Completing it is one of the more direct ways a resident can influence what the Town commits to.

What's Already Happened: The Workshop and the Inventory

What's Already Happened: The Workshop and the Inventory

The CCAP process is already underway. Earlier this summer, the Town held a community workshop that brought together the Town's Environmental Board, staff, community stakeholders, and representatives from the Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council (GFLRPC). Participants reviewed Pittsford's greenhouse gas inventory — the baseline data showing what the Town currently emits across energy use, transportation, and buildings — and explored specific climate strategies.

The inventory matters because it grounds everything else. Commitments made without emissions data are aspirational; commitments made with it are targets. The GFLRPC's involvement brings regional planning expertise to a local process that can benefit from it.

The survey extends that conversation to residents who weren't in the room. Workshop participants and survey respondents together form the full community voice that will shape the final plan.

Pittsford's Green Track Record — and What This Plan Builds On

Pittsford's Green Track Record — and What This Plan Builds On

Pittsford is recognized as one of New York's leaders in municipal sustainability, with the Greenprint and Climate Smart Communities certification as two of its most concrete achievements. The Greenprint established Pittsford's long-range approach to land conservation and open space. The Climate Smart Communities program tied the Town into a statewide network of municipalities working toward measurable climate goals.

A Pittsford community climate action plan builds the next layer: specific emissions targets, identified strategies, and a formal commitment to tracking progress. Where the Greenprint focused on what land the Town preserves, a CCAP focuses on what the Town and its residents emit — and what changes over what timeline.

The survey is live at the Town of Pittsford website. It takes under 10 minutes to complete.