Quality Communities Award For Excellence

Published: 6/9/2004

On Tuesday May 25th, I was honored to accept the New York State Governor's Quality Communities Award for Excellence. This award was presented to the Town of Pittsford in recognition of work that has been accomplished to promote and preserve agriculture, farmlands and open space areas; efforts to maintain a vital community center through the Library project; collaborative efforts to strengthen intergovernmental partnerships and for promotion of community input.

Lieutenant Governor Mary O. Donohue who presented this award to the Town said, "For putting words into practice, the Quality Communities Award for Excellence is presented to the Town of Pittsford for their innovative and pioneering Greenprint for preserving farmland, bold initiatives to keep their village vibrant and new strategies for collaborative decision making among Town, Village and School District officials for sharing space, services and savings."

In 1999, Governor Pataki signed an Executive Order forming the Quality Communities Interagency Task Force which was directed to undertake a multifaceted and interdisciplinary study of issues which might impact the creation of community visions. The Task Force was asked to inventory local, State and federal programs which affect community development, preservation and revitalization goals of urban, suburban and rural municipalities; to obtain broad public comment; to consider balanced growth and the need for economic development; to consider housing and other community service needs; and to develop recommendations to strengthen local capacity for change. The Governor recognized that State and local governments "require creative strategies to combine growth and environmental protection in order to enhance economic vitality and quality of life."

The Task Force worked diligently to meet the Governor's goals and expectations. Lieutenant Governor Donohue convened an Advisory Committee composed of a broad representation of interests and held ten roundtables throughout the State to hear from government leaders, environmental advocates and members of the business community about the particular qualities which are important to communities in their regions and how these qualities can be attained.

Using this information-gathering approach, the Task Force sought to identify and understand the many interrelated issues posed by its charge from the Governor. The Task Force found that the issues were myriad, intertwined and not adequately defined by the popular term, "smart growth." The Task Force concluded that growth is merely a subset of the issues relevant to the creation of a vision for a community. The final report, entitled State and Local Governments Partnering for a Better New York is not limited to considering land use policies, building codes or other governmental actions related to the built environment and the control of sprawl. It addresses the ever-growing desire expressed by people throughout our State to be able to connect with, and within, their communities.

What is a quality community? During its ten roundtables across the State, the Quality Communities Interagency Task Force consistently heard that the demands of daily living have caused New Yorkers to place an increasingly greater value on the quality of life in their own communities. Further, there is widespread recognition that the quality of our lives is intimately connected to land use patterns and governmental decision-making at the local, State and federal levels. I define the concept of a "quality community" as:

"...a safe family environment, it's a vitality and community pride with the residents, it is community involvement with a strong rapport with local officials. It is growth in accordance with local plans and policies, it's concern for the environment. It's protection for the character of our communities. It's a place we call home."

The Governor's Quality Communities Award for Excellence is a specific recommendation contained in the final report intended to recognize municipalities and neighborhoods, which rise to the challenge and embrace the goals of Quality Communities. This is the second year that this award has been presented and is done so at the Department of State and Audubon New York Quality Communities - Quality Coasts Smart Growth Conference.

Over the last eleven years, we have worked very hard to address many issues facing our community. In doing so we have involved residents and stakeholders in the development of recommendations most of which we have been able to successfully implement. While at the Quality Communities Conference I attended a number of training sessions and talked to quite a few people from across New York State. Time and time again reference was made to the proactive planning that had been accomplished in the Town of Pittsford and the excellent role model we serve as.

I would like to extend my congratulations to my fellow board members, to volunteers, to staff and to all the residents who have been part of our success. Thank you for your commitment and dedication to Pittsford, a real quality community.

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