Archive: Around Town

Over 40 people came out at 9am Wednesday morning to ask questions about the impact of creating a state forest or a state wildlife management area in northwest Lansing.  Approximately 490 acres of land including 3,400 feet of shoreline currently owned by NYSEG could be purchased and managed by the state if the Town affirms it supports the project and state funds are allotted.  Since the public learned of the idea last November many Lansing citizens have weighed in on the project.

"This is the most interest I've had this early in the process in my seventeen years," Department of Environmental Conservation Regional Director Kenneth Lynch commented at the meeting Wednesday.  "I commend you all and I encourage you to continue your participation."

Lansing Town Supervisor has been cautiously supportive of the idea.  She has expressed concerns about how a state forest would impact the town in terms of costs, responsibilities, and liability. Lynch says there will be no cost to the town, and that liability and enforcement would be state responsibilities.  But Miller is continuing to explore possible impacts and listening to residents on both sides of the issue before deciding on whether to vote to support the project.

	Why a State Forest? What People Are Saying: Pros - Unique opportunity for preservation - Will attract tourism - Will raise nearby property values Cons - Local tax revenue would be higher if sold for residential development - State taxes pay for purchase and maintenance

Much of the feedback has supported a state forest, either wholeheartedly or with reservations, but not everyone likes the idea.  If the land is used for a state forest tax revenue would remain about the same, or may be less.  County Assessor Jay Franklin explained Wednesday that the state sets the land value based on state wide averages.  He said that while some communities may gain tax revenues others get less that the value before the State obtains the land.  He said Lansing would lose revenue.

Lynch said there may be ways to bring the revenue back to current levels, because about half the land is leased for agricultural use.  He said details of how much the State would pay would be negotiated with the Town before going forward with the purchase.

School Board President David Dittman said Monday that private ownership of such desirable land would generate more property tax revenue in the long run.  He said that private development would make the property worth millions of dollars more than it is now.

"That is something the school district could certainly use," Dittman said.  "We have an interest in that property not becoming a state park for two reasons.  One, because it will decrease our tax base, and second because it will put a strain on our state, which can't support state parks right now."

"There are other people who have a different opinion," Acting School Superintendent Chris Pettograsso said.  "There are people who want the state park and people who think the sewer would change the quality of life and character of life in Lansing.  I want to hear what those people have to say and not assume that everybody wants the same thing.  Our goal is to talk about what the impact on the school is, and stay focused on that."

Since November people have been coming to Town Board meetings largely to speak in support of a state park.  John Greenly spoke up at the February 20 meeting after taking a tour of the property.

"I was so impressed by it that I wanted to speak in favor of it," he said.  "It's a unique thing: I'm not sure how many of us have had a chance to see what our Lansing lakeshore looked like before it was developed.  There's not much left.  I think it would be a tremendous treasure for the town."

The property has what Greenley called a healthy, high quality forest with many oaks that is well suited to use as a state forest.  He noted that the understory is healthy, rare among local forested areas that have been decimated by deer. 

He said the shoreline is unusual in that it is easily and safely walkable, with very shallow water for a long way out into the lake.  He said that a large duck population takes advantage of the shallow water, and that the forest is a haven for birds, which would make the land an attraction for bird watchers.  He also said fisher tracks had been spotted.  Fishers are rare, large weasels.

"We've had a lot of input from both sides," Miller said Wednesday.  "A lot of emails and letters have come in favor of this, but I've heard a lot of people talk about the disadvantages to this.  People who aren't sold on it don't write letters -- it's more verbal.  And the people who write their letters say nothing about security, say nothing about taxes.  You have to consider everything going forward, because once it's done, it's done."


"For each individual taxpayer it's a cost benefit analysis," Dittman said.  "They look at the benefits of these different assets and ask themselves what the cost to them will be.  Each one of these activities has a cost or a benefit whether they are undertaken or not undertaken.  You have to determine how much cost you are willing to bear by non-action, and what the cost savings or additional costs will be by action."

Lynch and Fingerlakes Land Trust Executive Director Andy Zepp have both indicated that the State is not interested in pursuing the project unless the Town endorses it.  In November Zepp asked the Town Board to pass a resolution supporting the idea, but uncertainty about its impact has delayed a vote while board members research possible impacts and get more input from residents.

Four of the five board members were present at Wednesday's meeting.  Miller says her next step will be to contact town governments that have state land within their borders to find out how it has worked out for them.

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