Finger Lakes National Forest

[Brenda]

The following is an excerpt from the Lodi Town Board meeting this past Thurs. night which was printed in the Finger Lakes Times:

By Paulette Likoudis
Friday, June 15, 2007 2:55 PM CDT

In other business, the board discussed:

FOREST - Residents' continuing concern about the Finger Lakes National Forest acquiring more town land.

Baer (Deputy Supervisor Eugen Baer) recalled that the federal government taking land off the local tax roll has been an issue since he was town supervisor 17 years ago.

Promises of payment in lieu of taxes have not materialized, he said, noting that the compensation the town gets now is paltry, “the equivalent of that of a single household.”

“I think it's time to make some noise,” he said, adding that he would consult with Davidson (Town Supervisor Lee Davidson). The Finger Lakes National Forest is reportedly eyeing another parcel of land on Wilkins Road.

Those who oppose the forest expansion say pleas for road maintenance have been rejected and the lost tax revenue is monumental. Baer pointed out that the Finger Lakes Forest constituted 16 percent of the town's land in 1996, and that has increased.

This crap drives me insane! The only parcel on Wilkins Rd. that Mr. Baer could be referring to is landlocked--totally surrounded by existing forest land! Wilkins Road is a seasonal road for all but the last several hundred feet, with no utilities! I wish that I could quote exactly how much land the forest has purchased in the Town of Lodi since 1996, but it isn't much, unless he's referring to the old boyscout camp that lay abandoned for years before the US Forest Service acquired it. Road maintenance? I counted less than ten miles of year round Town roads that are adjacent to forest land. The rest are county roads or seasonal. The majority of the forest lies within Schuyler County, and Lodi is in Seneca Co. I just don't understand how anyone can object to having land set aside for conservation; land that isn't developed to begin with. Heaven forbid that we should be proud of the fact the we have the only national forest in NY right in our backyards. They sure don't bitch when it comes time to ride their horses or snowmobile on the miles of trails that are maintained at US Forest Service expense! No, I don't want to attend the board meetings--I couldn't control my anger.

[Matt]

It's all about the $$ in Lodi!
The town would have responsibilities to offer services to parcels of land, so if it's isolated then it may cost them more than what they get in revenue. IE... they may have to begin maintaining the road... I think there are state laws that they would have to have an accessible road to a residence that they tax, because of emergency response.

[Brenda]

Even the portion of that road that is now currently "maintained" year round is still dirt. If an individual was to purchase that parcel to build on they would have to get a right of way across the existing gov't land for electric, access, etc., and I'm not sure how easily that is done. It's just been a hunting camp for years, as far as I know, so I can't imagine that it is assessed for much. The same people who are against forest expansion are likely the same people who would have no problem with having the existing forest dotted with gas wells, which has been another hot topic over recent years.

[Brenda]

Here we go again. God, I love my neighbors!!!

Lodi board gets update on FL Forest concerns
Issues prompted meeting with Rep. Michael Arcuri

By PAULETTE LIKOUDIS/Finger Lakes Times
Sunday, July 13, 2008 12:23 AM CDT

LODI — Supervisor Lee Davidson on Thursday gave Town Board members a recap of a June 30 gathering called by Rep. Michael Arcuri in response to concerns about growth of the Finger Lakes National Forest.

Davidson noted that Arcuri, D-24 of Utica, wanted the initial discussion “to be a private meeting.”

That gathering with the congressman and his aides lasted a little over an hour and included Assemblyman Brian Kolb, R-129 of Canandaigua; Davidson and his wife; Councilman Bob Ike, a board member involved in local efforts to implement the state’s Farmland Protection program; Town of Covert Supervisor Mike Reynolds; Seneca County Manager Suzanne Sinclair; Joe Ike, a member of the town’s Farmland Protection committee, and his wife; and a representative of Sen. Charles Schumer’s office. Representing the U.S. Forest Service were Meg Mitchell, forest supervisor for the Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests; and Chris Zimmer, assistant district ranger for the Finger Lakes National Forest. Sen. Hillary Clinton’s office was invited to participate but didn’t.

Davidson said that although he “didn’t have a good feeling going in,” he was encouraged by the discussion. He said he told Arcuri that the 2007 loss of around $80,000 in county, town and school taxes for 51 parcels of land held by the forest within Lodi “may sound like peanuts, but it’s big money to us.” Davidson said it was made clear that “zero growth” of the forest area is the town’s official goal.

Davidson said Mitchell proposed that the Forest Service take responsibility for Townsendville Road, already paved as a county road. He said Arcuri “asked about swapping some land back” to the town. Davidson said Arcuri took him aside and said “what they’re offering you is not enough.”

Former Councilman Lewis Rosbaugh noted that the government’s refusal to extract oil and gas within the forest area is causing an additional loss to the town.

“This meeting was intended to clarify the role that local communities can play in future forest planning and to foster cooperation and communication between the local communities and the Forest Service,” Arcuri said in a press release. “The participants agreed to future meetings to ensure open lines of communication.”

In a related matter, Councilman Ike reported that a June 17 meeting with Seneca County Planner Harriet Haynes and several consultants resulted in the selection of Behan Planning Associates to assist with the mapping of land within

the town. A Farmland Protection grant of $18,000 awarded earlier this year will cover the process.a

Ike also said a public meeting on farm easements and land trusts will be held at the town’s highway barn on the evening of Aug. 4, at a time to be announced.

http://www.fltimes.com/articles/2008/07 ... 644420.txt

[Matt]

That's 51 parcels of land that the town wouldn't have to spend tax revenue on, and they get compensation from the Fed for it. Sounds good to me.
Logically speaking... if they the parcels of land were to be occupied by tax-payers, then an efficient government would be using that tax base to pay for the increase in population. If the population doesn't increase, then they should have no need for new taxpayer income anyways. Unless the government cannot balance a budget. Then in that case they shouldn't be elected again. If their objective is to grow... become bigger- sounds counter to the small town reason for living there in the first place. If their objective is more money- well they've got to spend money to grow to accommodate the 51 new parcels of residents. If a government isn't corrupt or incompetent, new tax-payer revenue goes to support the new taxpayers- thus if you don't have it, you don't need it.

New tax-paying residents are not surplus generators... Politicians need to get that out of their head.

[Brenda]

$80,000 in county, town and school taxes for 51 parcels of land

That has to represent every inch of forest land within the town, much of which has been forest land from "day one."

Mitchell proposed that the Forest Service take responsibility for Townsendville Road, already paved as a county road.

I bet that will be news to Meg (and I intend to share this article with her)! The Forest Service owns less than 1/2 mile on both sides of this county road along a one mile stretch. There is not one road within the town where the Forest Service owns both sides for even one mile.

Former Councilman Lewis Rosbaugh noted that the government’s refusal to extract oil and gas within the forest area is causing an additional loss to the town.

The government's refusal? He must have missed the hundreds of protesters camped out in front of the ranger station.

The bottom line is that, for an individual to want to sell to the Forest Service, they REALLY have to WANT to sell to the Forest Service. It's a long and arduous process. They could certainly get more for the land by selling to a private individual. I'll be damned if the town is going to tell me who I can and can not sell my land to! I wish I had several thousand acres to sell to the forest!!!

[Brenda]

-- SUPERVISOR’S REPORT — Heard Town Supervisor Lee Davidson report that newly appointed Town Historian Julia Clawson is in the process of organizing records provided to her.

Davidson also reported that Amish residents in the area have said they would be interested in buying land within the Finger Lakes National Forest, if possible.

http://www.fltimes.com/articles/2008/08 ... 443241.txt

[Brenda]

Score one for the good guys! Too bad its not in Lodi.

Land Trust buys 30-acre parcel near national forest
From Journal staff reports • August 26, 2008

ITHACA — The Finger Lakes Land Trust has bought a 30-acre parcel surrounded on three sides by the Finger Lakes National Forest in Hector to preserve it from development at a time when land near such forest preserves become more sought-after, the organization announced Monday.

The Ithaca-based Land Trust intends to make the parcel, referred to as the Egan property, available to the U.S. Forest Service for purchase as soon as the agency has funds available. It moved quickly to buy the land after it was recently listed for sale.

The land is almost entirely forested and features 1,400 feet of frontage on Potomac Road, the primary access road to the 16,000-acre National Forest.

“We were concerned that this land could have been subdivided and developed,” said Land Trust executive director Andrew Zepp. “Its location within the heart of the Forest made it particularly attractive for this purpose. Hikers on the adjacent Backbone Trail can now rest assured that they will continue to view mature forest and not someone's backyard.”

Land that is owned by a not-for-profit organization or the federal government generally is no longer subject to property taxes, but the Forest Service makes payments in lieu of taxes to local governments, and the Land Trust consulted with Town of Hector officials to make sure they were not opposed before proceeding, Zepp said.

The Land Trust also holds a conservation easement on 74 acres of private land on the west side of the Finger Lakes National Forest. Established through the purchase of marginal farms during the 1930s and 40s, the forest now features a diverse mosaic of woodlands, meadows, and brush land habitats and more than 30 miles of trails. The site has been recognized by the National Audubon Society as one of New York's Important Bird Areas.

http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps/pb ... 60335/1002