The Tupper Lake Town Board voted this week to oppose the state’s acquisition of Follensby Pond, one of the largest privately owned lakes in the Northeast, and some sixty-five thousand acres once owned by Finch, Pruyn & Co. Both properties are now owned by the Nature Conservancy, which intends to sell them to the state.
Jessica Collier, writing in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, says the town’s resolution closely mirrors the one passed a few weeks ago by the Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board. Franklin County passed a similar resolution, and the Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages is considering a similar measure.
Despite the local opposition, the state Department of Environmental Conservation does not intend to back off plans to purchase the properties, according to DEC officials. I have written a detailed story on the controversy that will appear in the March/April issue of the Explorer.
Part of the 14,600-acre Follensby Park lies within the town of Tupper Lake, but most of the land is in adjacent Harrietstown.
If you follow the link to Jessica’s story, be sure to check out the lively debate in the comments section.
Phil, The ADE comments are always pretty wild! Now the town of Tupper Lake approved this deal at some point prior to the sale is that correct? I am still trying to figure out this process.
Paul, I’m not sure if Tupper Lake took an official position in the past. I don’t recall that happening. I don’t believe any of the Finch lands are in the town. Of course, the town would be one of the gateways to Follensby–at least for those approaching the parcel by land.
Phil,
Thanks it sounds like part of the Follensby property is in TL (like 1500 acres). Maybe the rest is in Harrietstown?
“I’m not sure if Tupper Lake took an official position in the past.”
According to the other things I have been reading if the plan was to use EPF funds for the purchase the state had to get the OK from any towns where the land lies.
“Despite the local opposition, the state Department of Environmental Conservation does not intend to back off plans to purchase the properties”
I’m downright giddy that the DEC refuse to consider any of the absurd concerns and demands of the backward regressives.
These people are children – ignorant Adirondack teabaggers.
And ANYTHING the teabaggers have success with will be BAD for everybody – INCLUDING them – whether they realize it or not.
NUKE the eyesore that is downtown Tupper Lake – then rebuild it like Lake Placid. THEN it will attract more tourists and money will come in.
Without making Tupper Lake some kind of weird industrial capital of the Adirondacks, and destroying their little section of the Adirondacks in the process, their best shot at a healthy economy is to attract tourists.
What they lose in hunting camp revenue they’ll make up for in tourist revenue.
And like John Boner said, if we lose a few logging jobs while adding to and improving the forest preserve, so be it.
“then rebuild it like Lake Placid. THEN it will attract more tourists and money will come in.”
Rebuild it like Lake Placid. That is not a bad idea if they could do it. I suppose the ACR is a start in that direction? Tim, I am sure you support that project. Lake Placid actually has much more dense lakeside development. I agree with you focus more development on the water that is what will attract tourists.
In fact Tim don’t you think that Follensby could be the next Mirror Lake?
Follensby was purchased from the McCormack family by the Adirondack chapter of the Nature Conservancy. It was not part of the Finch Pruyn lands also acquired by the Nature Conservancy which now belong to the state. Follensby is still owned by the Nature Conservancy and is not scheduled to be sold to the state.
If the Nature Conservancy owns it, the only logical next step is to sell to the State. The Conservancy would be most reluctant to sell to a private owner, and keeping ownership forever isn’t how they operate – they need the money for their next public interest purchase.