Local officials await new maps
By Gwendolyn Craig
Following mostly negative feedback on a proposed 500-mile off-road vehicle trail network, Franklin County officials say they will remove off-road vehicle use on trails that flow into the Adirondack Park.
“It’s clear that certain areas in the southeastern portion of the county, especially those within the Park, do not support ORV use,” said Phil Hans, director of economic development and tourism. “We value this input and are revisiting the trail system accordingly.”
The Adirondack Explorer thanks its advertising partners. Become one of them.
The county plans to release updated maps that will “feature enhanced clarity and detailed coding to clearly depict the allowable uses of each section of the trail,” according to a news release. The lack of detail in the county’s initial package of material released under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) was another common complaint from commenters.
“Let’s get the maps,” said Peter Shrope, supervisor for the town of Brighton in Franklin County.
The towns of Brighton and Franklin boards both passed resolutions against the project proposal.
Shrope said he hasn’t heard directly from the county, and he wasn’t sure if the press release alleviated any concerns.
The Adirondack Explorer thanks its advertising partners. Become one of them.
“You can’t respond to a suggestion,” he said. “You have to respond to something concrete. I think that’s great that you’re saying they’re going to do this. I haven’t seen it, but when it is public and comes out, we’ll deal with it as a board and see how everyone feels about it.”
It’s unclear when those maps will be released, but Hans said once they are, the county will hold a public forum. This will be in addition to a required public hearing under the State Environmental Quality Review Act.
Updated materials and notices of public hearings are expected to be posted here: https://www.franklincountyny.gov/business/multi_use_trails_draft_scoping_documents.php.
In a released statement, Franklin County Legislature Chairman Edward Lockwood thanked the public for sharing their comments.
The Adirondack Explorer thanks its advertising partners. Become one of them.
“Your voices have been heard, and our tourism office is committed to ensuring the trail system reflects your input,” Lockwood said.
The county unveiled its draft scoping document for the trail proposal in June and received more than 100 comments, according to the news release. The Explorer filed a Freedom of Information Law request for the comments and received 94. Of the 94, 90 commenters expressed concerns ranging from public safety, to environment, to legal questions.
The Adirondack Park Agency’s Executive Director Barbara Rice had said in a comment letter that the plan “lacks sufficient detail to enable proper analysis.”
An APA spokesperson told the Explorer last week that the plan was too premature and incomplete to come before the APA board anytime soon. The APA is charged with overseeing public and private development in the 6-million-acre park.
The Adirondack Explorer thanks its advertising partners. Become one of them.
Residents mostly in the Adirondack Park decried off-road vehicle trails. The proposal did not reflect the rules and regulations governing the Adirondack Park and its forest preserve.
“Based on the feedback, we’re pivoting,” said Franklin County Manager Donna Kissane. She told the Explorer that the goal is to provide a 500-mile trail network, much of it for off-road vehicles, but not to develop something opposed by county residents. “Sometimes you meet people where you’re at,” she said. “It’s not our intention to cause unrest as we look to find a nice trail system for our visitors.”
Jeff Binga, president of the New York State Off-Highway Recreational Vehicle Association, said “people must realize there are people who enjoy the motorized side of things. He said there are 125,000 registered ATVs based on 2018 data and probably hundreds of thousands more not registered in the state.
A report by the Wildlife Conservation Society in 2003, referred to in Franklin County’s SEQRA filing, noted that private land owners are wary about the expansion of off-road vehicle trails because the vehicles can go anywhere and would be difficult to regulate. It said a need for education on many topics of use would be necessary.
James M. Odato contributed to this report.
Top photo: One of the proposed trail maps for the Franklin County Multi-Use Recreational Trail System. Screenshot from the county’s draft scoping document
This is another step in what will be a very long process. The poorly conceived initial draft plan has tainted the public’s trust in the county’s ability to follow required project development and implementation procedures.
A more thorough analysis of the benefits and impacts of motorized recreation to adjacent counties will need to be conducted.
How is it that Saint Lawrence County has an off- road vehicle trail that crosses the Blue Line and seems to be operating successfully?
Exactly…
I am one that would li ke to see a lot of trails for dualsports and motorcycle use to access remote areas remote access camp sites via adv motorcycles its a huge and growing segment of American travel .it’s frustrating that even places like moose river you can’t even go moto camping there it’s ridiculous that a few motorcycle haters want too have huge areas too themselves banning outboard motors and float planes unfortunately those people often make the most noise
Mr. Ringler — are you arguing that people without motorized off road vehicles are more noisy than those that are with? That is not a serious position.
People don’t “want too have huge areas too themselves.” The people of New York are gifted with a huge, constitutionally protected, forever wild park which is the crown jewel of protected parkland in the United States of America. It is our unique treasure — and that’s what makes it unique AND a treasure. It isn’t an off road park — nor is it a motorcycle park — and it isn’t going to be as each of those activities are not compatible with the park’s primary characteristic or it’s constitutional mandate. It would be much easier for everyone involved if folks were able to wrap their head around what it is — and isn’t – and perhaps spending time enjoying what it is rather than bemoaning what it isn’t.
If folks are having trouble planning vacations where they can cycle and motor through the backcountry, I’m happy to help plan some itineraries because I am certain those places exist elsewhere.
Well said!
Maybe once they are all EV and largely silent that can happen. But listening to float planes, outboards and motorcycles all day when you’re trying to enjoy some peace and quiet sucks. Not to mention the effect all that noise pollution has on the wild life.
The Karen’s are at it again! People wonder why crime goes up all the time. Can’t do anything in this country without being fined or arrested Right in the article it states concerns about unregistered vehicles and how they can go anywhere lol. A unregistered atv isn’t hurting anyone anymore then a registered one, other then a statist. There is nothing wrong with people enjoying the Adirondacks on there atvs etc. stop the hating folks and start respecting freedom and the enjoyment and business that it brings.
Do you feel the Park would exist in its current state if users had been allowed to treat it as if it were their own property? Is that what Forever Wild means – the Wild, Wild West? The Preserve was set aside by constitutional amendment to protect forests, waterways and nature. What you see today is the result. Imagine what would it look like today if citizens were allowed to maintain the old status quo prior to formation of the Forest Preserve? Take a look at some old images generated before the Park was protected. It looks like a nuclear desert – tree stumps, disturbed soils, and denuded land as far as the eye can see. Rivers straightened to float logs. Wetlands drained. Predators, beavers, and other wildlife with state/county bounties on their heads/pelts – some of which were extirpated from the State.
The “Karens” of which you speak do not govern the Park. It is the voters who accept or reject constitutional changes to the FP. With the exception of snowmobiles (for some reason), motors within the backcountry of the Forest Preserve have not been widely viewed as compatible with preservation of Nature and maintaining a unique area in the US. Perhaps one day the voters will feel differently about the FP and allow motor vehicles in more places, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. Simply put – most voters seem to recognize the unique qualities and ideals of the Park, and want to preserve those qualities.
I love this. Great argument. Crime goes up because regulations meant to preserve constitutionally protected wild land can’t possibly be abided by freedom loving four wheelers.
Guess what? You and your ilk can travel to every inch and corner of public land in the Adirondack Park. Every inch. Freedom. Completely. Of course your atv is not free to accompany you. Seems to me, needing your atv is what limits your freedom. I suffer under no such constraints. It’s not that difficult to understand once you give it some thought.
Additionally, I can’t help but laugh at this nonsense about business and enjoyment. I closely observe this business and enjoyment as I have the good fortune of living right smack along a county route. The business and enjoyment appears to consist entirely of driving from bar to bar and sometimes clumping up at various intersections to drink there too. Why the heck do you feel the need to drive through pristine wildlands to do that? Too many people worried about getting caught drunk driving? Is that it? Only that? God knows you aren’t physically ambulating while viewing/enjoying the natural beauty and solitude — which are of course the primary activities within a forever wild park, that are permanently damaged by atvs.
In my experience, there are two kinds of people who camp in the wilderness. The ones who go there to enjoy nature and the ones who go there so they can do stuff that they can’t do in their back yard without someone calling the cops. The majority of recreational ATV users seem to fall into the second group.
ATV usage through ADK environmental public parklands is absolutely a negative impact usage. 2019 report:
https://www.adirondackcouncil.org/vs-uploads/pdf/1554311741_ATVReport2019Web.pdf
Well this past Saturday was a “Poker Run” and as a Duane resident we see our share of ORV’s. The noise started at 10:30 and went past 9pm. Sunday I went into Malone and Rt. 26 was lined with beer cans and package wrapping. Total disrespect! I recall a former teacher telling me, With every right there come responsibilities. I fought to stop the expansion of the current trail system and will continue to do so!
Well, here’s what can happen – good and bad – from NH!
“In 2013, when “Ride The Wilds” was introduced, there were 16,577 registrations. By 2017, the number had grown nearly 50 percent to 24,273 — 17,075 ATVs registered in-state, 7,198 out-of-state.”
https://www.nhbr.com/trouble-on-the-trails/
Great, enlightening article, thanks for sharing.
The article is spot on and already happening here… This plan has already, and will continue to, reduce the quality of life of local property owners.
The first thing I read in this article was that “HISTORY SAID” the Native Americans never lived here. Whose history??? That is a false narrative that keeps being promoted. 11,000 years ago, many different Native Americans lived here and traveled here. As usual European history tries to erase what was original to the area. Remember that many Native Americans were displaced and put on reservations when the European settlers/explorers came and discovered just how beautiful their land was. I recognize the Adirondacks as Native American territory, just like Manhattan was originally known as “Manahatta” by the Lenape Indians, which means “a thicket where wood can be found to make bows.” The bow and arrow were a chief means of hunting for so I can see them hunting the abundance of deer or other animals that were numerous at that time. The name was first recorded in writing as Manna-hata in the logbook of an officer aboard the Half Moon, the vessel of Henry Hudson, who was the first Dutch explorer to visit the area in 1609.