Brookwood Launch Relocation Questioned by OLT Neighbors
By DARLA M. YOUNGS
COOPERSTOWN
No change in use, no change in capacity, no road, no lights, no structures.
When asked about concerns expressed by Brookwood Point Conservation Area neighbors, Otsego Land Trust Executive Director Gregory Farmer was adamant that relocation of the existing paddling launch to the northern end of the property does not constitute a change in OLT’s original master plan.
“This is exactly what has been discussed since we acquired the Brookwood Point property,” Farmer said in a telephone interview on Friday, May 3. “The only difference is the boardwalk, which requires a Special Permit from the town in order to protect the wetlands in that area.”
According to Farmer, the original master plan for the 22-acre parcel along Otsego Lake was developed in 2011 and approved in 2015, at which time OLT received a Special Permit to operate Brookwood Point as a recreational facility with no further conditions from the Town of Otsego. The northern location was the preferred spot for the paddling launch, but could not be completed then because the existing pedestrian bridges were in complete disrepair, Farmer explained.
“As there was no access then to the northern side of the property, we went with the natural launch at the southern end. We are now ready to complete that part of the project,” Farmer said.
