Letter from Chip Northrup

Project Is a Head-scratcher

I looked at the revised Manocherian proposal and I am truly baffled. There’s nothing about it that’s economic, either for the land owner or the municipalities. Normally, a rural subdivision that is going to take advantage of conservation easements would first get entitlements on all the land, then get it appraised as such and donate based on the new appraisal. But they are designating most of the property as open space—which I believe will lessen the appraised valuation. So this is not a play for a big tax write-off, as I originally suspected. Which leaves the conventional economics of rural subdivisions—and the economic impact on the host municipalities—which most planning boards are clueless about. 

Cutting septic lots off of existing roads is the only plausible, economically feasible plan here that I can see. Building interior lots, a package sewer plant, and roads into the woods and floodplains with no views whatsoever makes no sense to me. If the roads are built and a few houses are built back in the trees, the respective towns will be obligated to maintain the roads, pick up the school kids, provide EMS, etc. to a few scattered houses—forever. That is not economical for a municipality.  

Plus the environmental degradation and run-off into the lake. Lawyer-up.

Chip Northrup
Cooperstown