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The In Box blog is a general news and discussion site for the News Department of North Country Public Radio. In Box contact information 
Latest NCPR News
The In Box blog is a general news and discussion site for the News Department of North Country Public Radio. In Box contact information
Latest NCPR News
What the heck is the Tug Hill Commission?
Google. It is essentially a planning unit pertaining to the Tug Hill Plateau. Has done good work for a rural, backwater area. The rugged Tug Hill Region also had the moniker Little Wilderness, I suppose to complement that Great Wilderness, the Adirondacks. I am not sure what agency would fill that void. DANC might assume some responsibility, though DANC has normally been focused on infrastructure, housing, transportation, etc.
My preference would be to see Tug retained and APA eliminated. I really think APA should be modeled more on the Tug, which emphasizes cooperation and not confrontation in assisting local governments.
The APA can and would assist local government if local government would be willing to govern instead whining, “Every problem we have is the fault of the APA.”
If the APA didn’t exist, local government would need to invent it to protect their own incompetence.
Regarding zoning, if you look at how Lake Placid has dealt with a shoreline owner recently regarding a few boat houses, I would not call it incompetence. They are far tougher than the APA would ever be.
Paul, this is true where you have a local planing board. Most towns let the APA do it all.
“if you look at how Lake Placid has dealt with a shoreline owner recently regarding a few boat houses, I would not call it incompetence. They are far tougher than the APA would ever be.”
Local governments and zoning boards might be tougher… maybe… in some cases. But that doesn’t mean they are necessarily as affective.
The upland development issue in Keene/Keene Valley is an interesting example of how local government and zoning can be well intentioned yet ineffective or overmatched. These communities have tried to limit and regulate certain development via local means, but have had only limited success.
They don’t seem to be as equipped to handle the endless cycle of regulation followed by loophole exploiters followed by confrontation or re-regulation. It is easier to wear them down, litigate them, influence them, etc etc.
The inevitable consequence of this is development creep. That may not be a huge deal in rural anywhere US, but in a State Park it is pretty important to make sure that land use regulations are not so easily avoided or compromised.
A more powerful state agency is not immune to this either – I’m looking at you party decks! – but it can generally handle this better.