Land Use In The Finger Lakes

Land Use in the Finger Lakes:
Making the Right Decisions to Sustain Economic Viability and Water Quality

Land Use Symposium A Success

Water quality in the Finger Lakes is related to land use. On October 30, 2008 the Finger Lakes Institute hosted Land Use in the Finger Lakes: Making the Right Decisions to Sustain Economic Viability and Water Quality, a symposium intended to assist communitites in understanding land use law, decision support technologies, and local approaches to land use. Partial funding for this event was provided by New York State Senate Legislature through the advocacy of Senator Michael F. Nozzolio and the Stardust Foundation of Central New York.

The program's agenda featured a training workshop on land use decision-making by the Pace University Land Use Law Center, a presentation by the Institute for the Application of Geospatial Technology (IAGT) in Auburn on their Owasco Lake Viewer and newly developing Owasco Watershed Network, and a panel discussion on regional approaches to land use. Panelists included Kevin Olvany, Canandaigua Lake Watershed Manager, speaking on a local laws project; Richard Ayers and Neil Simmons from the Town of Jerusalem speaking on managing development on steep slopes; and Ricky Slagle and Bob Martin from the Town of Niles speaking on lake rights law. The keynote speaker, Congressman James T. Walsh (25th Congressional District of NY), spoke to how local decision making by Finger Lakes communities is critical to the future protection of the lakes and continued economic viability of the region.

The symposium was well attended by local elected officials, public agencies, environmental and civic organizations, planners, landowners and academia. Of the 120 attendees, 23 towns, 3 villages, 9 academic institutions, 8 Finger Lakes region counties, 5 Finger Lakes associations and 3 regional planning agencies, were represented.

Participant's Information

• Pace University Land Use Law Center
• Institute for the Application of Geospatial Technology
• Canandaigua Lake Watershed Council
• Town of Jerusalem
• Town of Niles

Event Information

• Land Use Symposium Agenda

Attendee Folder Content Included:

• Speaker Biographies
• EPA's Growth and Water Resources
• EPA's Growing Toward More Efficient Water Use: Linking Development, Infrastructure, and Drinking Water Policies
• EPA's Protecting Water Resources with Higher-Density Development
• Creating a Local Environmental Law Program
• Use of Advanced Land Use Tools
• Introduction to the Land Use System
• Town of Niles Local Law 2-2008 Lake Rights Law
• Town of Jerusalem Local Law 3-2008 Regulations for Construction on Steep Slopes