Pa. "Wilds"
01-25-2006 | 04:18 PM
#41
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,262
Likes: 0
RE: Pa. "Wilds"
Germain,I alsohave a problem with some of the comments we're hearing from DCNR.Just when Istarted having a little faith,they let us down again.I'll go on record to support themany at DCNR that do care about hunting but some of these guys need to go.
Nothing irritates me more than to see hunters get the short end of the stick.That's exactly why we need to back the PGC,even if we don't agree with every one of their policies.Hunting as we know it will cease to exist if DCNR gets to call the shots.
Nothing irritates me more than to see hunters get the short end of the stick.That's exactly why we need to back the PGC,even if we don't agree with every one of their policies.Hunting as we know it will cease to exist if DCNR gets to call the shots.
01-26-2006 | 07:53 AM
#42
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,600
Likes: 0
From: S.W. Pa.-- Heart in North Central Pa. mountains-
RE: Pa. "Wilds"
[:-][:-]
ORIGINAL: DougE
Germain,I alsohave a problem with some of the comments we're hearing from DCNR.Just when Istarted having a little faith,they let us down again.I'll go on record to support themany at DCNR that do care about hunting but some of these guys need to go.
Nothing irritates me more than to see hunters get the short end of the stick.That's exactly why we need to back the PGC,even if we don't agree with every one of their policies.Hunting as we know it will cease to exist if DCNR gets to call the shots.
Germain,I alsohave a problem with some of the comments we're hearing from DCNR.Just when Istarted having a little faith,they let us down again.I'll go on record to support themany at DCNR that do care about hunting but some of these guys need to go.
Nothing irritates me more than to see hunters get the short end of the stick.That's exactly why we need to back the PGC,even if we don't agree with every one of their policies.Hunting as we know it will cease to exist if DCNR gets to call the shots.
01-26-2006 | 12:41 PM
#44
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: Forksville Pa
RE: Pa. "Wilds"
More on the Wilds......
http://www.tiogapublishing.com/articles/2006/01/26/opinion/opinion01.txt
Wilds ‘train wreck' happening' -
To the Editor:
Having attended the recent presentation on the Pennsylvania Wilds Initiative, I believe it is important for people to be aware of the largest impact to Potter and Tioga counties which is unknown to most citizens. Being involved in farming and land use issues both here and statewide, it is clear to me that a train wreck of sorts is now already occurring in both counties regarding land development for recreation property sales to the tourist market. Already, there are hundreds of small lot subdivisions around state lands being prepared for marketing to the tourism group by local developers. Neither county has a regional zoning plan such as Lycoming County has to plan for our future land use. The recently enacted Comprehensive Land Use Plans are only voluntary guides and developers are not abiding by these documents, and in fact many are openly opposed to any land use restrictions as stated at last Augusta Tioga County Commissioners meeting by some local developers.
A new local real estate paper called “Mountain Home,” targeting the above tourist market contains an article by a local developer acknowledging the possible Pocono-like development boom which is likely to occur. This will drive up assessed property values in both counties and real estate tax increases will drive many of us off the land as time goes by. Farming is especially vulnerable to this because of the land needed to farm. This is like a snowball effect as more of us owning land, with relatively lower incomes sell out because of higher taxes. Tioga County is currently working on a county zoning plan but a lot of damage will be done until it is enacted into law and it is unknown as yet how it will address this recreation property development boom which is already occurring.
Potter County's Commissioners are responsible for initiating the required land use policy, and have not so yet. State money is available to hire an experienced consultant, as was done with the Comprehensive Plan, to create the best ordinance for today's land use demands. If this is not done today, within five to ten years, the area will be developed beyond any predictions and our costs to live here significantly higher. The Pennsylvania Wilds Initiative, colliding with 1950s land use policies, is a train wreck already happening.
Bill Miller
Westfield
To the Editor:
Having attended the recent presentation on the Pennsylvania Wilds Initiative, I believe it is important for people to be aware of the largest impact to Potter and Tioga counties which is unknown to most citizens. Being involved in farming and land use issues both here and statewide, it is clear to me that a train wreck of sorts is now already occurring in both counties regarding land development for recreation property sales to the tourist market. Already, there are hundreds of small lot subdivisions around state lands being prepared for marketing to the tourism group by local developers. Neither county has a regional zoning plan such as Lycoming County has to plan for our future land use. The recently enacted Comprehensive Land Use Plans are only voluntary guides and developers are not abiding by these documents, and in fact many are openly opposed to any land use restrictions as stated at last Augusta Tioga County Commissioners meeting by some local developers.
A new local real estate paper called “Mountain Home,” targeting the above tourist market contains an article by a local developer acknowledging the possible Pocono-like development boom which is likely to occur. This will drive up assessed property values in both counties and real estate tax increases will drive many of us off the land as time goes by. Farming is especially vulnerable to this because of the land needed to farm. This is like a snowball effect as more of us owning land, with relatively lower incomes sell out because of higher taxes. Tioga County is currently working on a county zoning plan but a lot of damage will be done until it is enacted into law and it is unknown as yet how it will address this recreation property development boom which is already occurring.
Potter County's Commissioners are responsible for initiating the required land use policy, and have not so yet. State money is available to hire an experienced consultant, as was done with the Comprehensive Plan, to create the best ordinance for today's land use demands. If this is not done today, within five to ten years, the area will be developed beyond any predictions and our costs to live here significantly higher. The Pennsylvania Wilds Initiative, colliding with 1950s land use policies, is a train wreck already happening.
Bill Miller
Westfield
01-26-2006 | 03:15 PM
#45
Thread Starter
Typical Buck
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 554
Likes: 0
From: Pa.
RE: Pa. "Wilds"
ORIGINAL: High Country Kid
More on the Wilds......
http://www.tiogapublishing.com/articles/2006/01/26/opinion/opinion01.txt
More on the Wilds......
Wilds ‘train wreck' happening' -
To the Editor:
Having attended the recent presentation on the Pennsylvania Wilds Initiative, I believe it is important for people to be aware of the largest impact to Potter and Tioga counties which is unknown to most citizens. Being involved in farming and land use issues both here and statewide, it is clear to me that a train wreck of sorts is now already occurring in both counties regarding land development for recreation property sales to the tourist market. Already, there are hundreds of small lot subdivisions around state lands being prepared for marketing to the tourism group by local developers. Neither county has a regional zoning plan such as Lycoming County has to plan for our future land use. The recently enacted Comprehensive Land Use Plans are only voluntary guides and developers are not abiding by these documents, and in fact many are openly opposed to any land use restrictions as stated at last Augusta Tioga County Commissioners meeting by some local developers.
A new local real estate paper called “Mountain Home,” targeting the above tourist market contains an article by a local developer acknowledging the possible Pocono-like development boom which is likely to occur. This will drive up assessed property values in both counties and real estate tax increases will drive many of us off the land as time goes by. Farming is especially vulnerable to this because of the land needed to farm. This is like a snowball effect as more of us owning land, with relatively lower incomes sell out because of higher taxes. Tioga County is currently working on a county zoning plan but a lot of damage will be done until it is enacted into law and it is unknown as yet how it will address this recreation property development boom which is already occurring.
Potter County's Commissioners are responsible for initiating the required land use policy, and have not so yet. State money is available to hire an experienced consultant, as was done with the Comprehensive Plan, to create the best ordinance for today's land use demands. If this is not done today, within five to ten years, the area will be developed beyond any predictions and our costs to live here significantly higher. The Pennsylvania Wilds Initiative, colliding with 1950s land use policies, is a train wreck already happening.
Bill Miller
Westfield
To the Editor:
Having attended the recent presentation on the Pennsylvania Wilds Initiative, I believe it is important for people to be aware of the largest impact to Potter and Tioga counties which is unknown to most citizens. Being involved in farming and land use issues both here and statewide, it is clear to me that a train wreck of sorts is now already occurring in both counties regarding land development for recreation property sales to the tourist market. Already, there are hundreds of small lot subdivisions around state lands being prepared for marketing to the tourism group by local developers. Neither county has a regional zoning plan such as Lycoming County has to plan for our future land use. The recently enacted Comprehensive Land Use Plans are only voluntary guides and developers are not abiding by these documents, and in fact many are openly opposed to any land use restrictions as stated at last Augusta Tioga County Commissioners meeting by some local developers.
A new local real estate paper called “Mountain Home,” targeting the above tourist market contains an article by a local developer acknowledging the possible Pocono-like development boom which is likely to occur. This will drive up assessed property values in both counties and real estate tax increases will drive many of us off the land as time goes by. Farming is especially vulnerable to this because of the land needed to farm. This is like a snowball effect as more of us owning land, with relatively lower incomes sell out because of higher taxes. Tioga County is currently working on a county zoning plan but a lot of damage will be done until it is enacted into law and it is unknown as yet how it will address this recreation property development boom which is already occurring.
Potter County's Commissioners are responsible for initiating the required land use policy, and have not so yet. State money is available to hire an experienced consultant, as was done with the Comprehensive Plan, to create the best ordinance for today's land use demands. If this is not done today, within five to ten years, the area will be developed beyond any predictions and our costs to live here significantly higher. The Pennsylvania Wilds Initiative, colliding with 1950s land use policies, is a train wreck already happening.
Bill Miller
Westfield
01-31-2006 | 05:07 PM
#48
Typical Buck
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 522
Likes: 0
From: PA
RE: Pa. "Wilds"
People can't have it both ways. While some are complaining about DCNR over-promoting hunting in state forests and wanting more DMAP tags, others are nowcomplaining about DCNR being opposed to hunting?
DCNR sent one of their policy flacks to Potter Countyto speak to the Potter Co. Visitors Assn. about the PA Wilds program. It's supposed to help rural areas promote tourism of the sort they may not currently be benefitting from, most of which will not conflict with hunting due to the seasonal differences. Such ruralareas are already hip to hunting and fishing tourism and have been for generations, which is probably why hunting is not a part of the PA Wilds program.
When Ms Fox accused the DCNR mope of not including hunting, he gave anhonest answer: "I didn't come here to talk about hunting." Big surprise, since he actually wasn't there to talk about hunting, but to offer other avenues for local businesses to venture into, primarily during warmer months. There are also existing programsto promotewinter activities like skiing, snowmobiling, etc.
As for a Poconos-like situation coming to pass in Potter or Tioga counties, there's a few major obstacles to that: Distance and transportation. The Poconos is within an hour or two of much of urbanNY/NJ. Any way you cut it, Potter/Tioga is a three or four hour cruise from those population centers.
Don't know Bill Miller, but my cabin is within 7 miles of Westfield. It's close to beinga dying town and will only get worse now that their largest local employer is closed and several others are on their last legs. People that live in the area either drive several hours each day to work, subsist on meager wages or are on welfare. Doubt many are opposed to the possibility of more jobs in the area. Those that own vacation homes there may not like the idea though, but then they don't live there year 'round.
As for land use regulations, it's true that something needs to be done in both counties to prevent greedy developers from carving up paradise into one acre lots. Plus, I'dhate tosee elderly farmers taken advantage of and get stuck with gobs of flatlander cash for land they no longer need.
Those poor folks have had to struggle for years without zoning permits, building permits and such other amenities those of us take for granted that live in the more populated parts of the state. "My" rural township nowhas more restrictive regs than just a few years ago. Some of my elderly neighbors have even had to scrounge up thousands of dollars to upgrade their septic systems to sand mounds, now that regulations have been established at the order of the commonwealth. It's the price of progress, apparently.
DCNR sent one of their policy flacks to Potter Countyto speak to the Potter Co. Visitors Assn. about the PA Wilds program. It's supposed to help rural areas promote tourism of the sort they may not currently be benefitting from, most of which will not conflict with hunting due to the seasonal differences. Such ruralareas are already hip to hunting and fishing tourism and have been for generations, which is probably why hunting is not a part of the PA Wilds program.
When Ms Fox accused the DCNR mope of not including hunting, he gave anhonest answer: "I didn't come here to talk about hunting." Big surprise, since he actually wasn't there to talk about hunting, but to offer other avenues for local businesses to venture into, primarily during warmer months. There are also existing programsto promotewinter activities like skiing, snowmobiling, etc.
As for a Poconos-like situation coming to pass in Potter or Tioga counties, there's a few major obstacles to that: Distance and transportation. The Poconos is within an hour or two of much of urbanNY/NJ. Any way you cut it, Potter/Tioga is a three or four hour cruise from those population centers.
Don't know Bill Miller, but my cabin is within 7 miles of Westfield. It's close to beinga dying town and will only get worse now that their largest local employer is closed and several others are on their last legs. People that live in the area either drive several hours each day to work, subsist on meager wages or are on welfare. Doubt many are opposed to the possibility of more jobs in the area. Those that own vacation homes there may not like the idea though, but then they don't live there year 'round.
As for land use regulations, it's true that something needs to be done in both counties to prevent greedy developers from carving up paradise into one acre lots. Plus, I'dhate tosee elderly farmers taken advantage of and get stuck with gobs of flatlander cash for land they no longer need.
Those poor folks have had to struggle for years without zoning permits, building permits and such other amenities those of us take for granted that live in the more populated parts of the state. "My" rural township nowhas more restrictive regs than just a few years ago. Some of my elderly neighbors have even had to scrounge up thousands of dollars to upgrade their septic systems to sand mounds, now that regulations have been established at the order of the commonwealth. It's the price of progress, apparently.
02-01-2006 | 06:36 AM
#49
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 430
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Pa. "Wilds"
Let's face facts. The Pennsylvania Game Commission, under the leadership of the previous Executive Director (V.R.) and the chosen guidence of Dr. Gary Alt, never did an economic impact study to determine what the consequences might be for rural areas under this massive Herd Reduction plan. Did they even care? Was it an oversight? Did the executive wildlife manager even consider it?
I don't think it was DCNR that let us down so much as the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Had the agency done some priliminary studies and maybe a pilot program some of these problems might have surfaced andmethods to deal with them developed. That's very much basic management practice.
The good news is that the agency has a new Executive Director, who so far appears to have some positive and progressiveideas, as well as a new president of Commissioners who is truely a sportsmen's advocate, something some of the other commissioners should remind themselves of more often. If the Director caninfluence certain members of the Board of Commissioners to step into the 21 st century and permit some progressive thinking, things in Pennsylvania may improve.Some changes in executive positions might be in order also. Those who permitted Dr. Alt to manage without any oversight should be repositioned within the agency, preferably to the office of PLO. (Permanent Latrine Orderly.)
I don't think it was DCNR that let us down so much as the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Had the agency done some priliminary studies and maybe a pilot program some of these problems might have surfaced andmethods to deal with them developed. That's very much basic management practice.
The good news is that the agency has a new Executive Director, who so far appears to have some positive and progressiveideas, as well as a new president of Commissioners who is truely a sportsmen's advocate, something some of the other commissioners should remind themselves of more often. If the Director caninfluence certain members of the Board of Commissioners to step into the 21 st century and permit some progressive thinking, things in Pennsylvania may improve.Some changes in executive positions might be in order also. Those who permitted Dr. Alt to manage without any oversight should be repositioned within the agency, preferably to the office of PLO. (Permanent Latrine Orderly.)