Open Space Institute Private Lands, Public Benefits Open Space Resources and Preferred Growth Areas in the Catskills OPEN SPACE INSTITUTE The four-county Catskill region is comprised of 68 towns and villages. This map, described within the report, illustrates the distribution of preferred growth areas in the region. Private Lands, Public Benefits Open Space Resources and Preferred Growth Areas in the Catskills Open Space Institute, Inc. Copyright © March 2011, All rights reserved. Open Space Institute 1350 Broadway, Suite 201 New York, NY 10018 Phone: 212.290.8200 Fax: 212.244.3441 Email: [email protected] www.osiny.org OPEN SPACE INSTITUTE Acknowledgments Cathy Poppenwimer and Dave Publicover of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Research Department conducted the mapping analysis for this report, and their expertise on soils, conservation and development were invaluable. Gillian Mollod, Open Space Institute GIS Specialist, was responsible for data collection and management as well as map design for the final report. We would like to thank the more than 15 organizations that provided GIS data layers for this analysis. These organi- zations are listed in the Methodology under Appendix A. A special thank-you to OSI Trustee Felix Kaufman, whose generosity made this report possible. PRIVATE LANDS, PUBLIC BENEFITS Open Space Institute Reviewers and Technical Advisers Table of Contents Board of Trustees Luiz Aragon Preface by Kim Ellliman 1 Commissioner Officers Sullivan County Division of Planning Introduction 3 and Environmental Management John H. Adams, Chairman Heather Brown Findings and Implications 4 Peter A. Bienstock, Vice-Chair Research Analyst Caroline Niemczyk, Vice-Chair Sullivan County Division of Planning Results and Analysis 7 Edward A. Ames, Secretary Paul J. Elston, Treasurer Christi Cardidi Appendix A 18 Affiliate Assistant Professor of Economics Methodology Trustees Marist College School of Management Appendix B 20 Susan Babcock Ed Diamante Resource Data by Town Elizabeth Borden Principal Planner Gilman S. Burke Greene County Department of Economic John Cahill Development Tourism and Planning Appendix C 24 T. Jefferson Cunningham III Towns Ranking in the Top Ten J. Matthew Davidson Jonathan Drapkin John Ernst President & CEO Holly Hegner Cummings Patterns for Progress The findings of this study and the GIS Samuel Huber shape files used in the development of Felix Kaufman Steve Dubrovsky this report are available on OSI’s website: Samuel W. Lambert III Developer W. Barnabas McHenry Katherine O. Roberts Nicole Franzese www.osiny.org/PrivateLands Hume R. Steyer, Esq. Director Patricia F. Sullivan Delaware County Planning Department Valerie Anne Mars, Honorary Trustee Heather Jacksy Associate Planner Sullivan County Division of Planning Amanda LaValle Coordinator Ulster County Department of the Environment OPEN SPACE INSTITUTE PREFACE The four-county Catskill region is a study in economic and ecological complexity. Rich in natural resources, the region contains productive farms, clean water, wildlife habitat and trails that provide abundant recreational opportunities. These resources are found on about 1.7 million acres, or approximately 65% of the 2.7 million-acre region. Despite these attributes, the Catskills region faces serious economic challenges stemming from a depressed economy, declining tax base and aging population. Although health care, tourism and agriculture pro- vide substantial income, the region is losing both jobs and its working-age population. This study shows that appropriately placed development can coexist with the region’s natural resources, bolstering opportunities for reliable, year-round employment. It also indicates that the existing development footprint might quadruple, if appropriately sited, without compro- mising the economy or ecology of private farm and forestland resources. Planning and coordi- nation are essential to secure a “win-win” in which development and open space complement each other. OSI’s work, both this study and our real estate transactions, underscores the importance of private landowners to the ecological health of the region. Private land buffers the publicly owned forestland in the Catskill Park and contains important natural resources. Two-thirds of all important farm, recreation, habitat and water quality resources, totalling more than one million acres, are privately owned. NGOs and government can play an important role in sharing information with landowners and providing incentives for them to continue to steward these lands in a mosaic landscape that protects both ecological values and economic opportunities. Private landowners, along with town and county planners and other public decision makers, will play an important role in determining how land will be used in the future and in shaping the community well-being of the Catskill region. © Open Space Institute 2011 1 PRIVATE LANDS, PUBLIC BENEFITS Population projections from Cornell Center for Applied Demographics indicate that 20,000 to 40,000 acres of development may be needed to support population growth through 2035, despite a marked decrease in the workforce-aged population. Whether it is commercial, second-home or infill of villages and hamlets, development will be critical to the economic health of the region and to ensuring that private landowners can continue to afford to maintain their land as open space. With the right information and incentives, it will be possible to site this development in a manner that optimizes existing infrastruc- ture, retains or creates jobs, and avoids degrading the Catskill’s open space and natural resources. The methodology and findings of the study are described in the following pages. This study’s purpose is to provide the data and background that landowners, decision makers and other stakeholders need to draw their own conclusions about the necessary balance between development and conservation. One of the sad realities of the recession is that it has left regions like the Catskills at an economic standstill. Yet, this pause in economic activity also gives key players in the public, nonprofit and private sectors time to move be- yond gridlock to plan for and invest in the region’s economic and ecological future. This report provides data that will assist with efforts to create a sustainable future for the special place that is the Catskills. Kim Elliman Chief Executive Officer Open Space Institute © Open Space Institute 2011 2 OPEN SPACE INSTITUTE INTRODUCTION The Catskill region – here defined as Sullivan, Ulster, Greene and Delaware counties – is renowned for its open space, which includes an extensive underground aquifer system, the largest intact forest within a three-hour drive of more than 15 million people, and superb rainbow trout habitat. Although public agencies and NGOs assist with maintaining these re- sources, more than 60% of this land is privately owned and managed. Given that the fate of much of the region’s open space resources lies with private landowners, OSI set out to iden- tify how much land could be developed without affecting wildlife, water quality, recreation and farms. Working with the Appalachian Mountain Club, which conducted the mapping analysis, OSI collected more than 20 regional data sets on farm, water, recreation and habitat re- sources (see Appendix A for a detailed methodology) to develop a single map of privately owned open space resources. Next, OSI identified and mapped regulatory controls and phys- ical constraints on development. These data sets were used to identify “preferred growth” areas which at a regional scale represent a good estimate of how much land could be devel- oped without compromising open space resources. Finally, we used Cornell University population projections to compare the extent of pre- ferred growth with anticipated demand for development. The following report summarizes Camp 4-H Pines, Neversink, NY the findings, maps and data produced from this research. © Open Space Institute 2011 3 PRIVATE LANDS, PUBLIC BENEFITS FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS AUDIENCES AND POTENTIAL USES Open space resources • Towns and counties applying for grants for development or open space protection. • Private landowners manage more than two-thirds (68%) of the region’s water, wild- life, habitat, agricultural and recreation resources. • Towns and counties updating and revising open space and development • Water resources, including aquifers, wetlands and forested streams, are overwhelm- plans. ingly (more than 80%) on private lands. • Planners, towns and NGOs working with developers on conservation de- velopment plans. Population and demographics • Developers seeking to find communi- • One-fifth of the region (520,000 acres) is “preferred for growth.” These privately- ties that can accommodate sustain- able growth. owned lands have no regulatory or physical limitations, don’t contain regionally sig- nificant open space resources and are consequently lands that might be developed in a • Planning practitioners, zoning and sustainable manner. planning boards conducting build-out scenarios or visualizations evaluating • Between 2005 and 2035, population growth will require 20,000 to 40,000 acres of development proposals. land be developed. This represents a 15% to 30% increase in developed land over • Conservation organizations and New these 30 years. York State agencies revising protec- tion priorities in the Catskills. • Developers currently anticipate that need for “empty-nester” and affordable housing for the elderly will drive