Saturday, February 14, 2015

Benefits of SASS ~1~

One purpose of this project is to recognize and document what makes this region of New York State’s coastal area scenic and to use currently available tools to ensure that future large scale development projects are located and designed in a way that minimizes damage to the region’s scenic character and its economy. If scenic views are ruined, if large towers and tall buildings are built in inappropriate places, if wildlife habitat is damaged and the environment is degraded, the region’s tourist-based economy will suffer. Tourists come to see and visit historic castles and architecture; to boat and fish on the St. Lawrence River and its tributaries; and to bird watch, hike and hunt in natural areas. While people can travel to other places in the world for these activities, the unique scenic landscapes that combine historic, natural and recreational attributes are the reason that people come to the Thousand Islands for their vacation time. The eight communities partnering in this project recognized that New York State’s Scenic Areas of Statewide Significance Program offers a means to address their concerns about overseeing potential impacts in their unique scenic landscapes.



Link here to full report (pdf)

Link to TIRAP Appendices

Maps

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is beautifully written. My hat is off to the authors. Thank you from someone who is a lifelong resident and who loves our St. Lawrence River.

Anonymous said...

Gotta love this recommendation, which is located at the end of each SASS section.

"comment:
Very tall structures such as wind turbines and exhaust stacks will
have major impacts on the scenic character of coastal landscapes. Over 600 Thou
-
sand Islands residents participated in the web-based visual preference survey in
the summer of 2014. The survey results showed that wind turbine complexes
on the Canadian side of the river have significant negative visual impacts on the
region. Turbine images ranked among the least scenic images in the survey.
Consequently, massive industrial and infrastructure projects should not be built
within the SASS district or within its surrounding viewshed. There are presently
no techniques to mitigate the visual impacts of these structures because they are
so tall, massive and frequently in motion. "

Makes the entire document worth the read.

Anonymous said...

My family has owned a cottage in TI park for several generations, and I am thrilled that we will have this prestigious designation bestowed upon our river communities.

Anonymous said...

unfortunately irresponsible actions on the part of your town board will exclude your area from the designation.
get into the discussion

Anonymous said...

Those who have had sense enough to read the report ... speak up before it's too late a few Councilmen are taking away your rights to the river. Speak up, Orleans, Morristown, Hammond do you know what these guys are trying to pull? They're trying to kill the SASS effort for their own reasons. Misinformation and intimidation. Ask why!They want you to remain silent, pay your taxes and stay home!