Cutting on the ridge

By TOM KANE

MINISINK FORD, NY — A second landowner in the York Lake Shores development has cut down about an acre and a half of trees on the ridge above the Delaware River.

Though clear cuttings on the ridgeline can be legal as this one is, continuing incidents have provoked criticism and concern among neighboring residents in both New York and Pennsylvania communities.

The first such cutting in the Town of Highland was much larger and was located about 100 yards from the new one. It happened about a year ago.

Upriver in the Town of Delaware near Callicoon, another developer cut over three acres on the ridge, which was clearly against the town’s limitation of two acres.

That developer has been directed by the town to plant some trees as a remedy.

Zoning differs in Highland. “The town allows the clear-cutting of five acres without a permit,” said code enforcement officer Bruce Frazier.

“That’s why we want to revise the ordinance,” said Councilman Joseph McDonald, who serves as deputy supervisor of the town. “I believe five acres was a mistake. It should be two.”

McDonald got approval from the town board to submit a Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) application to the Upper Delaware Council for the funding needed to design an ordinance which would regulate how trees could be cut on the ridge when a resident wants to build a house.

Three other towns along the river—Tusten, Lumberland and Shohola—also applied for a TAG grant to more clearly define their logging ordinances.