Waddington Deciding on Leishman's Future
BY KRESTIA DeGEORGE
Waddington residents will be going to the polls today to tell the town board what they
want done with Leishman Point.
Voters will be able to cast a yes or no vote on the town's plans to move ahead with plans
to develop 22 acres next to the town beach for residential development. In a dispute that
has sharply divided the town's citizens, three different views have emerged:
- those who support the town's residential plans,
- those who favor commercial development,
- and those who favor minimal recreational development.
Although the town has 450 more acres of developable land at Whitehouse Bay that they
recently received from the New York Power Authority (NYPA), the 22 acres at Leishman Point
have become the symbolic battleground for the variety of viewpoints expressed by the
different sides.
Proponents of the plan say it will put some prime real estate land back onto the tax
rolls, while retaining the residential atmosphere of River Road, and the rest of the town.
Currently 72 percent of Waddington land is exempt from property tax because its owned by
the New York Power Authority.
Meanwhile, opponents say that the process has been hurried and criticize the town board
for failing to take the views of all citizens equally into account. Some believe that
commercial development, with the potentially more lucrative tax benefits it could bring
the town should be pursued, while ohers want to see the land remain open as a public park.
A 'yes' vote today would put Bernier, Carr, and Associates, the engineering firm hired by
the town to develop the point, back to work in their survey and design phases. Opposition
groups are unsure what their next step would be should the resolution pass. If it is voted
down, however, they will be prepared to go to the town and ask for a public planning
process. The town said if the resolution fails to pass the referendum they would regroup
and go back to the drawing board, possibly forming a committee to pursue the question of
what comes next.
Proponents of all three points of view are encouraging residents to come to the polls
today and make their views known. The polling place is the Waddington Municipal building,
and polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Originally published 10/14/2003
Ogdensburg Journal
Used with permission