AUBURN - One small piece of land at the southern end of Lake Ontario causes more problems than Cayuga County wants to deal with anymore.
Now the county hopes to get rid of it.
Some Cayuga County officials hope the county relinquishes its ownership of West Barrier Bar in Fair Haven.
On Thursday, county Legislator Paul Dudley, R-Cato, told Public Works committee members that the county obtained the property by default.
County Parks Director Gary Duckett explained to the committee that because of the amount of problems at the park, local officials are meeting to decide what they should do with the property.
“Do whatever you can to get rid of it,” Dudley said.
For locals, the cement pier has become a nightly hangout where problems with alcohol, fighting and property destruction frequently occur.
A gate was recently put up by the county but damaged by trespassers.
People still want to use the bar for walking and fishing, Dudley said.
The land that has become the West Barrier Bar Park formed when winds blowing against Lake Ontario's southern shore caused sediment to build up and expand the seashore. In past years, the naturally-formed land whose ownership has been battled by neighboring Bayside Marina and the state.
When the state won it, the county received property ownership because the state did not want the property. But Wayside controls much of the access to the property.
Local officials have discussed giving back the property to the state or to get the Village of Fair Haven involved to purchase the property.
“We see it as a state-created problem, and the county pays the consequences,” Dudley said. “It's a no-win situation for the county.”
Dudley explained that when the bar is monitored, the party-goers move to another location and cause problems. But when there isn't monitoring, the party and problems return to West Barrier.
In other news:
* Legislature Chairman George Fearon told the Public Works committee that bid openings for companies to submit contracts to conduct environmental surveys for all county buildings and facilities will begin mid-October.
County legislators approved a resolution in August for a project that will investigate all environmental health and safety hazards in the buildings. From the surveys, diagrams can be made identifying locations of any hazards such as lead paint, mercury and asbestos.
Staff writer Kristina Martino can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kristina.martino@lee.net
Some Cayuga County officials hope the county relinquishes its ownership of West Barrier Bar in Fair Haven.
On Thursday, county Legislator Paul Dudley, R-Cato, told Public Works committee members that the county obtained the property by default.
County Parks Director Gary Duckett explained to the committee that because of the amount of problems at the park, local officials are meeting to decide what they should do with the property.
“Do whatever you can to get rid of it,” Dudley said.
For locals, the cement pier has become a nightly hangout where problems with alcohol, fighting and property destruction frequently occur.
A gate was recently put up by the county but damaged by trespassers.
People still want to use the bar for walking and fishing, Dudley said.
The land that has become the West Barrier Bar Park formed when winds blowing against Lake Ontario's southern shore caused sediment to build up and expand the seashore. In past years, the naturally-formed land whose ownership has been battled by neighboring Bayside Marina and the state.
When the state won it, the county received property ownership because the state did not want the property. But Wayside controls much of the access to the property.
Local officials have discussed giving back the property to the state or to get the Village of Fair Haven involved to purchase the property.
“We see it as a state-created problem, and the county pays the consequences,” Dudley said. “It's a no-win situation for the county.”
Dudley explained that when the bar is monitored, the party-goers move to another location and cause problems. But when there isn't monitoring, the party and problems return to West Barrier.
In other news:
* Legislature Chairman George Fearon told the Public Works committee that bid openings for companies to submit contracts to conduct environmental surveys for all county buildings and facilities will begin mid-October.
County legislators approved a resolution in August for a project that will investigate all environmental health and safety hazards in the buildings. From the surveys, diagrams can be made identifying locations of any hazards such as lead paint, mercury and asbestos.
Staff writer Kristina Martino can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kristina.martino@lee.net
The Citizens' Say
There are 2 comment(s)
susan gateley wrote on Sep 25, 2006 4:21 PM:
K. Van Horn wrote on Sep 22, 2006 5:57 PM: