December 5, 2007 - Parks Department Replies To Senator Flanagan Regarding Open Space In Kings Park

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Commrrrioner

Gor:ernor

Dccember 5.200j

Honorable John J. Flanagan Legislarive Office Burldrn g Room 817 Albany, NY LZZ47 Dear Senator Flanagan: Thank you for your letEr of November 20 concerning a picce of vacant land between Sunken Meadow State Park and Nissequogue State Park, currcntly owned by rhe Society of St- Johnland. Staff at the Department of Environrnental Conservation had made me awarc of your Inqurry

Given its )ocation and its natural state, the parcef is indeed one of great interesr ro Srare Parks Its protection would mesh well with Commrssroner Ash's prionty of forglng and strengthcning the nahrral connectlons berwccn our parks. To date, howe-ver, State parks

has taken no spccific steps to acquire the

propeny.

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As you are aware, a number of cntena need to be met for the state to consider purchasing the property. Above and beyond state budgel rssues and questions

of statewide agency acquisition pnonties in any given year, lherc is the threshold quesrion of whshrr,5, propcny is for sarc or nor, since rt has rong been stare parks' ro iolicy work excrusrvery with willing sellers. In addition, the price At whlsh rhe property is offered for sale would have to bc subsrantrated by at least two independent subjcct ro rhe review of "ppt^irars, both state Parks' staff and the office of the btar* co.,iiooir"r. Finally, grven the cost of land on Long Island'-state- Parks frcguently looks for funding and acquisition panners in the not-for-profit and local government sccr,ors to help us leverage lrmired state resources' [n this case' Suffolk County andl/or the Town of Smjt-htown could piuy .r,t,".t roles as well as rhe Trusr for Public Land which assisted on the acquisrtion of Jamesport State Park Preserve in Rrverhead.

All this bcing understood,

State Parks would be rnrerested in pursuing this porenlral acqusition further, eithcr directly or lhrough the assistan.. oi u prrtn-.r. ylur office

Emprre Srarc plara. Agcrrcy Burldrng I . AJba.ny, Nc.vyork lpp3g 5I8-47,i,0469 . Far: 5 I 9,4741365

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Hgnorab.le John J. Flanagan December 5,200-/ Page 2

could help us by providrng background on the landowner and the proposed development and suggesting shategies for making contact. If you or a member of your staff would please call me at 518-474-0430, I would be happy ro drscuss rhis marter furlher_ Thank you for wntlng. Sincerely,

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v---lErik Kulleseid Deputy Comrnissioner for Open Space protecrion

cc:' Ron Foley, Long Island Regronal Direcror

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