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smallhook -> RE: Aquisitions and Easements (9/26/2008 8:54:29 AM)
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Public access not yet revealed to PF&BC's properties in Erie
[image]http://images.townnews.com/paoutdoornews.com/content/articles/2008/09/18/top_news/news03.jpg[/image]
By Deborah Weisberg
Southeast Correspondent
Thursday, September 11, 2008 10:01 AM CDTErie, Pa. - Like the old Wendy's commercial, 'Where's the beef?" - Erie-bound anglers are asking, "Where's the map?"
They want to know how to find the public access the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission has acquired on steelhead streams, but - for now - the agency isn't making it easy.
"We're trying not to steer the public toward these properties until we get as many in the bank as we can," said the commission's director of boating and access Dan Martin. "We have five in the bank and 11 in process. We're close to closing on three. But if we start publicizing them, we'll bury them."
The five properties the commission now controls aren't a secret, he said, but the agency is holding off developing online maps that would pinpoint their location for anglers. "When we have eight in the bank, we'll do that," Martin said. "We want to avoid putting too many people on too few places because we don't want to upset other landowners and ruin future deals."
The five properties anglers can now legally access include the former Cassidy Campgrounds off Zimmerly Road on Walnut Creek in Mill Creek Township, and another parcel on Walnut Creek between Dutch and Manchester roads in Fairview Township; the Bruegger property at the mouth of Trout Run; the parcel off Rick Road and I-79 on Elk Creek; and the land along Elk Creek off Elk Park Road in Girard Township.
Martin said anglers can expect to see commission signs on the five properties by October, indicating that license stamp revenues paid for the access and urging users not to litter. Public property boundaries also will be marked.
Maps eventually will be posted on the commission's Web site, he predicted. "We're asking anglers to be a little patient. Besides, Erie's a small community. Any bait shop can tell you how to get to them."
Poor Richard's owner Gary Heubel said he hasn't heard anything directly from the commission, but expects a slew of angler inquiries once the season gets under way. "A lot of folks come up here to fish and there isn't a lot of public water."
In fact, about 90 percent of land on Erie tributaries is privately owned.
Of the 11 new parcels the commission is in the process of acquiring, three were close to being finalized, Martin said Aug. 29, although he refused to disclose where they are. "As with most real estate transactions, it is taking forever to get them done," he said. "It can be glacial."
So far, the commission has spent about $2 million on Erie property purchases or easements, including those that are pending, Martin said. About $800,000 is from license stamp sales.
The remainder comes mostly from municipalities. The commission also has beefed up the number of personnel dedicated to prospecting for real estate. Martin said future efforts will focus exclusively on purchasing easements instead of actual property.
The crush of steelhead fishing pressure has escalated both property values and landowner resentment toward anglers, forcing the commission to walk a fine line with people who might be interested in selling the rights to their land. "Our program is young and there are sensitivities involved," Martin said.
There's also a range to the amount of money the commission will pay for land use, but Martin refused to disclose it, out of concern it would jeopardize future deals. "Erie's a small community," he said, "and there's very little low-hanging fruit."
Martin urged anglers to do their part to ensure that landowners will be "happy to sell land rights to us."
"Pick up litter and be courteous," he said. "Make a real showcase of our program."
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