State Supreme Court tells Adirondack Park Agency to back off farmers

A New York State Supreme Court Justice very nearly put the Adirondack Park Agency in its place Wednesday, with its decision that the group has no authority to regulate farm housing inside the Park.  Actually, the APA’s place is in the dustbin of New York’s unfortunate political history.  Still, there’s something about the Adirondack Park Agency being told they’re out of line that just makes me smile.

The basics of the case are that the APA imposed a heavy fine on local farmer Salim Lewis, for the High Crime of building normal housing for his employees on his own property.  Though Lewis had building permits, the APA was miffed because he failed to gain building permits from them.  Acting Justice Richard Meyer sided with Lewis, noted that farm housing was a part of farm operations and therefore not under the purview of the APA.

State officials defended the heavy fine, and is seeking an appeal, suggesting, according to the New York Times, that they ”were simply protecting the agency’s right to regulate the park and protect its environment.”

In other words, this was a power play.  Plain and simple.  Nice of them to spell it out for us.