House to consider bill encouraging private development of state parks

[Chaz]

Upper Saucon Township built a beautiful golf course, in an area know for golf courses, now they've sold it, and the land is in ruin and a hotel is being built there, I have no explanation as to why a hotel would make money in Upper Saucon Township. The golf course apparently didn't make money.

 

[Bamboozle]

Golf has seen a big downturn in recent years with memberships down just about everywhere and some clubs reducing memberships & greens fees to attract golfers. I've seen more than a few golf courses close in the last few years which is something I never saw before in my life.

The Center Valley Club (not owned by Lower Saucon Township) died a slow death because of that, high greens fees and the recession.

A new hotel to service I-78 travelers, business people in the Stabler Center Corporate Center and maybe even Musikfest attendees in that area may do very well considering there are not many (safe & clean) hotel choices right off I-78 other than in Hellertown.

BTW - Lower Saucon Township does own Woodland Hills Golf Course in Hellertown.

 

[henrydavid]

salmonoid Posted on: 6/27 14:45
Quote:

henrydavid wrote:
When Theodore Roosevelt set aside National Parks and Forest Land he intended for it to be preserved and protected for all of eternity.

Natural habitat is shrinking steadily. It's time for a precedent to be set - DO NOT TOUCH AN INCH of state park or forest land, don't even think about it, not now or ever, period.


"So no roads, cabins, pit or flush toilets, visitor centers, trails, bridges, etc.? Are those included in your spectrum of not touching state park or forest land? Just trying to understand what changes is acceptable."


salmonoid, DCNR improvements like what you mentioned are completely different from allowing private businesses to come in and do what they want, that is the issue here.

My point was that every few months some idiots in Harrisburg come up with schemes on how to use state land to make money. We need some sort of legislature that will prevent them from even considering such ideas.

I'm personally exhausted from petitioning politicians on every turn of some new hair brain scheme to rape the state forests and parks.

Long after all of the members posting in this thread are gone how much of the general population will care enough to work to prevent legislators from destroying state forest lands.

We need to turn the tables and put the pressure on Harrisburg and pass laws that set a a zero tolerance precedent for all future legislation regarding usage of state park and forests lands. No privatization, no leasing to businesses, no selling mineral rights, no to anything that desecrates the natural beauty of the forests.

It may sound like a pipe dream but until something like that happens it will be new schemes every 6 months or every new term that a rogue politician decides decides to threaten state forest lands with a new scheme.

 

[franklin]

henrydavid wrote:
salmonoid Posted on: 6/27 14:45
Quote:

henrydavid wrote:
When Theodore Roosevelt set aside National Parks and Forest Land he intended for it to be preserved and protected for all of eternity.

Natural habitat is shrinking steadily. It's time for a precedent to be set - DO NOT TOUCH AN INCH of state park or forest land, don't even think about it, not now or ever, period.


"So no roads, cabins, pit or flush toilets, visitor centers, trails, bridges, etc.? Are those included in your spectrum of not touching state park or forest land? Just trying to understand what changes is acceptable."


salmonoid, DCNR improvements like what you mentioned are completely different from allowing private businesses to come in and do what they want, that is the issue here.

My point was that every few months some idiots in Harrisburg come up with schemes on how to use state land to make money. We need some sort of legislature that will prevent them from even considering such ideas.

I'm personally exhausted from petitioning politicians on every turn of some new hair brain scheme to rape the state forests and parks.

Long after all of the members posting in this thread are gone how much of the general population will care enough to work to prevent legislators from destroying state forest lands.

We need to turn the tables and put the pressure on Harrisburg and pass laws that set a a zero tolerance precedent for all future legislation regarding usage of state park and forests lands. No privatization, no leasing to businesses, no selling mineral rights, no to anything that desecrates the natural beauty of the forests.

It may sound like a pipe dream but until something like that happens it will be new schemes every 6 months or every new term that a rogue politician decides decides to threaten state forest lands with a new scheme.

The Federal government and to a smaller extent the PA state government continues to add land each year. Yes there is a lot of private land being developed but a large amount of that is farmland.

On the state level more of the "natural" land is within the state forest system. Some of the state parks are able to maintain a natural setting but many do not or have large amounts of acreage which do not. I'm simply arguing that realizing that and considering more creative ways to use some of those that don't has merit.