Fort Drum Compatibility
The Development Authority works in partnership with Fort Drum and surrounding communities to enhance land use compatibility in and around Fort Drum. In 2018, the Joint Land Use Study was completed. This provided an overview of potential encroachment issues between communities and Fort Drum with recommendations for reducing these issues.
A recommendation from the Joint Land Use Study was to increase communications between Fort Drum and surrounding communities regarding training and mission readiness. The Fort Drum Compatibility Committee meets annually bringing representatives from Fort Drum’s Garrison together with planning officials from Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence Counties, the City of Watertown, Tug Hill Commission, Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust, Advocate Drum, and surrounding communities to talk about land use concerns that may impact Fort Drum’s training and mission.
Authority staff serve as a liaison between Fort Drum Garrison and surrounding communities. The Authority entered into a Memorandum of Understanding in June 2017 to provide three-county community planning coordination and communication. Authority staff work closely with Fort Drum staff, community planners and municipalities to assist with land use planning needs.
Another recommendation from the Joint Land Use Study is the GIS mapping tool. The mapping tool and its associated query tool allows users to map proposed projects to determine how development might be impacted by proximity to Fort Drum, and vice versa. This is an excellent planning tool for potential development in Jefferson, Lewis, or St. Lawrence Counties.
Model ordinances are available to assist municipalities as they consider updates to zoning regulations. However, these are only models and still require legal review prior to adoption by a municipality.
Fort Drum Joint Land Use Study Final Report Documents
Fort Drum Compatibility GIS Mapping Tool
Fort Drum Joint Land Use Study Model Ordinences
Disclaimer: The following are models only and require legal review prior to adoption.
Height Restrictions for Compatible Development
Some types of tall structures can have an impact on military training. This model ordinance works to protect the designated military operating areas and military training routes or other restricted airspace from encroachment, and limit the exposure of impacts to persons, property, and facilities in proximity of the airfield to keep these areas clear of vertical obstructions to ensure a safe operating environment for military pilots. This ordinance seeks to regulate and restrict the height of structures in order to maintain compatibility between airfield operations and existing and future land uses in the municipality.
Large sources of light in the region, such as commercial lots like car dealerships, can produce a lot of ambient light that can impact night training at Fort Drum. As per Strategy LG-1A of the Fort Drum Joint Land Use Study, lighting standards for all fixtures have been created to educate constituents and adopt such lighting regulations in their zoning laws.
Future solar development in the region may cause impacts on Fort Drum depending on siting locations. Adopting regulations that consider potential impacts to the installation, including glint and glare, is imperative. As per Strategy LG-1A of the Fort Drum Joint Land Use Study, draft model solar regulations have been created for municipalities to use as a template for siting large scale solar projects that may have an impact on the mission and training at Fort Drum.
This is a modified site plan review process that could be applied in any municipality with site plan review in their zoning law. It is for any type of larger agricultural project. There is often a request to make the process as simple as possible and not very onerous for farmers - a quick turn around for a decision, no surveyed site plan needed, etc. only for those ag structures to be built when in a town designated noise or safety overlay district. Of course, the modified site plan review could be applied in any town with site plan for any type of larger ag project.I tried to make it as simple as possible and not very onerous for farmers - a quick turn around for a decision, no surveyed site plan needed, etc.
Military Disclosure Statements