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3. Affected Environment 

3.1 Introduction 

This section presents a description of the existing environmental conditions of the areas 

that may be affected by the Proposed Action and the other alternatives under 

consideration in this EIS (NEPA regulations 40 C.F.R. 1502.15 and the BIA NEPA 

Handbook Part 6). The section is subdivided to address the principal resource 

components of concern including Land Resources, Water Resources, Air, Living 

Resources, Cultural Resources, Socioeconomic Conditions, Resource Use Patterns, and 

Other Values. Data and analyses are portrayed and discussed at levels necessary to 

understand the effects of the alternatives and commensurate with the relative importance 

of specific potential impacts. Generally, in this section the respective resources are 

described for the Nation’s proposed trust lands in relation to a broader surrounding region 

and as appropriate, a definition of a Study Area pertinent to the particular resource 

component is provided. In a number of instances, detailed supporting information is 

referenced to appendices that accompany this EIS. 

3.2 Land Resources 

3.2.1 Topography 

3.2.1.1 Introduction 

Topography describes the surface features of a region including elevation, slope, and 

orientation of the landforms. A region’s topography influences surface water drainage, 

weather patterns, and the visibility of man-made features, as well as provides a visual 

backdrop to the area. The Study Area for this discussion is the southwestern portion of 

Oneida County and the northern portion of Madison County. This section provides a 

discussion of the general topography including land formations and variations in elevation 

throughout the Study Area, as well as the topography of Nation lands proposed for trust 

transfer. 

3.2.1.2 Topography of the Study Area 

Oneida and Madison Counties are located within the southeastern portion of the Oneida 

Lake Watershed, in the central part of New York State. Oneida and Madison Counties 

exhibit large variations in topography because the Oneida Lake Watershed is located 

within a transition zone between following three physiographic provinces: the Mohawk 

Section of the Appalachian Highlands, the Southern New York Section of the Appalachian 

Highlands, and the Erie/Ontario Lake Plains (Fenneman and Johnson, 1946); these three 

physiographic provinces are discussed in more detail in Section 3.5.1.2 Physiography. The 
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Mohawk Section of the Adirondack Highlands, which includes the Tug Hill Uplands, is 

located to the north and east of Oneida Lake. This area is characterized by high elevations 

ranging from approximately 1,000 to 3,000 feet above mean sea level (amsl) and rugged 

terrain with deep gorges, steep escarpments, and rolling hills. The Southern New York 

Section of the Adirondack Highlands is located to the south of Oneida Lake and is also 

distinguished by relatively high elevations ranging from approximately 700 to 2,000 feet 

amsl and features high hills, rolling slopes, and various glacial features. The steep, northfacing escarpment of the Onondaga Limestone marks the northern margin of the Southern 

New York Section of the Appalachian Highlands Plateau that divides the counties into 

two very different topographic areas, with the low-lying Oneida Lake Plain situated to the 

north of the escarpment. The Oneida Lake Plain is part of a separate physiographic 

province identified as the Eastern Lake Section of the Central Lowland Interior Plains, also 

referred to as the Erie/Ontario Lake Plains. Portions of Madison and Oneida Counties 

that are located within the Oneida Lake Plain feature low elevations (less than 800 feet 

amsl) with no major geological landforms, flat or gentle slopes and various glacial lake 

deposits that were produced during the last glaciation. 

All drainage in the Study Area flows towards Oneida Lake, the low lying point in this 

region. The watersheds and sub-watersheds in the Study Area are discussed in detail in 

Section 3.3 Water Resources. 

3.2.1.3 Topography of Nation Lands 

A three-dimension depiction of the topography of Nation lands is shown on Figure 3.2-1. 

As identified in this figure, the highest elevations in the Study Area are located along 

Oneida Creek, where the elevation is approximately 1,600 feet amsl. In the vicinity of 

Nation lands the lowest elevations (approximately 400 feet amsl) are generally located 

near Oneida Lake, along the border of Oneida and Madison Counties near the Hamlet of 

Knoxboro. Most Nation lands contain flat or gently rolling terrain at the lower elevations 

of the Oneida Lake Plain surrounding Oneida Lake. The steepest slopes in the area of 

Nation lands are located west of New York State (NYS) Route 46, near Five Chimneys 

Corner and the U.S. Air Force (USAF) Stockbridge Test Site. These steep slopes, generally 

in the 20 to 40 percent range with higher slopes in limited locations, occur along the 

northern margin of the Southern New York Section of the Appalachian Highlands located 

on both sides of a large northwest-southeast trending ridge parallel to Oneida Creek. The 

average slope on Nation lands is approximately three percent (United States Geological 

Survey, 2006). 

The topography of Nation lands is depicted on Figures 3.2 through 3.2-11. As identified 

in these figures, the topography of Nation lands varies slightly among the Groupings. The 

highest elevation of Group 1 lands, which is approximately 675 feet amsl, is located at the 

eastern end of the Village of Vernon while the lowest elevation, which is approximately 

475 feet amsl, is located just north of Interchange 33 off of the New York State Thruway 
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(I-90). On Group 2 lands the elevation ranges from 370 to 1,382 feet amsl while the 

elevation ranges from approximately 370 to 1,600 feet amsl on Group 3 lands. This wide 

range of elevations occurs because some Group 2 and Group 3 lands are located in the 

low-lying Oneida Lake Plain and some are located in the northern margin of the Southern 

New York Section of the Appalachian Highlands (United States Geological Survey, 2006). 

While the range of elevations is quite large for Group 2 and 3 lands, the average slope of 

these lands of approximately three to six percent, respectively is generally low. The 

average slope of Group 1 lands is two percent. 

3.2.2 Soils 

3.2.2.1 Introduction 

This section provides a description of the soils found within the Study Area, which is 

defined as the southwestern portion of Oneida County and the northern portion of 

Madison County. Differences in soil types are important with respect to potential 

development possibilities or agricultural uses. The suitability of soil for agricultural 

purposes is discussed in Section 3.5.5 Agriculture. 

A General Soil Map, which was created in 1979 by the USDA Soil Conservation Service 

and the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station, provides useful information 

on the soil resources located throughout Madison County. In addition, the Soil Survey of 

Madison County, New York, which is also published by the same organizations and was 

issued in 1981, supplements the General Soil Map in greater detail for in-depth analysis of 

impacts. Both of these documents were obtained from Madison County for use in this EIS. 

Characteristics of soil types that affect potential development include slopes, erosion 

potential, and hydric properties. Generally, soils on slopes of over 15 to 25 percent are 

not considered developable because the slopes are too steep. In addition, municipal 

ordinances often restrict building on steep slopes; however, the percentage necessary for 

designation as a steep slope may vary from municipality to municipality. Steep slopes are 

also a factor in determining erosion potential. The erosion hazard associated with soil 

types ranges from slight to very severe and defines the potential for soil loss if an 

unsurfaced road or trail is built. In addition, certain soils are classified as hydric, which 

means that they are often unsuitable for agriculture or other types of development 

primarily because they are frequently saturated and are often indicative of wetlands. 

3.2.2.2 Soil Types in the Study Area 

In the Study Area, soils are comprised of a mixture of sand, silt, and clay and are classified 

as loams, silt loams, loamy sands, and gravelly loams (Figure 3.2-12). Most of these soils 

were formed over either glacial till, in deposits of silt or sand on glacial lake plains or in 

water-sorted sand on glacial outwash plains. A few of the soils were formed in recent 

alluvium (sedimentary deposit) on floodplains. Near Oneida Lake north of I-90, soils are 

identified as muck, loam, and sandy loam with some silt loam interspersed. The soils in 
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the Study Area located south of I-90 are predominantly silt loam. Most of the soils in the 

Study Area are not considered to be hydric, which are defined as soils that are saturated, 

flooded or ponded long enough during the growing season to develop anaerobic 

conditions in the upper portion of the soil profile (United States Department of Agriculture 

Soil Conservation Service, 1987). Hydric soils are generally indicative of areas of 

muck/swamp terrain located near streams. Nearly all hydric soils in the Study Area are 

located north of I-90 (Figure 3.2-13). 

3.2.2.3 Soil Types on Nation Lands 

A wide variety of soil types underlie Nation lands. These soil types are listed in Appendix 

K, along with some of the characteristics of these soils including the approximate 

percentages of each soil type that underlies Nation lands. In general, the soils underlying 

Nation lands are predominantly silt loams. Table 3.2-1 summarizes the key soil 

characteristics of Nation lands. 

Table 3.2-1 

Soil Characteristics of Nation Lands 

Types Acres Percent 

Hydric Soils 2,659 15 

Non-hydric Soils 14,697 84 

Non-designated 14 1 

Erosion Potential Acres Percent 

Slight 8,879 51 

Moderate 5,735 33 

Severe 2,273 13 

Very Severe 90 1 

Not Rated 393 2 

Slope Acres Percent 

0-15 10,833 62 

15-25 433 2 

> 25 89 1 

Unknown 6,015 35 

Sources: SSURG0 2.1 Database and the Nation, 2005 

As identified in Table 3.2-1, only 15 percent of the soils that underlie Nation lands are 

considered to be hydric by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural 

Resources Conservation Service. However, 84 percent of the soils have a slight or 

moderate erosion potential. Most Nation lands do not have a high erosion hazard and 

most of these lands do not have steep slopes. 

The soil characteristics of Nation lands vary slightly amongst the Groupings. As shown in 

Table 3.2-2, nine percent of Group 1 lands contain hydric soils. In addition, 22 percent of 
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Group 2 lands and 13 percent of Group 3 lands contain hydric soils and could potentially 

be unsuitable for development. 

Table 3.2-2 

Hydric Soil Rating of Nation Lands 

Percent of Area 

Soil Rating Group 1 Lands Group 2 Lands Group 3 Lands 

Hydric 9 22 13 

Non-hydric 90 77 86 

Unknown 1 1 1 

Source: United States Department of Agriculture, 2005 

Table 3.2-3 illustrates that while most Group 1 and 2 lands have a slight to moderate 

erosion potential, a significant percentage of Group 3 lands (24 percent) are located in 

areas with a severe erosion potential. These Group 3 lands are located in the area of 

Oneida Creek where elevations are the highest and the slopes are the steepest, as discussed 

in Section 3.2.1 Topography. 

Table 3.2-3 

Erosion Potential of Soils on Nation Lands 

Percent of Area 

Erosion Potential Group 1 Lands Group 2 Lands Group 3 Lands 

Slight 51 65 37 

Moderate 46 24 36 

Severe 1 9 24 

Very Severe 1 1 2 

Not Rated 1 1 1 

Source: United States Department of Agriculture, 2005 

Table 3.2-4 shows that no Group 1 lands, one percent of Group 2 lands, and four percent 

of Group 3 lands have slopes over 15 percent and would not be considered developable. 

Some soils were not designated a slope classification; there are more soils on Group 2 and 

3 lands for which no slope was designated than for Group 1 lands. A general analysis of 

slope presented in Section 3.2.1 Topography shows that the majority of properties in the 

Groupings have average slopes in the lowest range of zero to 15 percent, as identified in 

Table 3.2-4. 
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Table 3.2-4 

Percent Slope of Nation Lands 

Percent of Area 

Percent Slope Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 

0-15 92 69 69 

15-25 0 1 3 

> 25 0 0 1 

Non-designated 8 30 27 

Note: Values are based on slopes associated with soils as described by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation 

Service. 

Source: United States Department of Agriculture, 2005 

3.2.3 Geological Setting and Mineral Resources 

3.2.3.1 Introduction 

This section describes the geological setting characterizing the Study Area with respect to 

both bedrock geology (earth and rock found below ground) and surficial geology (earth 

and rock found above the bedrock). The Study Area for this section is the southwestern 

portion of Oneida County and the northern portion of Madison County. The geology of 

the Study Area provides the basis for understanding the soil types, drainage, and other 

characteristics of Nation lands. 

3.2.3.2 Bedrock Geology 

Oneida and Madison Counties are underlain by sedimentary bedrock of Middle 

Ordovician to Upper Devonian age dating between approximately 500 and 345 million 

years ago (Rickard and Fisher, 1970). Bedrock formations located beneath the Study Area 

are identified in Figure 3.2-14. These formations were generally laid down at a time of 

globally high sea levels when the continents were flooded and a shallow sea existed in this 

region. Great quantities of sediment were washed into this sea from high mountains to the 

east, creating vast sediment accumulations of many thousands of feet in thickness over a 

time period of nearly 200 million years; the sediment accumulations alternated between 

sand, mud, and lime as the sea levels fluctuated. The weight of the sediments in this large 

area compressed the underlying material made primarily of clay and calcium carbonate to 

form shales and limestones, respectively. These formations eventually became exposed to 

more recent glacial and stream erosion around 65 million years ago, as the continent 

began to uplift and these rocks were raised above sea level (Fisher et al., 1970). 

The approximate percentage of each type of bedrock shown in Figure 3.2-14 that 

underlies Nation lands is provided in Table 3.2-5. Individual formation names and rock 

types are identified in this table. Rochester Shale underlies nearly all of the Group 1 lands 

and more than half of the Group 2 lands. A variety of bedrock formations underlie Group 

3 lands. 
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Table 3.2-5 

Bedrock Types Underlying Nation Lands 

Percent of Area Bedrock Material 

Group 1 Lands Group 2 Lands Group 3 Lands 

Total Nation 

Lands 

Port Ewen Formation 

(limestone and dolostone) 0 4 16 8 

Marcellus Formation 

(shale) 0 0 4 2 

Skaneateles Formation 

(shale, limestone, and 

sandstone) 0 1 1 1 

Oriskany Sandstone 0 1 15 6 

Onondaga Limestone 0 1 9 4 

Oswego Sandstone 0 3 5 4 

Pulaski Formation 

(siltstone and shale) 0 3 2 2 

Rochester Shale 99 58 24 51 

Guelph Dolostone 1 13 5 7 

Grimsby Formation 

(sandstone, shale, and 

siltstone) 0 3 1 2 

Syracuse Formation 

(dolostone, shale, 

gypsum, and salt) 0 1 7 4 

Vernon Formation (shale 

and dolostone) 0 12 11 9 

Source: New York State Museum and New York State Geological Survey, 1999 

3.2.3.3 Surficial Geology 

The surficial sediments that underlie Nation lands were primarily deposited as a result of 

the retreat of the last North American continental ice sheet, approximately 10 to 15 

thousand years ago. As the ice sheet advanced over the Study Area, it scoured and carried 

rock debris along its path. As identified in Figure 3.2-15, the northern and western 

portions of the Study Area are dominated by lacustrine (lake) sand, silt, and clay deposited 

in and near Oneida Lake (Cadwell et al., 1987). Smaller units include kames (subglacial 

stream deposits of sand and gravel), moraines (deposited adjacent to active glacial margins 

during retreat), and recent alluvium (sand and gravel) deposited within the floodplains of 

modern stream channels. 

There are several types of surficial sediments underlying Nations lands. These sediments 

are identified below: 

• Till - Variable texture (boulders to silt), usually poorly sorted sand-rich diamict, 

deposition beneath glacier ice, permeability varies with compaction, thickness 

variable (one to 50 meters) 

• Lacustrine silt and clay - Generally laminated silt and clay, deposited in proglacial 

lakes, generally calcareous, low permeability, potential land instability, thickness 

variable (up to 50 meters) 
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• Recent deposits - Oxidized fine sand to gravel, permeable, generally confined to 

floodplains within a valley, in larger valleys may be overlain by silt, subject to 

flooding, thickness (one to 10 meters) 

• Lacustrine sand - Generally quartz sand, well sorted, stratified, usually deposited in 

proglacial lakes but may have been deposited on remnant ice, generally a nearshore deposit or near a sand source, permeable, thickness variable (10 to 20 

meters) 

• Kame morraine - Variable texture (size and sorting) from boulders to sand, 

deposition at an active ice margin during retreat, constructional kame and kettle 

topography, locally, calcareous cement, thickness variable (10 to 30 meters) 

• Swamp deposits - Peat-muck, organic silt and sand in poorly drained areas, 

unoxidized, commonly overlies marl and lake silt, potential land instability, 

thickness variable (two to 20 meters) 

• Dunes - Fine to medium sands, well sorted, stratified, generally wind-reworked 

lake sediment, permeable, well drained, thickness variable (one to 10 meters) 

• Bedrock – Exposed or generally located within one meter of the surface, in some 

areas saprolite is preserved 

• Till morraine - Variable texture (size and sorting), generally low permeability, 

deposition adjacent to ice, thickness variable (10 to 30 meters) 

• Kame deposits - Coarse to fine gravel and/or sand; includes kames, eskers, kame 

terraces, kame deltas, ice contact or ice cored deposition; lateral variability in 

sorting; texture and permeability; may be firmly cemented with calcareous cement; 

thickness variable (10 to 30 meters) 

• Outwash sand and gravel - Coarse to fine gravel with sand, proglacial fluvial 

deposition 

Till, which is derived from material deposited from glacial ice, is the dominant surficial 

sediment located on Nation lands. Till is generally composed of gravel, clay, and sand 

with variable texture and permeability and is representative of the loamy soils described in 

Section 3.2.2 Soils. The approximate percentage of each surficial sediment that underlies 

Nation lands are identified in Table 3.2-6. The dominant surficial sediment in the 

Groupings varies slightly; nearly all Group 1 lands are predominantly underlain with till; 

Group 2 lands are predominately underlain with till and lacustrine silt, clay, and sand; and 

Group 3 lands are predominantly underlain with till and lacustrine silt and clay. 

3.2.3.4 Areas of Geological Significance 

The Chittenango Gorge, a geologic feature that has been recognized by local communities 

for its unique physical character, is located in the Study Area. This feature is a steep, 

narrow gorge that was carved by the Chittenango Creek and features nearly vertical 

outcrops and exposed limestone. None of the Nation lands are located in the vicinity of 

Chittenango Gorge. 
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Table 3.2-6 

Surficial Geology Underlying Nation Lands 

Percent of Area 

Surficial Sediment Group 1 Lands Group 2 Lands Group 3 Lands Total Nation 

Lands 

Till 92 15 46 44 

Lacustrine Silt and Clay 0 54 30 33 

Lacustrine Sand 3 15 3 7 

Swamp Deposits 0 1 8 3 

Till Moraine 1 5 2 3 

Recent Deposits 0 4 2 2 

Bedrock 1 1 5 2 

Kame Moraine 0 2 2 1 

Kame Deposits 0 0 2 1 

Dunes 0 2 0 1 

Outwash Sand and Gravel 3 0 0 1 

Water 0 1 0 1 

Source: New York State Museum and New York State Geological Survey, 1999 

3.2.3.5 Areas of Geological Significance 

The Chittenango Gorge, a geologic feature that has been recognized by local communities 

for its unique physical character, is located in the Study Area. This feature is a steep, 

narrow gorge that was carved by the Chittenango Creek and features nearly vertical 

outcrops and exposed limestone. None of the Nation lands are located in the vicinity of 

Chittenango Gorge. 

3.2.3.6 Mineral and Natural Energy Resources 

Crushed stone, limestone, salt, construction sand and gravel, and zinc are the top five 

mineral commodities found in New York State (NYSDEC Division of Mineral Resources, 

2006a). The mineral resources located in the Study Area are typical of those found 

throughout the State of New York. Mineral resources found on Nation lands are 

consistent with those found throughout the Study Area. No significant mineral resources 

are known to exist on Nation lands that are not readily available in the rest of the Study 

Area. Existing mining and oil and gas well activities in the Study Area are discussed in 

Section 3.8.3 Mining. 

3.2.4 Land Use 

3.2.4.1 Introduction 

An analysis of the Proposed Action requires an assessment of existing land use conditions 

and New York State and local laws regarding land use. This section contains a general 

description of existing land use conditions in the Study Area, which encompasses portions 

of Madison and Oneida Counties and those communities within which the Nation owns 

land. Additionally, this section describes existing land use in the municipalities within 

which the Nation owns land and on Nation lands located within these municipalities. 

Land use discussions are also provided for the municipalities where the Nation does not 
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own land but are located within a 1,000-foot radius of Nation lands; a 1,000-foot radius 

was selected because it encompasses an area that would reasonably be expected to 

experience potential impacts on land use as a result of implementation of the Proposed 

Action or the one of the alternatives. 

The land use information contained within this section is based primarily on land use 

maps and comprehensive and master plans obtained from municipalities; street maps; field 

survey observations; topographic maps; and communication with local and county 

officials. Existing land use conditions were determined through a review of 2004 County 

Real Property Data that were verified through a field reconnaissance conducted in 

November 2005, communication with local and county officials, and a review of available 

aerial photography. The land use on each Nation holding was categorized using general 

codes developed by the New York State Office of Real Property Services (NYSORPS); the 

NYSORPS makes a determination of land use through municipal assessors who survey 

each property in a community. Using the set of codes developed by the NYSORPS, a full 

description of which can be found in the ORPS category list in Appendix A, the assessors 

then determines the land use of each parcel. When a parcel has more than one use, 

assessors make a land use determination using NYSORPS codes and either classify the 

property as a single use if one is so much more prevalent than the other or as a mixed-use 

based on the corresponding code. 

NYSORPS land use classifications, including a description of each, are as follows: 

• Residential – Land used for dwellings or human habitation. 

• Commercial – Land used for commerce, retail or wholesale exchange of services 

and goods. 

• Industrial – Land used for the production and distribution of manufactured, 

durable, and non-durable products. 

• Agricultural – Land used for cultivating soil, producing crops, and/or raising 

livestock. 

• Wild/forested/public parks/open space – Land used for wildlife or nature preserves, 

the appreciation of nature or land that has not been developed. 

• Public services – Property used to provide services to the general public and to 

store, garage or repair motor vehicles and/or equipment used in providing public 

services. 

• Recreation and entertainment – Land used by groups for recreation, amusement or 

entertainment including theaters, auditoriums, exhibition halls, indoor and 

outdoor sports, and athletic activities. 

• Vacant land – Property that is not in use, lacks permanent improvement or in 

temporary use including residential vacant land including rural vacant tax lots; 

underwater vacant land; abandoned agricultural land, and other rural vacant land 

including waste lands, sand dunes, salt marshes, swamps, rocky areas, and woods 
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not associated with wild/forest/public parks/open space land; vacant land in 

commercial areas; urban renewal or slum clearance, public utility vacant land, and 

vacant land in industrial areas. 

• Community services – Property used for the well-being of the community including 

land used for the provision of resources or services to the general community 

including educational facilities, religious facilities, benevolent associations, cultural 

facilities, Indian reservations, government buildings, correctional facilities, 

universities, and military installations (New York State Office of Real Property 

Services, 2006). 

Descriptions of Nation properties using the set of codes developed by NYSORPS can be 

found in the Existing and Future Land Use By Alternative tables in Appendix A. 

3.2.4.2 Regional and Historical Setting 

The Central New York Region is broadly defined as the area generally located between the 

Cities of Syracuse and Utica, bounded on the south by the Pennsylvania State line and on 

the west by the Finger Lakes region of New York State. Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, 

Oneida, Onondaga, and Oswego Counties are located in the Central New York Region. 

This broad section of New York State has several medium-sized cities and urbanized areas 

such as Rome, Utica, Cortland, and Syracuse, and numerous towns and villages including 

Oneida, Verona, Cazenovia, and New York Mills. 

With the opening in 1825 of the Erie Canal, extending from Lake Erie to the Hudson 

River, the Central New York Region became an important component of the 

manufacturing industry in the U.S. The Erie Canal; which made boom towns out of 

Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Rome, Utica, and Schenectady; made an immense 

contribution to the wealth and importance of New York City and New York State but its 

impact extended much further as it increased trade throughout the U.S. by opening eastern 

markets to Midwest farm products and encouraged western immigration. British repeal of 

the Corn Law resulted in a huge increase in trade in Midwestern wheat to Britain. Trade 

between the U.S. and Canada also increased as a result of the Corn Law and a reciprocity 

(free-trade) agreement signed in 1854, much of this trade flowed along the Erie Canal. 

The completion of I-90, which was built in the 1950’s by the State of New York to 

connect its major cities, was also a factor in the growth of the Central New York Region 

as population centers and business districts emerged on both sides of the right-of-way. In 

recent decades, however, the area has experienced a decline in manufacturing. 

Today planners throughout the Central New York Region are devising ways to make the 

area more attractive to local businesses as well as for residents who might seek to relocate 

there. In 1996, the Metropolitan Development Association of Syracuse and Central New 

York, Inc. developed Vision 2010, which is a comprehensive regional economic growth 

strategy designed to “make Central New York the location of choice for businesses and 

families by strengthening the economic vitality of the region. Vision 2010 was 
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instrumental in identifying new opportunities for growth, and marshaling resources to 

pursue those opportunities. The New York Indoor Environmental Quality Center and 

Center of Excellence in Environmental Systems are direct results of Vision 2010”

(Metropolitan Development Association of Syracuse and Central New York, Inc., 1996). 

Despite these planning efforts, the Central New York Region continues to experience 

economic challenges. 

Oneida County 

Oneida County is bounded to the east by Herkimer County, to the south by Madison and 

Otsego Counties, to the west by Madison and Oswego Counties, and to the north by 

Oswego and Lewis Counties. This county occupies a total area of approximately 814,934 

acres (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). The Mohawk River runs through Oneida County and 

its river valley is one of the most fertile in the State of New York. This fertile soil has 

made conditions within Oneida County especially suited for agriculture. 

The opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 stimulated the planting of cash crops in Oneida 

County by providing farmers and local merchants within the county access to eastern 

markets through improved transportation services. By the mid-nineteenth century, all 

transportation by land and water west of the City of Albany converged in the City of 

Rome, stimulating growth in this city as well as in the neighboring City of Utica. 

Industrialization in Oneida County took place between the mid-nineteenth and midtwentieth centuries. Prior to World War II, Oneida County had become the center of 

textile manufacturing in the U.S. After the war, many of these textile mills relocated to 

areas in the southern part of the U.S. In the 1950’s, the retail and wholesale services that 

are dominant in Oneida County today were recruited to the county along with other new 

industries. 

Information on the history of agriculture in Oneida County is discussed in Section 3.8.2 

Agriculture. Oneida County is currently a diverse agricultural area, yet approximately 

two thirds of all agricultural production is attributed to the dairy industry. Oneida 

County ranks sixth in New York State with regard to the number of dairy cows (Nelson 

A. Rockefeller Institute of Government, 2002). 

Madison County 

Madison County occupies approximately 432,152 acres and is characterized as rural in 

nature (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). Madison County contains a number of diverse land 

forms ranging from swamp lands near Lake Oneida in the northern section, to a 

watershed of many streams dominating the central section, and to rich valleys located in 

the south with a variety of usages including agriculture. Madison County’s relatively good 

climate, soils, and topography resulted in ideal conditions for the rise of the hops industry 

during the nineteenth century. Competition from the western states eventually contributed 

to the demise of this industry within Madison County. 
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Information on the history of agriculture in Oneida County is discussed in Section 3.8.2 

Agriculture. The dairy industry eventually replaced hops as the dominant agricultural 

industry in Madison County. This industry evolved as a result of the importation into the 

U.S. of the first Holstein-Frisian cattle by a local entrepreneur to provide fertilizer for the 

hop fields in Madison County. Today Madison County is ranked eighth in New York 

State with regard to total dairy production (Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of 

Government, 2002). 

Other important agricultural industries that developed over the years in Madison County 

include breeding horses both for racing and for pleasure, as well as the growth of cash 

crops including potatoes and onions in the northern part of the county. During the past 30 

years, however, the agriculture sector in Madison County has declined and was replaced 

by wholesale, retail, and service industries that continue to struggle to survive. 

3.2.4.3 General Land Use 

Oneida and Madison Counties 

The predominant land uses in the Study Area are related to agriculture. Agricultural uses 

include farmsteads, pastures, dairy production, crops, and livestock. According to the 

NYSORPS, agricultural lands must be greater than 10 acres in size and must have been 

actively utilized in the preceding two years for the production of agricultural products 

averaging $10,000 or more in annual gross sales. As reported in Table 3.2-7, 44 percent 

of the land located in the municipalities where the Nation owns land is dedicated to 

agricultural uses. It is important to note that the amount of Nation lands classified as 

agriculture is dependant upon the definition utilized to describe agricultural lands. In this 

case the NYSORPS definition of agricultural lands is used; however, in others sections of 

this EIS, different definitions of agriculture or farm lands may be utilized. The second and 

third most prominent land use is vacant land and residential uses, respectively, where each 

of these uses comprises 23 percent. Other land uses in the Study Area include industrial, 

commercial, public service, community services, recreation and entertainment, and wild, 

forested, and conservation lands and public parks. The Study Area, like the Central New 

York Region as a whole, also contains large tracts of inactive, undeveloped, wooded lands 

and wetlands. 

Assessors determine the amount of agricultural acreage by taking measurements of a 

property for a given municipal property assessment roll. Assessors submit the assessment 

rolls to the NYSORPS with the land use type and size and the NYSORPS tabulates the 

data and calculates the number of acres. This assessment methodology differs from that 

utilized by the USDA National Statistics Service, which mails census requests to all farms 

in a county and then compiles and assesses the responses. The year in which the data are 

collected by the assessors and the USDA may also be different. Hence, the number of acres 

reported by the NYSORPS may differ from the acreage reported by the USDA. The 
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general land use information reported in this section was obtained from the NYSORPS 

because it is the most comprehensive. 

Table 3.2-7 

Land Use of Municipalities Located in Oneida and Madison Counties 

with Nation Lands 

Land Use Acres Percent of Area 

Agricultural 121,259 44 

Commercial 4,456 2 

Community Services 5,488 2 

Industrial 1,805 1 

Public Services 9,644 3 

Recreation and Entertainment 3,743 1 

Residential 62,243 23 

Vacant Land 62,907 23 

Wild, Forested, Conservation Lands, and Public Parks 3,141 1 

Total 274,686 100 

Source: New York State Office of Real Property Services, 2004 

Nation Lands 

As listed in Table 3.2-8, Nation lands are located in three hamlets, five villages, two cities, 

and 11 towns in Oneida and Madison Counties. Additional municipalities are discussed 

in this section because they are located within the Study Area, even though there are no 

Nation lands located within the boundaries of those municipalities. 

The land uses of Nation holdings include the following: commercial retail activities, 

commercial gaming and resort uses (the Turning Stone Resort & Casino), SavOn gas 

stations and convenience stores, marinas, a broadcasting company (Media Broadcasting), 

fiberglass repair shops, golf courses, Nation member housing and actively-used residential 

dwellings, Nation’s governmental facilities, agriculture, and cultural land uses including 

outdoor activities and traditional Iroquois agriculture. Additionally, the Nation owns 

inactive lands such as undeveloped properties, wetland areas, and vacant residential 

dwellings. Some Nation lands have multiple uses such as agricultural/cultural, 

cultural/commercial, agricultural/residential, and commercial/residential. For the purpose 

of this EIS, land uses are identified by municipality, except where a number of Nation 

lands in close proximity to one another are located in more than one municipality. Land 

use on Nation holdings is illustrated on Figure 3.2-16. 

Based on information provided by the Nation, approximately 20 percent or 3,428 acres of 

the total 17,370 acres of Nation lands are identified as Group 1. Approximately 37 

percent or 6,475 acres of Nation lands are identified as Group 2 and approximately 43 

percent or 7,467 acres of Nation lands are identified as Group 3. 
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Table 3.2-8 

List of Municipalities with Nation Lands 

Village/City Township County 

Hamlet of Durhamville Town of Verona Oneida 

Hamlet of Verona Beach Town of Verona Oneida 

Town of Verona 

Village of Sylvan Beach Town of Vienna Oneida 

Town of Vienna 

Village of Vernon Town of Vernon Oneida 

Village of Oneida Castle Town of Vernon Oneida 

City of Sherrill Town of Vernon Oneida 

Town of Vernon 

Hamlet of Augusta Town of Augusta Oneida 

Town of August 

City of Oneida Madison 

Village of Canastota Town of Lenox Madison 

Town of Lenox 

Town of Stockbridge Madison 

Village of Cazenovia Town of Cazenovia Madison 

Town of Cazenovia 

Town of Lincoln Madison 

Town of Sullivan Madison 

Town of Smithfield Madison 

Town of Fenner Madison 

Source: The Nation, 2005 

As presented in Table 3.2-9, most Nation lands are utilized for agriculture that correlates 

with the prominent land use of the municipalities in which Nation lands are located (see 

Table 3.2-7). Based on the data provided by the NYSORPS and by the Nation, 

approximately 66 percent or 11,450 acres of the Nation’s 17,370 acres are used for 

agricultural-related purposes. The second largest land use for Nation holdings is 

residential, which comprises approximately 11 percent of Nation lands or 1,974 acres. 

Recreation and entertainment are the third largest land use, encompassing 1,545 acres or 

approximately nine percent of Nation lands. The fourth largest land use for Nation 

holdings is vacant land, which comprises 1,169 acres or approximately seven percent of 

Nation lands. 
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Table 3.2-9 also identifies the distribution of land uses by the Groupings. The following 

discussion identifies the four prominent land uses (agricultural, residential, recreation and 

entertainment, and vacant land) of Nation holdings by the Groupings. As identified in 

Table 3.2-9, 1,549 acres or 14 percent of the Nation’s agricultural land is in Group 1, 

3,860 acres or 34 percent is in Group 2, and 6,041 acres or 53 percent is in Group 3. This 

table also identifies that there are 1,160 acres or 59 percent of the Nation’s residential 

land is in Group 2, 436 acres or 22 percent is in Group 1, and 378 acres or 19 percent is 

in Group 3. Lands that are utilized for recreation and entertainment are mostly in Group 1 

with 1,332 acres or 86 percent. The remaining 213 acres or 14 percent of the Nation’s 

recreation and entertainment lands are in Group 2; none of the Group 3 lands are utilized 

for recreation and entertainment. Nation lands that are vacant occupy 1,169 acres, 917 of 

these acres or 78 percent is in Group 3, 23 acres or two percent is in Group 1, and 229 

acres or 20 percent is in Group 2. 

The prominent land uses differ amongst the Groupings. Of the 3,427 acres of Group 1 

lands, the prominent land uses are agricultural, recreation and entertainment, and 

residential that comprises a total of 3,317 acres or 97 percent. The remaining Group 1 

lands consisting of 110 acres or three percent are utilized for commercial, industrial, 

public services, vacant land, and wild, forested, conservation lands and public parks. None 

of the Group 1 lands are utilized for community service. Of the 6,476 acres of Group 2 

lands, the prominent land uses are agricultural, residential, and wild, forested, 

conservation lands, and public parks that comprise a total of 5,489 acres or 85 percent. 

The land use with the greatest amount of acreage in Group 2 is agricultural, which 

comprises 3,860 acres. All of the lands utilized for community service and almost all of the 

land utilized for wild, forested, conservation lands and public parks are located in Group 

2. Of the 7,467 acres of Group 3 lands, the prominent land uses are agricultural, vacant 

lands, and residential that comprises a total of 7,336 acres or 98 percent. Group 3 lands 

are primarily utilized for agricultural purposes and comprise 6,041 acres. None of the 

Group 3 lands are utilized for community services, public services, recreation and 

entertainment, and wild, forested, conservation lands, and public parks. 

3.2.4.4 Oneida County Land Use 

The total area of Oneida County is 814,934 acres (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). The 

municipalities in which the Nation owns land, however, encompass a total area of 

180,011 acres or approximately 22 percent of the total area of Oneida County. As shown 

in Table 3.2-10, 45 percent of the land in these municipalities is used for agricultural 

purposes. In the year 2002, Oneida County reported a total of approximately 167,300 

acres of agricultural lands located within 20 different agricultural districts (Oneida County 

Department of Planning, 2002). Residential uses account for the second highest 
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Table 3.2-9 

Land Use on Nation Holdings

Source: New York State Office of Real Property Services, 2004 

Land Use 

Category 

Group 1 

Lands 

(acres) 

Group 1 Lands 

Percentage of 

Total Nation 

Lands 

Group 2 

Lands 

(acres) 

Group 2 Lands 

Percentage of 

Total Nation 

Lands 

Group 3 

Lands 

(acres) 

Group 3 Lands 

Percentage of 

Total Nation 

Lands 

T

Acre

Lan

Agricultural 1,549 14 3,860 34 6,041 53 1Commercial 79 37 104 48 32 15 Community Service 0 0 155 100 0 0 Industrial 4 2 121 54 99 44 Public Services 1 1 165 99 0 0 Recreation and Entertainment 1,332 86 213 14 0 0 1Residential 436 22 1,160 59 378 19 1Vacant Land 23 2 229 20 917 78 1Wild, Forested, Conservation Lands, and Public Parks 

3 1 469 99 0 0 

Total 3,427 20 6,476 37 7,467 43 17
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percentage of land at 22 percent, while vacant land comprises the third highest percentage 

of land at 21 percent. 

Table 3.2-10 

Land Use of Municipalities Located in Oneida County with Nation Lands 

Land Use Acres Percent of Area 

Agricultural 81,093 45 

Commercial 3,418 2 

Community Services 4,154 2 

Industrial 880 1 

Public Services 8,545 5 

Recreation and Entertainment 2,443 1 

Residential 39,289 22 

Vacant Land 37,852 21 

Wild, Forested, Conservation Lands, and Public Parks 2,337 1 

Total 180,011 100 

Source: New York State Office of Real Property Services, 2004 

The following discussion, which classifies Nation and non-Nation lands by municipality, 

presents an inventory of the land use in each of the municipalities within Oneida County 

in which Nation lands are located. A discussion of the Nation land uses classified 

according to the Groupings that are located within each town, city or village is also 

provided. The information identified in the discussions below were obtained from the 

municipalities and from observations made by Malcolm Pirnie, Inc. (MP) staff during site 

visits made to the Study Area in October and November 2005. The figures (Figures 3.2-

17 through 3.2-21) that are provided with this discussion show general land use for these 

municipalities, which was obtained from data provided by the NYSORPS. These figures 

also identify general land use on Nation lands as obtained during observations made by 

MP staff during the site visits to the Study Area, data provided by the Nation, 

photographs, and aerial photography. 

Town of Verona 

The Town of Verona is located in the southwestern portion of Oneida County and is 

approximately 70 square miles (44,608 acres) in area. It is bounded on the north by the 

Town of Vienna and the City of Rome; on the west by Oneida Lake, the City of Oneida, 

and the Town of Lenox; on the south by the Town of Vernon; and on the east by the City 

of Rome and the Town of Westmoreland (Figure 3.2-18). The Hamlet of Durhamville is 

located on the southwestern border of the Town of Verona. The Village of Verona is 

located in the center of the Town of Verona where NYS Route 365 intersects with NYS 

Route 31. 

The land use discussion for the Town of Verona includes a description of baseline 

conditions in the town as well as in the Villages of Verona and Oneida Castle, which are 

both located in the Town of Verona. A variety of land uses are located in the Town of 

Verona on non-Nation lands including residential, agricultural, dairy farming, 

recreational, cultural, commercial, public facilities, schools, and governmental uses. 
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Vernon-Verona-Sherrill Middle School and High School is located on the west side of NYS 

Route 31, just east of the Turning Stone Resort & Casino. Additionally, large areas of the 

Town of Verona remain undeveloped. Wetlands and wooded areas are located in many 

areas of the Town of Verona. 

The northwestern portion of the Town of Verona has large areas of undeveloped land and 

wetlands located near the Erie Canal. Properties in the northern part of the Town of 

Verona are utilized for a mix of low-density residential uses, active and inactive crop fields 

and pastures, local retail commercial establishments, and vacant or undeveloped lands. 

Verona Beach State Park is located just east of Oneida Lake at NYS Route 13. Hamlets 

with small local retail and local service businesses are located throughout the northern 

part of the Town of Verona. In the northern part of the Town of Verona near the Village 

of Sylvan Beach, many properties are used for residential, seasonal residential, local retail 

commercial establishments, and recreational activities. 

Fallow crop fields, active farming, and land used for raising livestock comprise a 

significant amount of land in the Town of Verona (New York State Office of Real 

Property Services, 2004; Malcolm Pirnie, Inc., 2005). Farm-related activities are located 

throughout the Town of Verona. Cemeteries, low-density residential dwellings, pastures, 

wooded properties, wetlands, and undeveloped parcels are located along Germany Road, 

Carpenter Road, Irish Ridge Road, Happy Valley Road, New London Road, and NYS 

Route 31. A large abandoned military reservation that was once the Verona Test Site and 

the Nation’s wetlands mitigation site (Parcel 37 in Group 2 lands) are located between 

NYS Route 31 and Germany Road. Properties located south of NYS Route 31 include low 

density residential dwellings, pastures, farms, and undeveloped areas. The New York 

Central Railroad right-of-way runs through the Town of Verona from its eastern 

boundary southwest towards Madison County. 

In the center of the Town of Verona near the Turning Stone Resort & Casino, properties 

that are not under Nation ownership are utilized for a variety of low intensity 

development including residential and local retail uses. Land uses surrounding the Turning 

Stone Resort & Casino generally include local commercial retail establishments, lowdensity residential dwellings, pastures, agricultural properties, office space, wooded 

parcels, wetlands, and undeveloped land located along NYS Route 365, I-90, and 

Ostrander Road. To the northeast of the Turning Stone Resort & Casino near the Town 

of Westmoreland border and along NYS Route 365, land uses are generally low-density 

and include residential, vacant lands, pastures, agriculture, and wooded properties with 

some local commercial retail businesses. 

There are two hamlets located in the Town of Verona that have Nation lands, the Hamlet 

of Verona Beach and the Hamlet of Durhamville. The Hamlet of Verona Beach is located 

on the western portion of the Town of Verona on Oneida Lake north of NYS Route 31. 
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The Hamlet of Verona Beach contains single-family and multi-family seasonal and yearround dwellings, local retail commercial businesses, open space, waterfront-related uses, 

recreational uses, wetlands, wooded parcels, and vacant areas. The Hamlet of 

Durhamville is located in the central portion of the Town of Verona along NYS Route 31 

and NYS Route 46. Land uses in the Hamlet of Durhamville are residential, agriculture, 

and local retail. 

Nation Lands

The Nation owns 173 parcels comprised of 220 tax lots located within the Town of 

Verona encompassing 8,594 acres of land. This land includes three tax lots on three 

parcels encompassing 350 acres located within the Hamlet of Durhamville and eight 

parcels comprised of nine tax lots with a total area of eight acres located in the Hamlet of 

Verona Beach. Nation lands comprise approximately 19 percent of the total area of the 

Town of Verona. 

The predominant land uses on Nation holdings in the Town of Verona are commercial 

gaming-related and resort uses that support or are directly related to the Turning Stone 

Resort & Casino located on Patrick Road south of NYS Route 365 including the 

Shenendoah Golf Course, the Pleasant Knolls Golf Course, the Kaluhyat Golf Course and 

the Sandstone Hollow Golf Course. Additional related commercial gaming land uses in the 

Town of Verona include accommodations as described below, parking garages, employee 

housing, storage facilities, support services, office space, and operations. Accommodations 

at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino include the Lodge at Turning Stone a 98-suite 

luxury boutique hotel adjacent to the casino, the Tower at Turning Stone a 19-story hotel 

with 287 rooms and suites, the Inn at Turning Stone featuring 62 rooms, the Villages at 

Turning Stone RV Park with 175 paved sites, and the Hotel at Turning Stone a three-story 

hotel with 258 rooms. Most of these accommodations are located at the intersection of 

Patrick Road and NYS Route 365; the Villages at Turning Stone RV Park are located 

along the north side of NYS Route 365, to the west of the Sandstone Hollow Golf Course. 

The Inn at Turning Stone is located on NYS Route 365 north of I-90. 

A variety of other land uses exist on Nation holdings in the Town of Verona including 

active and vacant residential structures, commercial retail uses, and agriculture. 

Commercial-related land uses such as the golf courses, operations, support facilities, and 

SavOn gas stations and convenience stores are generally located along the south side of 

NYS Route 365 and Patrick, Vernon, Beacon Light, and Snyder Roads in the vicinity of 

the Turning Stone Resort & Casino. The Pleasant Knolls Golf Course and a large 

agricultural property located east of Verona Road are south of the Turning Stone Resort 

& Casino and along the Verona Town line and Stoney Brook Road. Wetlands and 

undeveloped areas are located on Nation lands along NYS Route 31 and Germany Road, 

to the north and west of the Turning Stone Resort & Casino. Other wetland and vacant 

properties are located along Germany, Carpenter, and Irish Ridge Roads. The abandoned 
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Kamp Airport located along Irish Ridge Road in the western part of the Town of Verona 

is on Nation lands. 

Land uses on Nation holdings in the western part of the Town of Verona consist of singlefamily residential structures and vacant land. Wild and forested land is located on three 

parcels along the Erie Canal. In the southwestern part of the Town of Verona, Nation 

lands that are located along Hill Road contain warehouses, old field succession, wetlands, 

member housing, vacant residential dwellings, and woodlands. Just north of this area, part 

of the right-of-way for the New York Central Railroad is located on Nation land. In the 

southern part of the Town of Verona near the Vernon Town line, some Nation lands are 

used for other agricultural purposes while others remain wooded and undeveloped (New 

York State Office of Real Property Services 2004; Malcolm Pirnie, Inc., 2005). 

Generally, Nation lands in the Town of Verona are similar in character to non-Nation 

properties located within the Study Area that surround these lands often being utilized for 

the same uses as when the Nation reacquired them. The Turning Stone Resort & Casino 

and its support facilities, including the Tower Hotel, are atypical of other land uses in the 

vicinity of this gaming and resort establishment and throughout the Town of Verona. 

Nation lands located within the Hamlet of Verona Beach are utilized for member housing, 

commercial uses, a SavOn gas station and convenience store, vacant commercial and 

residential structures, recreational uses, and the Snug Harbour Marina. These properties 

are located on both sides of NYS Route 13. Properties in the Hamlet of Durhamville are 

utilized for member housing and vacant residential uses. 

Group 1 Lands 

There are 70 parcels comprised of 80 tax lots of Group 1 lands located in the Town of 

Verona. These 80 tax lots encompass a total area of 2,196 acres and constitute 

approximately 26 percent of the total area of all Nation lands located within the Town of 

Verona as well as approximately five percent of the total area of the town. These 

properties support or are directly related to the Turning Stone Resort & Casino and 

include the Shenendoah Golf Course, the Pleasant Knolls Golf Course, and the Sandstone 

Hollow Golf Course. 

Group 2 Lands 

There are 85 parcels comprised of 118 tax lots of Group 2 lands located in the Town of 

Verona. These Group 2 lands contain eight parcels comprised of nine tax lots for a total 

area of eight acres located in the Hamlet of Verona Beach and one parcel comprised of one 

tax lot encompassing 330 acres located in the Hamlet of Durhamville. These 122 tax lots 

encompass a total of 4,298 acres and constitute approximately 50 percent of the total area 

of all Nation lands located within the Town of Verona, as well as approximately 10 

percent of the total area of the town. 
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Group 3 Lands 

There are 18 parcels comprised of 22 tax lots of Group 3 lands located in the Town of 

Verona. These Group 3 lands contain two parcels comprised of two tax lots for a total of 

20 acres located in the Hamlet of Durhamville. These 22 tax lots encompass a total area 

of 2,099 acres and constitute approximately 24 percent of the total area of all Nation 

lands located within the Town of Verona, as well as approximately five percent of the 

total area of the town. 

Uses of Nation lands are similar in scope and character to non-Nation land uses in the 

Town of Verona. Both Nation and non-Nation lands contain occupied and vacant singlefamily residential structures, occupied and vacant commercial retail facilities, recreational 

uses, and waterfront-related activities. These land uses are consistent with the land uses of 

property located within the Study Area. 

Town of Vienna 

The Town of Vienna is approximately 95 square miles (60,653 acres) in area (U.S. Census 

Bureau, 2000). The Town of Vienna is located in the western part of Oneida County and 

is bounded on the north by the Town of Camden, on the east by the City of Rome, on the 

south by the Town of Verona and Oneida Lake, and on the west by the Town of 

Constantia in Oswego County (Figure 3.2-19). The Erie Canal is located on the south 

border of the Town of Vienna near the Village of Sylvan Beach and Fish Creek defines 

part of the Vienna Town line. 

Much of the land located within the Town of Vienna is undeveloped or vacant. Other land 

uses include conservation lands, public parks, public services, and areas for recreation and 

entertainment. There are also areas of residential, agricultural (farm, active and inactive 

pastures, and crop fields), and commercial uses located within the Town of Vienna. 

Farming, crops, and land utilized for the raising of livestock are located in the eastern part 

of the Town of Vienna near the border with the City of Rome. Residential uses are located 

throughout the Town of Vienna, while the largest commercial area is located in the central 

part of the town just north of Oneida Lake. 

Village of Sylvan Beach 

Sylvan Beach is a village located in the southwestern corner of the Town of Vienna. The 

Village of Sylvan Beach has an area of approximately 0.8 square miles (486 acres) and is 

bounded by the Erie Canal on the south, Fish Creek on the east, and by Oneida Lake on 

the west (U. S. Census Bureau, 2000). Single, two, and multi-family seasonal and yearround residential uses are located throughout the Village of Sylvan Beach; located west of 

NYS Route 13 there are residential dwellings, a local post office, and waterfront activities; 

and along NYS Route 13 there are local retail commercial businesses, personal services, 

recreational uses, government offices, offices, and SavOn gas stations and convenience 

stores. Sylvan Beach Amusement Park is located along the shores of Oneida Lake. On the 

east side of the Village of Sylvan Beach are residential structures, vacant properties, open 
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space, recreational uses, and park land. A trailer park is located on the east side of the 

Village of Sylvan Beach, just north of the Erie Canal. 

Land uses in the area surrounding Nation holdings are low-density residential, waterrelated, and mobile homes. Land uses on the Marinar’s Landing Marina property are 

similar in scale and character to adjacent and nearby residential uses on non-Nation lands. 

Nation Lands

The Nation owns one parcel of land comprised of seven tax lots encompassing seven acres 

located entirely in the Village of Sylvan Beach within the Town of Vienna. Nation lands 

comprise 0.01 percent of the total area of the Town of Vienna. All Nation lands located 

within the Town of Vienna are also located within the Village of Sylvan Beach. In 

addition, certain Nation lands in the Town of Verona are located within 1,000 feet of the 

boundary with the Town of Vienna. Those Nation lands located within 1,000 feet of the 

Village of Sylvan Beach are characterized by wooded areas and wetlands. 

Group 1 Lands 

There are no Group 1 lands located within the Town of Vienna. 

Group 2 Lands 

The Nation owns one parcel comprised of seven tax lots of Group 2 lands encompassing 

seven acres located entirely in the Village of Sylvan Beach within the Town of Vienna. 

Marinar’s Landing Marina, which is used for seasonal and year-round rental housing, is 

located on the seven tax lots. Nation lands constitute 0.01 percent of the total area of the 

Town of Vienna. The Marinar’s Landing Marina was a marina prior to its purchase by the 

Nation. While the Nation has invested in certain improvements to this facility, its 

underlying use as a marina has not changed. 

Group 3 Lands 

There are no Group 3 lands located within the Town of Vienna. 

The uses of Nation lands are similar to land uses on non-Nation properties in the Town of 

Vienna. 

Town of Vernon 

The Town of Vernon is located on the western border of Oneida County and is bounded 

by the City of Oneida and Madison County on the west, the Town of Verona on the 

north, the Towns of Westmoreland and Kirkland on the east, and the Town of Augusta on 

the south (Figure 3.2-20). The Town of Vernon is approximately 38 square miles (24,397 

acres) in area (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). 

Land use in the Town of Vernon consists of a variety of residential uses and structures, 

agricultural uses, office space, local retail commercial businesses, warehouses, public 

facilities, governmental uses, wooded parcels, wetlands, and vacant lands. Government 
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offices and community facilities are generally located within the Villages of Vernon and 

Oneida Castle, and the City of Sherrill. Generally, non-Nation lands located east of 

Verona Road are utilized for agricultural uses, low-density residential development, 

wetlands, wooded areas, and vacant parcels. Along NYS Route 5 non-Nation properties 

have the following land uses: community facilities, Vernon Downs entertainment resort 

and harness race track, local retail commercial businesses, low-density residential uses, gas 

and automotive repair stations, warehouses, and agriculture. The southern part of the 

Town of Vernon south of NYS Route 5 is generally comprised of low-density residential 

uses, agricultural uses, wetlands, wooded areas, and vacant lands. Unincorporated areas of 

the Town of Vernon located west of Verona Street are utilized for agriculture, low-density 

residential uses, wetlands, wooded areas, and vacant lands. 

The Village of Vernon is located in the central area of the Town of Vernon in the vicinity 

of the intersection of NYS Route 5 and NYS Route 31, east of the City of Sherrill. The 

area of the Village of Vernon is approximately 0.9 square miles (582 acres) (U.S. Census 

Bureau, 2000). Local commercial retail uses, personal services, office space, convenience 

stores, gas stations, and warehouses are located generally along NYS Routes 5 and 31 in 

the Village of Vernon. Single-family and multi-family residential structures are generally 

located along secondary streets and roads. W.A. Wettel Elementary School is located in 

the southwestern part of the Village of Vernon, along Peterboro Street. The uses of Nation 

lands are generally similar in nature to land uses of non-Nation properties located in the 

Study Area. 

Nation Lands

There are 29 parcels comprised of 37 tax lots of Nation lands located within the Town of 

Vernon, encompassing a total of 1,911 acres of land. Nation lands consist of four parcels 

comprised of five tax lots located within the Village of Vernon. Nation lands comprise 

approximately eight percent of the total area of the Town of Vernon. Nation lands located 

in the Town of Vernon generally are utilized for agriculture (pastures), wetlands, singlefamily residential structures, office space, warehouses, golf courses and associated 

operations, and SavOn gas stations and convenience stores. 

In the northern portion of the Town of Vernon located north of NYS Route 5, land uses 

on Nation holdings consist of single-family and vacant dwellings, agriculture, warehouses, 

wooded areas, wetlands, and vacant land. The Atunyote Golf Course and properties for 

support operations are located on the north side of Cooper Street, east of Verona Street. 

Along NYS Route 5 in the Town of Vernon, Nation lands contain a warehouse and vacant 

lands. Nation lands located in the western part of the Town of Vernon along Peterboro 

Road near the town line are used for agriculture and member housing. 

As stated previously, the Nation owns four parcels located within the Village of Vernon 

that are comprised of five tax lots encompassing 10 acres of land. These Nation lands, 
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which are located along NYS Routes 5 and 31, are utilized for a telecommunications 

office, a commercial warehouse, an abandoned motel structure, agricultural land, and 

residential uses. 

Group 1 Lands 

There are 15 parcels comprised of 19 tax lots of Group 1 lands located in the Town of 

Vernon. These 19 tax lots encompass a total of 1,232 acres and constitute approximately 

64 percent of the total area of all Nation lands located within the Town of Vernon, as well 

as approximately five percent of the total area of the town. 

Group 2 Lands 

There are 10 parcels comprised of 13 tax lots of Group 2 lands located in the Town of 

Vernon, which consists of all five tax lots located in the Village of Vernon. These 13 tax 

lots encompass a total of 247 acres and constitute approximately 13 percent of the total 

area of all Nation lands located within the Town of Vernon, as well as approximately one 

percent of the total area of the town. 

Group 3 Lands 

There are four parcels comprised of five tax lots of Group 3 lands located in the Town of 

Vernon. These five tax lots encompass a total of 432 acres and constitute approximately 

23 percent of the total area of all Nation lands located within the Town of Vernon, as well 

as approximately two percent of the total area of the town. 

On both Nation and non-Nation lands, high activity land uses are generally located along 

the highways while agriculture and vacant lands are typically located along local and 

secondary roads in the Town of Vernon. However, the land use on some Nation lands is 

atypical of nearby and adjacent properties. 

City of Sherrill 

The City of Sherrill is located along the western portion of the Town of Vernon and is 

bounded by Oneida Creek and Madison County on the west (Figure 3.2-21). The City of 

Sherrill is approximately two square miles (1,293 acres) in area (U.S. Census Bureau, 

2000). Land uses within the City of Sherrill include a variety of single-family and twofamily residential structures, commercial office space, government office space, local 

commercial retail businesses, and gas and automotive repair stations. A reservoir is located 

at the intersection of West Hamilton Avenue and Betsinger Road. McAllister Elementary 

School is located in the center of the City of Sherrill. More high activity land uses are 

located along NYS Route 5; similar types of land uses are found in the Village of Oneida 

Castle and the Village of Vernon. 

Nation Lands

The Nation owns eight parcels of land comprised of 11 tax lots encompassing four acres 

in the City of Sherrill. Nation lands comprise 0.3 percent of the total area of the City of 
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Sherrill. Nation land uses are utilized for Standing Stone retail commercial businesses, 

residential structures, agricultural uses, and a SavOn gas station and convenience store. 

Group 1 Lands 

There are no Group 1 lands located within the City of Sherrill. 

Group 2 Lands 

The Nation owns six parcels comprised of nine tax lots of Group 2 lands in the City of 

Sherrill. These nine tax lots encompass a total of three acres and constitute 75 percent of 

the total area of all Nation lands located within the City of Sherrill, as well as 0.2 percent 

of the total area of the city. As previously stated, these properties include the Standing 

Stone retail commercial businesses, residential structures, agricultural uses, and a SavOn 

gas station and convenience store. 

Group 3 Lands 

The Nation owns two parcels comprised of two tax lots of Group 3 lands located in the 

City of Sherrill. The two tax lots encompass a total of 0.6 acres and constitute 

approximately 15 percent of the total area of all Nation lands located within the City of 

Sherrill, as well as 0.05 percent of the total area of the city. Properties in this group are 

characterized by vacant residential uses. 

Land use on Nation holdings is similar to land use on non-Nation properties in the City of 

Sherrill. 

Town of Augusta 

The Town of Augusta is approximately 28 square miles (17,741 acres) in area and is 

located in the southwestern corner of Oneida County (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). The 

Town of Augusta is bounded on the north by the Town of Vernon, on the east by the 

Towns of Marshall and Kirkland, on the south by the Town of Madison located in 

Madison County, and on the west by the Town of Stockbridge located in Madison 

County. Within the Town of Augusta are located the Hamlet of Augusta on NYS Route 

26, the Hamlet of Knoxboro northwest of the Hamlet of Augusta, and the Village of 

Oriskany Falls located in the southeast corner of the town (Figure 3.2-22). 

Active pastures and crop fields are located throughout the Town of Augusta. Undeveloped 

areas and residential development are also distributed throughout the Town of Augusta. A 

commercial district is located in the west central portion of the Town of Augusta and 

vacant land is located in the southeastern portion of the town. Other land uses in the 

Town of Augusta are pockets of industrial development in the southeastern portion, as 

well as areas designated for public use (i.e., wild, forested, conservation lands, public 

parks, public services, and recreational and entertainment). Local retail establishments are 

located in the Hamlet of Augusta and the Village of Oriskany Falls. 
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Nation Lands

Nation lands are located in the northwestern portion of the Town of Augusta, along 

Stockbridge town line and also within the Hamlet of Augusta. The Nation owns three 

parcels of land comprised of six tax lots encompassing a total area of 259 acres. Nation 

lands, which constitute approximately 1.5 percent of the total area of the Town of 

Augusta, are utilized for active and vacant residential uses, farmland, and commercial 

areas. 

Group 1 Lands 

There are no Group 1 lands located within the Town of Augusta. 

Group 2 Lands 

There are two parcels comprised of four tax lots of Group 2 lands located in the Town of 

Augusta encompassing a total area of one acre. These Nation lands are located within the 

Hamlet of Augusta along Solsville Road and NYS Route 26, and are currently vacant. 

These four tax lots constitute 0.4 percent of the total area of all Nation lands located 

within the Town of Augusta, as well as 0.01 percent of the total area of the town. 

Group 3 Lands 

There is one parcel comprised of two tax lots of Group 3 lands located in the Town of 

Augusta along the Town of Stockbridge border. These two tax lots encompass a total of 

258 acres and constitute approximately 99 percent of the total area of all Nation lands 

located within the Town of Augusta, as well as approximately one percent of the total 

area of the town. These properties are utilized for active and vacant residential uses, and 

farmland. 

The land use of Nation holdings is similar to the land use of non-Nation properties. Both 

Nation lands and non-Nation lands in the Town of Augusta have residential, commercial, 

and agricultural uses. 

City of Rome 

The City of Rome is located in central Oneida County and is approximately 76 square 

miles (48,640 acres) in area. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). The City of Rome is bounded on 

the north by the Towns of Annsville and Lee, and by Delta Lake; on the east by the Town 

of Floyd; on the south by the Towns of Westmoreland, Whitestown, and Verona; and on 

the west by the Town of Vienna. The City of Rome has an inner district and an outer 

district. Although Nation lands are not located within the City of Rome, the city’s 

southern boundaries are within 1,000 feet of Nation lands located in the Town of Verona, 

therefore, a description of land use in the vicinity of Nation holdings is provided below. 

Lands in the southern and western part of the City of Rome’s outer district comprise 

mostly undeveloped, inactive, and wooded areas. Some of the properties located along 

NYS Route 49, Lauther Road, and Hogsback Road have inactive and active farming 
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related uses and residential dwellings. Additionally, there are wetland areas located north 

and east of the city boundary and along Erie Canal, Wood Creek, Beaver Brook, Fish 

Creek, and Brandy Creek. Becks Grove airstrip is located on the south side of Oswego 

Road, near the Vienna Town border. The western and southern parts of the City of Rome 

have some concentrations of residential development and local retail establishments 

including Pine Crest, Becks Grove, and Seifert Corners. 

Existing land uses on Nation holdings in the northern part of the Town of Verona are 

generally similar to those nearby areas located within the southern and western parts of 

the City of Rome’s outer district. 

Town of Westmoreland 

The Town of Westmoreland is approximately 118 square miles (75,520 acres) in area 

(U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). The Town of Westmoreland is located in the central part of 

Oneida County and is bounded by the City of Rome on the north, the Town of 

Whitesnow on the east, the Town of Kirkland on the south, and the Towns of Vernon and 

Verona on the west. Although Nation lands are not located within the Town of 

Westmoreland, its western boundaries along the Town of Verona are located within the 

Study Area, therefore, a description of land use in the vicinity of these Nation holdings in 

the Town of Verona is provided. 

The Town of Westmoreland is a rural community with many areas being utilized for 

farming, crops, and livestock raising. I-90 crosses the Town of Westmoreland from east to 

west. As noted in the Town of Westmoreland Comprehensive Plan, land use patterns in 

the town are characteristic of land uses in upstate rural New York municipalities (Town of 

Westmoreland Comprehensive Plan Final Draft, 1995). Located in the northern and 

western part of the Town of Westmoreland are mostly residential properties, active crop 

fields, and vacant parcels. Additionally, there are some wetlands located near the Vernon 

Town line. 

Existing land uses on Nation holdings in the Town of Verona include inactive pastures 

and fields, and wetlands. These land uses are similar in nature and typical of many 

properties in this area of Oneida County. 

3.2.4.5 Madison County Land Use 

The total area of Madison County is 432,152 acres. The municipalities in which the 

Nation owns land, however, encompasses a total area of 94,675 acres or approximately 

22 percent of the total area of Madison County. Agriculture is the dominant land use in 

these municipalities. As identified in Table 3.2-11, 43 percent of the area is utilized for 

agriculture. Agricultural lands in Madison County total 168,264 acres located with 13 

different agricultural districts (Madison County Farmland Protection Board, 2005). The 

second largest land use in these municipalities is vacant land, accounting for 27 percent of 

the area. Residential land, the third largest land use, accounts for 24 percent of the area. 
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Table 3.2-11 

Land Use of Municipalities Located in Madison County 

with Nation Lands 

Land Use Acres Percent of Area 

Agricultural 40,166 43 

Commercial 1,038 1 

Community Services 1,334 1 

Industrial 925 1 

Public Services 1,099 1 

Recreation and Entertainment 1,300 1 

Residential 22,954 24 

Vacant Land 25,055 27 

Wild, Forested, Conservation Lands, and Public Parks 804 1 

Total 94,675 100 

Source: New York State Office of Real Property Services, 2004 

The information identified in the discussions below were obtained from the municipalities 

and from observations made by MP staff during site visits made to the Study Area in 

October and November 2005. The figures (Figures 3.2-22 through 3.2-29) that are 

provided with this discussion show general land use for these municipalities, which was 

obtained from data provided by the NYSORPS. These figures also identify general land 

use on Nation lands as obtained during observations made by MP staff during the site 

visits to the Study Area, data provided by the Nation, photographs, and aerial 

photography. 

City of Oneida 

The City of Oneida is located in the northeastern corner of Madison County. The City of 

Oneida is approximately 22 square miles (14,131 acres) in area and is bounded by the 

Towns of Lenox and Lincoln on the west, Oneida County and Oneida Creek on the north 

and east, and the Town of Stockbridge on the south (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). I-90 

traverses the northern portion of the City of Oneida, running east to west (Figure 3.2-23). 

The Old Oneida Lake Canal is located in the northern part of the City of Oneida. 

Dismantled and inactive railroad rights-of-way pass through the City of Oneida from east 

to west at various locations. 

Land uses north of I-90 generally include residential, agricultural, small local retail 

commercial businesses, the Old Erie Canal, wetlands, wooded areas, and vacant lands. 

Land uses south of I-90 and in the downtown area of the City of Oneida include mediumdensity residential and multi-family dwellings, offices, medium-sized retail commercial 

businesses, personal services, community facilities, governmental offices, wholesale 

businesses, parks and recreational areas, and vacant lands. A number of public parks and 

open space are located throughout the downtown area. Retail shopping centers are located 

near the intersection of Genessee Street (NYS Route 5) and NYS Route 46. The Oneida 

Country Course is located south of NYS Route 5, just east of Bakers Reservoir. South of 

NYS Route 5, the land uses in the City of Oneida have a more rural character and are 

generally utilized for pastures, single-family dwellings on large parcels of land, small local 
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retail commercial businesses, wooded areas, and vacant lands. Cemeteries are located 

south of NYS Route 5 and along Fairview Avenue, West Road, and Middle Road. 

Nation Lands

The Nation owns 39 parcels comprised of 45 tax lots encompassing a total of 1,039 acres 

located within both the inner and outer portions of the City of Oneida. Nation lands 

comprise approximately seven percent of the total area located within the City of Oneida. 

Nation lands located near the downtown area of the City of Oneida are utilized for SavOn 

gas stations and convenience stores, a wholesale distribution center, vacant and active 

warehouses, Nation Government Services and Affairs offices, member housing, active and 

vacant residential uses, and the Nation’s communications/media relations office. In the 

outer rural areas of the City of Oneida, Nation lands located along NYS Route 46 and 

Glenwood Avenue are utilized for Nation Services and Affairs offices, Nation community 

facilities, a gymnasium, the cultural and education center, farming, a 99-acre inoperative 

sand and gravel pit, member housing and residential uses, including the Village of the 

White Pines Member Housing complex, a graveyard, a SavOn gas station and convenience 

store, and vacant properties. 

Group 1 Lands 

There are no Group 1 lands located within the City of Oneida. 

Group 2 Lands 

There are 35 parcels comprised of 40 tax lots of Group 2 lands located in the City of 

Oneida. These 40 tax lots encompass a total of 789 acres and constitute approximately 

76 percent of the total area of all Nation lands located within the City of Oneida, as well 

as approximately six percent of the total area of the city. 

Group 3 Lands 

There are four parcels comprised of five tax lots of Group 3 lands located in the City of 

Oneida. These five tax lots encompass a total of 250 acres and constitute approximately 

24 percent of the total area of all Nation lands located within the City of Oneida, as well 

as approximately two percent of the total area of the city. 

There are similar land uses on Nation and non-Nation lands located within the City of 

Oneida. Both Nation and non-Nation lands have a rural and suburban character in the 

areas located outside of the City of Oneida’s downtown area. Land uses of Nation 

holdings located in the downtown area are similar in nature to land uses typically located 

in the urbanized area of the City of Oneida, as both Nation and non-Nation lands are 

utilized for office space, convenience stores and gas stations, residential structures, and 

vacant structures. 
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Town of Lenox 

The Town of Lenox is located in the northeastern corner of Madison County and occupies 

an area of approximately 36 square miles (23,296 acres) (U. S. Census Bureau, 2000). The 

Town of Lenox is bounded on the north by Oneida Lake, on the east by Oneida Creek 

and Oneida County, on the south by the Town of Lincoln, and on the west by the Town 

of Sullivan (Figure 3.2-24). I-90 traverses the Town of Lenox from east to west. The 

Village of Wampsville, where the Town of Lenox’s government offices are located, is near 

the east town boundary on NYS Route 5. 

The land in the Town of Lenox is utilized for a variety of residential uses, local retail 

commercial businesses, active farmland, active crop fields, livestock, pastures, gas and 

automotive repair stations, office space, recreational and water-related uses, industrial 

uses, community facilities, schools, government offices, wetlands, wooded areas, and 

vacant lands. A canal/irrigation system is located in the southern portion of the Town of 

Lenox. Generally agricultural uses, residential uses, vacant structures, wetlands, wooded 

areas, and vacant land areas are located outside of the villages and hamlets of the Town of 

Lenox. 

Governmental offices; single, two, and multi-family dwellings; commercial retail 

businesses, personal service businesses, convenience stores, gas stations, and community 

facilities are generally concentrated in the Villages of Canastota and Wampsville. The 

International Boxing Hall of Fame is located on the northwest side of the Village of 

Canastota, and an airport and an industrial park is located to the southwest. Local 

cemeteries are located to the south of this village. The Casolwood Golf Course is located 

just outside of the Village of Canastota to the west. County offices are located in the 

downtown area of the Village of Wampsville. Single-family, local retail commercial 

businesses, convenience stores, gas stations, automotive repair shops, and community 

facilities are located along NYS Route 5 in the southern portion of the Town of Lenox. 

Nation Lands

The Nation owns 22 parcels comprised of 34 tax lots encompassing a total of 826 acres 

located within the Town of Lenox. These Nation lands are exclusive of those located 

within the Village of Canastota. Nation lands comprise approximately four percent of the 

total area of the Town of Lenox. 

Nation lands located in the northern portion of the Town of Lenox are utilized for 

member housing, single and vacant residential structures, the Marion Manor Marina, 

member boating facilities, and a SavOn gas station and convenience store while wetlands, 

wooded parcels, and vacant lands are located in other sections of the town. Nation lands 

located in and near the Hamlet of South Bay on Oneida Lake are utilized for the Marion 

Manor Marina that is comprised of five tax lots, a member boating and recreational 

facility, a SavOn gas station and convenience store, vacant residential structures, and 
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vacant lands. In the western part of the Town of Lenox on the Town of Sullivan border, 

Nation lands are utilized for member housing, wooded areas, and wetlands. In the center 

of the Town of Lenox, Nation lands are generally located in two areas, along I-90 and in 

and around the Village of Canastota. Along I-90, Nation lands are utilized for member 

housing, wooded parcels, wetlands, and other vacant properties. 

Group 1 Lands 

There are no Group 1 lands located within the Town of Lenox. 

Group 2 Lands 

There are 18 parcels comprised of 25 tax lots of Group 2 lands located in the Town of 

Lenox. These 25 tax lots encompass a total of 638 acres and constitute approximately 77 

percent of the total area of all Nation lands located within the Town of Lenox, as well as 

approximately three percent of the total area of the town. 

Group 3 Lands 

There are four parcels comprised of nine tax lots of Group 3 lands located in the Town of 

Lenox. These nine tax lots encompass a total of 187 acres and constitute approximately 

23 percent of the total area of all Nation lands located within the Town of Lenox, as well 

as 0.8 percent of the total area of the town. 

In general, land uses on Nation holdings are of a similar nature and character as on nonNation properties located in the Town of Lenox. 

Village of Canastota 

The Village of Canastota is located in the south central part of the Town of Lenox. The 

Village of Canastota has an area of approximately three square miles (2,125 acres) and is 

located along NYS Route 13 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). The Village of Canastota is 

directly accessible to I-90, which traverses the village from east to west. NYS Route 5 

forms the southern boundary of the Village of Canastota. 

The Village of Canastota contains a central core of moderately scaled development 

including governmental buildings, institutional uses, public facilities, local and regional 

retail commercial uses, and industrial activity. Just outside of the central core of the village 

area are single-family, two-family, and multi-family residences. Erie Canal State Park is 

located in the center of the Village of Canastota. Within the Village of Canastota, Nation 

lands and non-Nation lands are utilized for institutional uses, residential structures and 

uses, and vacant land. 

Nation Lands

The Nation owns 13 parcels comprised of 13 tax lots encompassing a total of 226 acres 

within the Village of Canastota. Nation lands comprise approximately 11 percent of the 

total area of the Village of Canastota. Within the Village of Canastota, Nation lands are 
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utilized for a SavOn gas station and convenience store located adjacent to I-90, vacant 

recreational parcels, a cultural area (a Nation festival site), Indian Country Today’s 

Newspaper publishing headquarters, Nation Police headquarters located on Diamond 

Street, active and abandoned agricultural uses, and active and abandoned residential 

structures. 

Group 1 Lands 

There are no Group 1 lands located within the Village of Canastota. 

Group 2 Lands 

There are 13 parcels comprised of 13 tax lots of Group 2 lands located in the Village of 

Canastota. These 13 tax lots encompass a total of 226 acres and constitute approximately 

11 percent of the total area of the Village of Canastota. 

Group 3 Lands 

There are no Group 3 lands located within the Village of Canastota. 

Nation lands located in the Village of Canastota consist primarily of residential, 

recreational, agricultural and community facility uses. Since the Village of Canastota as a 

whole consists of similar uses, the character of Nation lands is congruent in nature and 

scale to the village. Thus, in general, existing Nation land uses are similar to those of nonNation properties. 

Town of Stockbridge 

The Town of Stockbridge is approximately 32 square miles (20,262 acres) in area and is 

located in the northeastern corner of Madison County (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). The 

Town of Stockbridge is bounded on the north by the City of Oneida and Oneida County, 

on the east by the Towns of Vernon and Augusta in Oneida County, on the south by the 

Towns of Eaton and Madison, and on the west by the Towns of Smithfield and Lincoln 

(Figure 3.2-25). 

The Town of Stockbridge is mostly a rural community, with pastures and other 

agricultural uses located throughout. Undeveloped areas, residential development, and 

low-intensity commercial establishments are also distributed throughout the Town of 

Stockbridge. With a few exceptions, local commercial retail businesses, office space, 

community facilities, government offices, and personal services are concentrated within the 

hamlets of the Town of Stockbridge and the Village of Munnsville. 

Nation Lands

The Nation owns 28 parcels comprised of 48 tax lots encompassing 3,621 acres of land. 

Nation lands comprise approximately 18 percent of the total area of the Town of 

Stockbridge. Many Nation lands in the Town of Stockbridge are utilized for farming 

activities, pastures, and crop fields. Properties located in the northern part of the Town of 
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Stockbridge and along NYS Route 46 are utilized for pastures, farming, crops, member 

housing, livestock raising, outdoor activities, residential uses, a Nation cattle facility (the 

Heifer Hotel), wetlands, wooded areas, and vacant parcels. Nation lands utilized for the 

Pratts Sand and Gravel Pit are located in the southern part of the Town of Stockbridge 

along Pratts Road. Located in the eastern portion of the Town of Stockbridge are Nation 

lands used for crops and farming activities, pastures, and outdoor activities. Some of the 

Nation lands located on the east side of the Town of Stockbridge have wetlands and 

wooded areas or are vacant. 

Group 1 Lands 

There are no Group 1 lands located within the Town of Stockbridge. 

Group 2 Lands 

There is one parcel comprised of one tax lot of Group 2 lands located in the Town of 

Stockbridge. This tax lot is located in the southwestern portion of the Town of 

Stockbridge to the west of NYS Route 46 and it contains the Nation’s sand and gravel 

operation (Pratts Sand and Gravel Pit) that provides aggregate material for Nation 

construction projects. This one tax lot encompasses a total of 121 acres and constitutes 

approximately three percent of the total area of all Nation lands located within the Town 

of Stockbridge, as well as 0.6 percent of the total area of the town. 

Group 3 Lands 

There are 27 parcels comprised of 47 tax lots of Group 3 lands located in the Town of 

Stockbridge. These 47 tax lots encompass a total of 3,500 acres and constitute 

approximately 97 percent of the total area of all Nation lands located within the Town of 

Stockbridge, as well as approximately 17 percent of the total area of the town. 

Nation lands located in the Town of Stockbridge are generally rural in character. Since 

most of the non-Nation lands are used for pastures, crops, and livestock, the character is 

similar in nature and scale to the Town of Stockbridge as a whole. In general, existing 

Nation land uses are similar to those of non-Nation properties. 

Town of Cazenovia 

The Town of Cazenovia is approximately 52 square miles (33,101 acres) in area (U.S. 

Census Bureau, 2000). Lake Cazenovia is located in the northern portion of the Town of 

Cazenovia. The Town of Cazenovia is bounded by the Town of Sullivan on the north, the 

Towns of Fenner and Nelson on the east, the Town of De Ruyter on the south, and 

Onondaga County on the west (Figure 3.2-26). 

There are a variety of land uses in the Town of Cazenovia. The land in the Town of 

Cazenovia is utilized for residential uses, crop fields, pastures, and other agricultural uses. 

Local commercial retail businesses, personal services, community facilities, office space, 

governmental offices, convenience stores, gas stations, automotive repair shops, and other 
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more intensive land uses are generally concentrated in the Hamlets of New Woodstock, 

Rippleton, North Cazenovia, and West Woodstock, and the Village of Cazenovia, which 

are located within the Town of Cazenovia. The Village of Cazenovia has multi-family 

residential dwellings located in the eastern and western portions of this village. Public 

Schools and Cazenovia College are located in the downtown area of the Village of 

Cazenovia. Cemeteries are located inside the Village of Cazenovia on Fenner Road, south 

of the village on Number Nine Road, and north of the village on Lincklaen Road. 

Nation Lands

The Nation owns one parcel comprised of two tax lots encompassing nine acres in the 

Town of Cazenovia. Nation lands comprise 0.03 percent of the total area of the Town of 

Cazenovia. The one Nation parcel is located in the northwestern portion of the Town of 

Cazenovia just west of Lake Cazenovia and it contains an historic Oneida burial ground as 

well as wooded areas. There are no Nation lands located within the Village of Cazenovia 

or within 1,000-feet of the village boundary. 

Group 1 Lands 

There are no Group 1 lands located within the Town of Cazenovia. 

Group 2 Lands 

The Nation owns one parcel comprised of two tax lots of Group 2 lands located in the 

Town of Cazenovia. As stated previously, Nation lands are located in the northwestern 

portion of the Town of Cazenovia, just west of Lake Cazenovia. The two tax lots 

encompass a total of nine acres and constitute 0.03 percent of the total area of the Town 

of Cazenovia. 

Group 3 Lands 

There are no Group 3 lands located within the Town of Cazenovia. 

As noted previously, Nation lands located in the Town of Cazenovia are used as historic 

burial grounds for the Oneida and Onondaga and are similar in use to the cemeteries 

located in the northwest corner of the town, north and west of Lake Cazenovia. 

Cemeteries are located east of West Lake Road and south of Peth Road, in the general 

vicinity of Nation lands. 

Town of Lincoln 

The Town of Lincoln is approximately 25 square miles (16,000 acres) in area and is 

located in the northeastern portion of Madison County (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). The 

Town of Lincoln is bounded on the north by the Towns of Lenox and Oneida, on the east 

by the Town of Stockbridge, on the south by the Towns of Smithfield and Fenner, and on 

the west by the Town of Sullivan (Figure 3.2-27). 
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The Town of Lincoln is a rural community, with pastures and active farms located 

throughout. Undeveloped areas (vacant land) and residential development are also 

distributed throughout the Town of Lincoln. Residential development is concentrated 

mostly in the central area of the Town of Lincoln with pockets of commercial 

establishments. Commercial development is located near Oxbow Road. There are also 

areas of wild, forested, conservation lands located in the central area of the Town of 

Lincoln. In addition, there are four relatively large water bodies located in the Town of 

Lincoln. 

Nation Lands

In the Town of Lincoln, the Nation owns five parcels that are comprised of eight tax lots 

encompassing approximately 367 acres. Nation lands comprise approximately two 

percent of the total area of the Town of Lincoln. Nation lands in the Town of Lincoln are 

located primarily in the east central portion of the town, near the borders with the City of 

Oneida and Town of Stockbridge. Nation lands are also located in the south central 

portion of the Town of Lincoln, near the border with the Town of Fenner. One of these 

properties is located on both sides of the Lincoln Town line, near Oxbow Road. Most of 

the Nation lands located in the Town of Lincoln are classified as having agricultural uses 

such as crops. Other Nation lands are either vacant lands or mature wooded areas. Two 

parcels of Nation lands are used for member housing, one is located near Nichols Pond 

Road and the other is located near Vedder Road. 

Group 1 Lands 

There are no Group 1 lands located within the Town of Lincoln. 

Group 2 Lands 

The Nation owns two parcels comprised of three tax lots of Group 2 lands located in the 

Town of Lincoln. The three tax lots encompass a total of 22 acres and constitute 

approximately six percent of the total area of all Nation lands located within the Town of 

Lincoln, as well as 0.14 percent of the total area of the town. These Nation lands are used 

for member housing and vacant agriculture lands. 

Group 3 Lands 

The Nation owns three parcels comprised of five tax lots of Group 3 lands located in the 

Town of Lincoln. The five tax lots encompass a total of 345 acres and constitute 

approximately 94 percent of the total area of all Nation lands located within the Town of 

Lincoln, as well as approximately two percent of the total area within this town. These 

Nation lands are used for residential, vacant agriculture lands, and other rural vacant 

lands. 

Land uses on Nation holdings are consistent with land uses on nearby non-Nation 

properties located within the Town of Lincoln. 
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Town of Sullivan 

The Town of Sullivan is approximately 74 square miles (47,078 acres) in area (U.S. 

Census Bureau, 2000). It is located in the northwest portion of Madison County and is 

bounded on the north by Oneida Lake, on the east by the Towns of Lenox and Lincoln, 

on the south by the Towns of Cazenovia and Fenner, and on the west by the Towns of 

Cicero and Manlius in Onondaga County (Figure 3.2-28). 

Located within the Town of Sullivan is the Village of Chittenango, where the town’s 

government offices are located. The Town of Sullivan has many rural areas that are 

utilized for pastures, crops, farming, and land used for raising livestock. Undeveloped 

areas and residential development are also distributed throughout the Town of Sullivan, 

though the greatest concentration of undeveloped land is located in the northern portion 

near Oneida Lake. There are two relatively large areas of commercial and industrial 

development in the Town of Sullivan. One of these areas is located in the southeastern 

corner of the Town of Sullivan near the border with the Town of Lincoln, while the other 

is located in the northwestern portion of the town near the border with the Town of 

Manilus in Onondaga County. Another type of land use within the Town of Sullivan is 

public use (i.e., wild, forested, conservation lands, public parks/public 

services/recreational, and entertainment). The largest of these public use lands is located in 

the northern portion of the Town of Sullivan near Oneida Lake. 

Nation Lands

The Nation owns four parcels comprised of four tax lots in the Town of Sullivan 

encompassing a total area of 181 acres. Nation lands comprise 0.4 percent of the total 

area of the Town of Sullivan. Nation lands located in the Town of Sullivan are 

concentrated in its northeastern portion, near the border with the Town of Lenox. 

Group 1 Lands 

There are no Group 1 lands located within the Town of Sullivan. 

Group 2 Lands 

There are two parcels comprised of two tax lots of Group 2 lands located in the Town of 

Sullivan. The largest of these parcels is located near Whitelaw Road and has wooded 

areas as well as member housing on it. These two tax lots encompass a total of 111 acres 

and constitute approximately 61 percent of the total area of all Nation lands located 

within the Town of Sullivan, as well as 0.2 percent of the total area of the town. 

Group 3 Lands 

There are two parcels comprised of two tax lots of Group 3 lands located in the Town of 

Sullivan. One of these two parcels is located near Whitelaw Road and the other is located 

near Gee Road. Both of these parcels are vacant. These two parcels encompass a total of 

70 acres and constitute approximately 39 percent of the total area of all Nation lands 

located within the Town of Sullivan, as well as 0.2 percent of the total area of the town. 
Section 3 

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Land uses on Nation holdings are consistent with land uses on nearby non-Nation 

properties located within the Town of Sullivan. 

Town of Smithfield 

The Town of Smithfield is approximately 24 square miles (15,578 acres) in area and is 

located in the east central portion of Madison County (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). The 

Town of Smithfield is bounded on the north by the Towns of Lincoln and Stockbridge, on 

the east by the Town of Stockbridge, on the south by the Towns of Eaton and Nelson, and 

on the west by the Town of Fenner. Located within the Town of Smithfield is the Hamlet 

of Peterboro, which is located in the center of the town, and the Hamlet of Siloam, which 

is located northeast of the Hamlet of Peterboro (Figure 3.2-29). There are no incorporated 

villages located in the Town of Smithfield. 

The landscape of the Town of Smithfield is dominated by hilly terrain. The Town of 

Smithfield has many pastures, active farming, and crops. Based on information included in 

the Town of Smithfield Comprehensive Plan, approximately 58 percent of the area of the 

town is classified as agricultural. Undeveloped areas and residential development are 

distributed throughout the Town of Smithfield. Eighteen percent of the Town of 

Smithfield is classified as vacant rural or abandoned agricultural uses that are areas of 

wild, forested, conservation lands located in the south central area of the Town of 

Smithfield, as well as two relatively large water bodies. There are commercial 

establishments, residential uses, and governmental offices located within the Town of 

Smithfield. 

Nation Lands

The Nation owns three parcels comprised of four tax lots in the Town of Smithfield 

encompassing a total area of 296 acres. Nation lands comprise approximately two percent 

of the total area of the Town of Smithfield. Nation lands are scattered throughout the 

Town of Smithfield. 

Group 1 Lands 

There are no Group 1 lands located within the Town of Smithfield. 

Group 2 Lands 

There are no Group 2 lands located within the Town of Smithfield. 

Group 3 Lands 

There are three parcels comprised of four tax lots of Group 3 lands located in the Town of 

Smithfield. There is a large parcel of land located in the southwestern portion of the 

Town of Smithfield near Rich Road and the Town of Fenner border. This parcel contains 

wetlands and it is used for outdoor activities. In the north-central portion of the Town of 

Smithfield near the border with the Town of Lincoln and not far from Northrup Road is a 

large parcel of vacant or undeveloped land containing historical and/or archaeological 
Section 3 

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resources. There is a large wooded parcel located in the northeastern portion of the Town 

of Smithfield near Peterboro Road and not far from the border with the Town of 

Stockbridge. These four tax lots encompass a total of 296 acres and constitute 

approximately two percent of the total area of the Town of Smithfield. 

Land uses on Nation holdings located within the Town of Smithfield are consistent with 

and similar to nearby farming and undeveloped non-Nation properties located within the 

Study Area. 

Town of Fenner 

The Town of Fenner is approximately 31 square miles (19,936 acres) in area and is 

located in the north central portion of Madison County (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). The 

Town of Fenner is bounded on the north by the Towns of Sullivan and Lincoln, on the 

east by the Town of Smithfield, on the south by the Towns of Cazenovia and Nelson, and 

on the west by the Town of Cazenovia (Figure 3.2-30). The Town of Fenner is located east 

of Cazenovia Lake. The Hamlet of Chittenango Falls is located on the western town line 

of the Town of Fenner, the Hamlet of Fenner is located in the center of the town, the 

Hamlet of Perryville is located on the north town line, and the Hamlet of Rowan Corners 

is located in the northwest part of the town. 

The Town of Fenner is a mostly rural community with pastures and active agricultural 

uses located throughout. Undeveloped areas and residential development are distributed 

throughout the Town of Fenner. There are also areas of wild, forested, conservation lands 

located in the east central area of the Town of Fenner. 

Nation Lands

The Nation owns one parcel comprised of one tax lot in the Town of Fenner, which 

encompasses 28 acres. This parcel comprises 0.1 percent of the total area of the Town of 

Fenner. Nation lands contain mature wooded areas and are located in the in the 

northeastern corner of the Town of Fenner near Oxbow Road and the border with the 

Town of Lincoln. 

Group 1 Lands 

There are no Group 1 lands located within the Town of Fenner. 

Group 2 Lands 

There are no Group 2 lands located within the Town of Fenner. 

Group 3 Lands 

There is one parcel comprised of one tax lot of Group 3 lands located in the Town of 

Fenner. This parcel, which is a mature wooded area, encompasses a total of 28 acres and 

constitutes 0.1 percent of the total area of the Town of Fenner. 
Section 3 

Affected Environment

Bureau of Indian Affairs 

Draft EIS 

Oneida Nation of New York Conveyance of Lands Into Trust

3-40

Land uses on the Nation holdings located within the Town of Fenner are consistent with 

land uses on nearby non-Nation properties.