Grand Island, N.Y. (WBEN) - A 200-acre parcel of land recently donated to the Seneca Nation could quickly become an issue in the Town of Grand Island. The Nation is asking the federal government for reserve fee status, which could negatively affect the town's tax base.
"I guess I didn't see that coming," says Grand Island Town Supervisor Peter Marston in an interview with WBEN.
He notes it is a huge piece of land.
"It probably represents about 50% of our available commercial property that is unbuilt," Marston said.
If the federal government grants the request, Marston says that parcel would be off the town's tax base permanently.
"My biggest concern is the property has been, I guess, portrayed that it would always be some sort of commercial entity. And I do not know what their intent is," Marston said.
He adds the property was always zoned that way.
"Any type of utilities to the property are kind of consistent with commercial use, so we simply just don't know what their intent is," Marston added.
Marston is willing to work with the Senecas.
"We just need to understand what their future intent is, so that we can appropriately work through our concerns," Marston noted.
He adds he's only had a couple of texts exchanged with Seneca Nation leadership, to this point.
Marston acknowledges the uniqueness of this situation, and admits he did not see this coming. Could the town get the land back? He says no.
"I believe they have intentions to use the property, so I don't know why they would sell it. Or I don't even know that they could that was donated to them. So I don't know how that would work out," Marston explained.
Acquest recently donated the land to the Senecas after trying to put an Amazon distribution center in the town that was met with opposition from residents.