Thousand Islands Land Trust asks court to stop work on Carleton Island campground

Jonathon Wheeler, Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.
·2 min read

Apr. 10—CAPE VINCENT — After sending a cease-and-desist letter to the owner of the Carleton Villa over a conservation easement, the Thousand Islands Land Trust has requested in court that development of the property be brought to a halt.

During Wednesday's Cape Vincent Town Planning Board Meeting, TILT Executive Director Jake Tibbles said the organization has filed a motion for a preliminary injunction in Jefferson County Supreme Court over the Carleton Villa restoration and campground/glampground project proposed by owner Ronald Clapp.

TILT holds the conservation easement on Carleton Island, and "part of the original patent cooperation subdivision. TILT was entrusted to uphold the terms and conditions of the easement for betterment and the natural environment," Tibbles said. "This is TILT's obligation."

He said that after a review of the project's special-use permit, TILT's legal team found that the campground would violate "several provisions of the conservation easement."

After telling Clapp about their findings, TILT officials issued a cease-and-desist letter, requesting Clapp pull his special-use permit applications within the next 30 days, expiring April 1, according to Tibbles.

When Clapp brought heavy machinery on the island on Tuesday, which Tibbles said is not allowed as there is supposed to be a 30-day notice, TILT filed the motion for a preliminary injunction.

He said the motion of preliminary injunction is "to prevent irreparable damage" to the land between the north and south bays. If granted, the injunction could halt any work while a case proceeds.

Tibbles also requested a minimum 90-day adjournment for the site plan review in order to resolve the legal issues, as well as ensure people impacted by the proposal would be able to share their opinions on the project.

Clapp declined to comment Wednesday.

Residents on Wednesday continued to share their concerns about the project, including fire and emergency access and property values potentially decreasing.

Clapp, West Palm Beach, Florida, purchased the property in July 2022 and is hoping to turn some of the area around the historic villa into campgrounds/glampgrounds. He says he would use money from the campgrounds/glampgrounds to pay for the renovations.

The plans call for 13 guest rooms in the main villa and 12 cabins for camping/glamping.

The planning board did not take any action on Carleton Villa as it is awaiting feedback from other agencies.