§ 9-1901 — Legislative purpose and intent

§ 9-1901. Legislative purpose and intent.\n 1. During the last one hundred years, both the state and private\nparties have claimed title to identical portions of township forty,\nTotten and Crossfield Purchase, in the town of Long Lake, county of\nHamilton. Indeed, some private parties have occupied and improved a\nnumber of such parcels to which the state claims title and, in many\ncases, both the state and private parties have paid taxes on such\nparcels. In the last several decades, the state and some private parties\nhave commenced litigation, at significant expense and with limited\nsuccess, to establish their respective claims over disputed parcels. As\na result of longstanding claims to disputed parcels, the free transfer\nof the parcels has been inhibited, thereby creating economic and social\nhardship in township forty which, in turn, has prevented both state and\nprivate parties from the full use and enjoyment of the parcels. The\nlegislature has determined that the judicial system is not an\nappropriate forum to resolve these longstanding title disputes and that\na statutory solution is required.\n 2. For these reasons and as authorized by the provisions of section\none of article fourteen of the state constitution, the legislature finds\nthat it is in the public interest to comprehensively and expeditiously\nresolve these longstanding title disputes in a manner which is fair and\nequitable. The legislature finds that it is in the best interests of the\nstate, the county of Hamilton, the town of Long Lake, and the private\nparties who claim title to portions of township forty to resolve these\ntitle disputes in a structured and efficient manner that results in\nclarification of ownership interests, enhancement of public access to\nforest preserve lands, and the quiet enjoyment of private property.\n 3. The legislature further finds that resolution of these title\ndisputes shall be accomplished in a manner that ensures the integrity of\nthe forest preserve in the Adirondack park and that results in a net\nbenefit to the forest preserve when compared to the contested parcels.\n 4. The legislature further finds that the title disputes associated\nwith township forty constitute a unique situation, found nowhere else in\nthe state, and that consequently it is equitable and appropriate for the\nstate to relinquish its claim of title to disputed parcels within the\ntownship. This relinquishment of claims to title shall not be deemed to\nset precedent for the relinquishment of claims to title with respect to\nother lands owned by the state.\n