Warren County panel keeps park fee policy after nonprofit requests; helicopter landing raises safety questions

Warren County officials on Feb. 28 reviewed requests from nonprofits and vendors to reduce or waive rental fees for Charles R. Wood Park and deferred approval of an unusual request to land a helicopter at a festival, deciding to keep the existing fee schedule in place.

Meeting leaders opened discussion when a request from the Lake George Land Conservancy asked that the Saturday rental fee for Charles R. Wood Park be reduced to $500 for a hike-a-thon. Staff said the written materials and past practice caused confusion: staff referenced a weekday nonprofit rate of $500 but also said the standard weekend rate for the space is $2,000. A staff member warned that inconsistent exceptions could create liability claims alleging viewpoint-based selection if the county applied ad hoc discounts.

The panel discussed a separate vendor request from the Wild and Trees Music and Skateboarding Festival, which sought a full fee waiver on the grounds it would donate to a nonprofit and was primarily using the skate park area rather than the entire festival space. Officials noted that the festival paid the full fee when it used the park last year and said they would apply the existing fee policy consistently rather than make a one-off waiver.

Officials also flagged one element of the Lake George Land Conservancy application: a request that Bruce Mowery land a helicopter inside the festival footprint. Staff asked for further review through permitting and safety channels rather than approving the landing as part of the reservation. Meeting comments contrasted allowing a helicopter to land as an exhibit after the event space was secured versus permitting an active landing when people are present; staff said they would research past permits and coordinate with permitting authorities, noting that any approval likely would come through the standard permitting process rather than the board’s resolution.

The panel indicated agreement to “keep it at the same” fee schedule and to not grant the requested exceptions on the spot; no formal motion to change fees was recorded. Officials said they would use the established permitting process to evaluate the helicopter request and would seek clarification about occupancy tax or other local subsidy options separately.

Details recorded in the meeting included differing references to the fee table in the packet and past practices for weekday nonprofit discounts, and multiple speakers urging that the county follow its written policy to avoid ad hoc exceptions. The topic was discussed at length and will return to staff for follow-up on permitting for the helicopter exhibit and any town-level subsidy or occupancy-tax assistance.