Natural Resources and Environment: The National Park Service Should Improve Its Land Acquisition and Management at the Fire Island National Seashore: (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781289154851)

The National Park Service's zoning standards at Fire Island National Seashore are more restrictive than necessary to meet the requirements of Federal regulations, and the Park Service is unnecessarily acquiring private lands at Fire Island. GAO was requested to review these issues.
The Park Service issued zoning standards for Fire Island in September 1980 that were to be followed by local communities. The applicable regulations protect property owners in existing developed communities from the threat of condemnation and undue intervention by the Federal Government. The Park Service's zoning standards are particularly restrictive for homes that have to be rebuilt after being damaged or destroyed by a catastrophe. In addition, the Park Service's zoning standards restrict some property owners from increasing the size of their homes. GAO believes that the applicable regulations permit these property owners to increase the size of their homes. The Park Service acquired a number of properties on which the owners had built at variance with the local community's zoning ordinances. Many of these variances do not appear to harm Fire Island's natural resources. The applicable regulation allows, but does not require, the Park Service to condemn properties with variances. However, the Park Service routinely objects to almost all variances granted by the local communities apparently to be in a position to condemn the properties when funding is available. Park Service letters to a Senate committee requesting authority to take Fire Island properties do not specify the reasons for acquisition. The draft land plan for Fire Island is inconsistent with the Park Service's land acquisition policy.

Author: U. S. Government Accountability Office (
ISBN-10: 1289154856
ISBN-13: 9781289154851
Publisher: Bibliogov
Language: English
Published: 07/09/2013
Pages: 56
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.26lbs
Size: 9.69h x 7.44w x 0.12d