Lindsay Speer is walking along a 6-foot-wide trail when she stops to admire a forest of towering cherry, maple and hackberry trees. "I know a lot of these trees are at least 100 years old," says Speer, president of the Manlius Greenspace Coalition, a group of at least 200 people who want to preserve the forest, its three waterfalls and miles of walking trails for the next 100 years and beyond.

The 170 acres of vacant land, which the coalition has nicknamed Three Falls Woods, is owned by developer Bill Camperlino, who plans to build homes there. Camperlino said he has purchased different parcels over the past 15 years. Local residents have used the land for years for hiking, cross-country skiing and dog walking.

19th Century Lime Kiln the earliest industry Three Falls Woods, Manlius, NY PHOTO DYarrow 7/26/05

Camperlino has named his proposed subdivision Ridge Run, and home prices would range from about $250,000 to more than $1 million, depending on lot size and location. Camperlino said he expects to do "at least as nice a job" at Ridge Run as at his upscale Waterford Wood Way subdivision in the town of DeWitt. "The huge advantage of this property is you can commute (to Syracuse) without crossing through the villages of Manlius or Fayetteville, which are bottlenecks," he said.

The coalition, which was formed in January, is trying to raise money, secure grants and line up partners to help buy the land from Camperlino. Thus far, the coalition has "raised enough to cover a lawyer for a couple months," said Speer, who lives next to the forest. "We'd like to buy the land and get it into a land trust," she said. "We'd like to have it as a nature preserve."

Camperlino said he is open to discussing a sale, but he questioned whether the coalition can compensate him for hundreds of thousands of dollars he has already paid to buy the land, pay its taxes and plan its development, as well as a reasonable return on his investment. "It's hard to put a price on it," said Camperlino, who lives in DeWitt. "I've had people call me in the past and talk about selling the land, and I've said make me an offer. No one's made me an offer yet. Talk is real cheap."

Century Cedar elder sentinel Three Falls Woods, Manlius, NY PHOTO Lindsay Speer 7/26/05

Camperlino's land is east of Sweet Road and north of Route 173, and most of it lies in the town of Manlius. Whether Three Falls Woods becomes luxury homes or a public park remains to be seen, but the clock is ticking on efforts to preserve it.

Ancient Cedar early industry survivor Three Falls Woods, Manlius, NY PHOTO DYarrow 7/26/05

A 44-acre chunk of the land lies in the village of Manlius, and Camperlino July 15 filed an application with the village to develop up to 95 single-family homes on that tract.

The Manlius Village Board is considering a six-month moratorium on large subdivisions that have not yet been approved by the village planning board, including Ridge Run. The moratorium would give village officials, planners and master plan committee volunteers breathing room to develop a new village master plan that could include an array of ideas, including a recommendation to preserve the Camperlino land as a public park. Village trustees scheduled a public hearing on the proposed moratorium for 7:05 p.m. August 9 at the Village Centre on Arkie Albanese Avenue.

Village Trustee Eric Krouse, who favors preserving the land as a public park, said he does not yet know where the money would come from to buy the land or whether the town of Manlius where much of Camperlino's tract lies can help. "I'm just trying to stop the wheels of progress to have a rational discussion about it," he said, referring to Camperlino's proposal and any other major subdivisions that may pop up in the near future.

Fern Beds unlike any other in central New York Three Falls Woods, Manlius, NY PHOTO DYarrow 7/28/05

In recent months, neighbors have gone to town planning board meetings to oppose Camperlino's proposal to subdivide an existing lot on Limberlost Lane into two lots. Some neighbors contend the subdivision would be illegal and that blocking it will put a major dent in Camperlino's plans to develop Three Falls Woods.

Camperlino's holdings include about 126 acres in the town of Manlius. Camperlino says the subdivision is legal and that he will still be able to develop Three Falls Woods without it. The planning board is scheduled to discuss the Limberlost Lane situation Aug. 15, and the board could decide that night whether to allow the subdivision.

Some neighbors contend that 90 acres owned by Camperlino in the town of Manlius have restrictive covenants that do not permit development. Camperlino said they are incorrect. Land on the other side the west side of Sweet Road does have such covenants, he said. "It's a red herring," he said.

FOR MORE INFORMATION on Three Falls Woods as a community ecological resource Manlius Greenspace Coalition P.O. Box 131, Manlius, NY 13104 www.ManliusGreenspace.org Manliusgreenspace@earthlink.net

Manlius Town Supervisor Hank Chapman said he's willing to discuss the fate of the forest with neighbors. "I certainly appreciate the residents' concerns. The thought about preserving green space comes with a price tag, and Mr. Camperlino owns the land," Chapman said. "I'd be more than happy to play some sort of role to bring the two parties together or help seek out some funding."

The Earth Restoration & Reforestation Alliance — www.championtrees.org — updated 8/2/2005