Clinton County Info. (Plattsburgh, Peru, Champlain: for sale, real estate market, condos)

[Taboo]

OK... needing info. on Clinton County... want to move but taxes are way out of wack and scaring me. Have settled on two school districts but need input from all who know anything of the area. How do we find out about planned development so we do not get conned into acres with a view, only to have condos or worse plopped into our view the day of closing. All comments welcome

[plattsburgher]

Hi............Just wanted to clue you in on a much larger discussion already going re: Plattsburgh, NY. Actually, I believe there are two fairly lengthy discussions on this forum. Plattsburgh is the county seat and largest town in Clinton County, so if you search for 'Plattsburgh' there should be lots of links and references to web sites, etc...........The Chamber of Commerce in this area which also includes Lake Placid (1980 Olympics/Miracle on the Ice/Dorothy Hamill, etc) and Saranac Lake along with the entire Lake Champlain region, is named the North Country Chamber of Commerce. They are very helpful to visitors and have a lot of information and brochures and stats. Hope this helps you. There probably isn't a lot of information regarding "Clinton County" per se. This area includes much more than just Clinton County...........In some ways we are the US suburb of Montreal. Many Canadian companies have their US department or at least a satelite office in this area, then as I said, there is the larger area of Lake Champlain, Adirondacks for tourism, winter and summer sports and all the towns and attractions around here.......This area usually includes the three counties of Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties as a group when marketing or advertising, etc.........If you have other questions that aren't answered on the other Plattsburgh sites, I am sure people here will be glad to help..... ]

[Taboo]

Thanks Plattsburgher, I was looking for info. from locals in Saranac schools and or Peru schools systems. Have read all about the how much is enough in Platts. and joined the Champlain taste ( as you know) by the way, still can not get on. Since you are in the area, if there is any info about major development in the area please let me know. Realtors are not alwaysthe most truthful and I do not wish to get there and have a great view and then find out that there is a development approved right in the middle of it. You know how beautiful it is there. I can look at other houses where I am !!! Thanks

[plattsburgher]

(meaning specifically the Saranac and Peru school districts) are very much the foothills of the Adirondacks with a lot of farms and apple orchards and not the type of places where you need to worry about condos or overdevelopment encroaching upon where you are buying. The place where condos are starting to develop is the old historic Air Force Base area. If you are buying on the lake in the Peru district/Bluff Point golf course area, there are new planned developments there also. However, this area is still pretty much a well-kept secret. I know a lot of the realtors in this area and people are generally very reputable and care about their customers (I know, shocking, huh?) I still can't get over it when I visit other places and relatives, friends and they tell me horror stories about being taken advantage of, etc...........People up here are very kind and honest, as a rule. It is refreshing.

Having said all that, I wanted to throw my personal two cents in as to which school district I would live in. I worked in Saranac district for 5 years and in that time period, a new superintendent has taken over, taxes have gone up and 2 elementary schools have closed and class sizes have grown. For my money, I would move into the Peru area. Huge diversity of incomes, some farms, a great town atmosphere, retired people, new homes and starter homes and huge homes, and has own grocery, flower shop, great school spirit and a wonderful community feel complete with town theatre, Christmas activities, concerts in the park, etc. Also, something else to consider is the fact that the new airport/development/aircraft industry is in the town of Plattsburgh but it is PERU SCHOOL DISTRICT and with all the forecast new jobs coming into that area, your house might increase in value in the next few years if all the hype comes true. Even if it all doesn't pan out, Peru district has a better reputation for quality than Saranac. I think you would find a much more diverse population more accepting of newcomers than Saranac. Saranac has more of a "my family has been here for 200 years and we have never driven outside of the county" mentality, if you catch my drift. Peru district was the home district for generations of the Air Force so they welcome newbies and are good at it........It is a great neighborhood community.......in my opinion I would only live there, not in Saranac, for what it is worth........My children started out in that district. They were not only taught textbook lessons, but also respect and manners. It truly shows in that district.......

[nunoco]

I second what Plattsburgher sez on Peru, at least from what I've heard. One thing to note, though. The Peru city govt has been a mess the past year, with the council and the supervisor in a ridiculous, neverending fight. It's bound to affect services, if it hasn't already.
Of course, my beloved, adopted Plattsburgh is workiing through some budget problems, too. But I would do some research on what, if anything, the Peru infighting is doing to services, fees, etc..., before making your decision. And more than that, come visit the area. We sealed the deal on our move when we saw the P'Burgh schools up close.
Good luck!

[Taboo]

nunoco, Thanks for the second on the input. Have been to the area 3 or 4 times now. Will be up again soon. Have seen many places but want a view and some type of water on the property. The airport deal worries me as we do not know what the flight path of these flying ships will be and do not wish to be in it. It should be great for Peru taxes though. Saranac schools have great rep. too and it seems easier to find places with a view there. I guess when the right place comes up I will know. Also looking for job is not the easiest.... lots of things to coordinate but I think it will be worth it in the end for my girls to have a slower pace and land to run on and explore. Thanks for the luck... I'm gonna need it. If anything earth shattering develops in the area please let me know.I still can not get back on Champlain Taste !! Thanks

[plattsburgher]

We have been here for over twenty years and lived just adjacent to the college (on Rugar Street) when the Air Force base planes were here........The flight plan can't deviate that much because the runway runs north/south and is supposedly one of the longest ones in the nation. At one time, it was discussed as an alternate space shuttle landing runway in an emergency situation, it is THAT big! Point being, if you take a map of this area and study the runway, the people most impacted by takeoffs and landings are of course at the very ends of the runway. The wind direction would change whether the takeoffs took place at one end or the other, but nothing else changed in 20 or more years. I do know that people in the Peru district were impacted around the Cliff Haven, Valcour area and you are interested in that district.......The Air Force pilots would like to fly over Lake Champlain and do maneuvers for boaters, etc and it was probably more interesting to fly over some water areas for them, but don't know if commercial aircraft will be doing the same types of runs? Just wanted to let you know that areas east/west of runways might hear some noise, but no low-flying aircraft at all. Where we lived, upon take offs in the 80's with KC-135's flying from Plattsburgh to Europe full of fuel to refuel the FB-111's (extra heavy), we could actually read the numbers on the planes on take off and wave to the guys as they landed. Engines are much quieter now than then and they would do the occasional wing roll to say hello to kids, etc........Kind of neat except in summer when all windows were open. Winters were never a problem for noise, but know you wanted to know where flight path will likely be. Good luck and yes, property taxes are probably cheaper in Saranac and views are probably going to be much more available and affordable than Peru district.

[garmin239]

The area is very nice. One observation disturbed me when I was attending college there. I was friends with several locals from surrounding towns. Every once in a while I would attend parties, visit family or friends of the locals. I found alot of drug use going on. I know you have drug use everywhere, but there seemed to be more than normal. The drug use included parents. I saw parents smoking weed with their college aged kids. Now I'm no angel but seeing such a wide range of people including parents take part in certian activities creeped me out. I'm not saying everybody is like that up there but its just something to think about.

[Taboo]

Plattsburgher... Thanks, I have to meet you when we get settled !!! You are a wealth of information and I can not tell you how much I appreciate the time you spend to help me out. It is kinda funny that Valcor is SOO expensive and the planes fly overhead . There seem to be a lot of places just south (Old Dock Rd.) and surrounding area for sale. maybe they figure it is better to get out now before the air fills up and kills their chances of getting out. I do not mind a plane or two but those jets ( we have them in the area) reall make me jump and also I do not wish to have an engine fall out of the sky into my yard. Can't wait to come up again and look around some more. Hopefully the real estate market will be more lively by then as we have seen just about all feasible houses on the market at the present time. I can hear my piece of land calling... now I have to find it and an older woman who knows how to can and jar things and pickle pickles !!! YIKES I CAN"T WAIT !!!

[Taboo]

garmin 239 ... YIKES !!! Well I guess it happens all over and I guess it is a good thing that I am getting a house with a HUGE basement so ALL the parties are at my place so I know EXACTLY what my two girls are up to. The plan is to have the coolest basement around complete with REAL arcade games and pool table and big TV. That way everyone will want to be at our place. Sound like a plan ?????
P.S. in case you were wondering... there will be no drugs !!!! Reality may be hard at times but it's all I have tme for !!!!