A 40-acre piece of land on Clark Street Road in Aurelius has been acquired by the Cayuga Nation. The property is adjacent to and located just west of, the Finger Lakes Drive-In.
On January 11, the Nation applied to the United States Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs to take this property into trust for the benefit of the Cayuga Nation. Upon the completion of the property purchase, the Nation said it discovered an encroachment by the neighboring property—the Finger Lakes Drive-In. According to the Nation, extensive survey work and investigation revealed that the drive-in has encroached onto the parcel now under its ownership. They claim the main entrance, several parking spots, and approximately one-third of the movie screen are situated on land now owned by the Nation.
The land-into-trust process, by federal statute and regulation, requires that the Bureau of Indian Affairs review the status of any encroachments. Ahead of that review, the Nation has commenced an action in Cayuga County Court to confirm the status of the boundaries as presented in the Nation’s land-into-trust application.
In a statement, the Nation said it provided notice to the owner of the Finger Lakes Drive-In and an opportunity for a response but the issue has not been resolved to date. They added their acknowledgment that many from the neighboring community patronize the Drive-In and are hopeful about a resolution.
As Clint Halftown, the Nation’s Federally Recognized Representative explained, “This 40-acre parcel is squarely within the land the Federal Government reserved to the Nation in the Treaty of Canandaigua. The Nation is committed to strategic purchases to reacquire the land within its Reservation and will continue placing lands in trust with the Bureau of Indian Affairs when appropriate.”
In March 2023, the Bureau of Indian Affairs accepted approximately 100 acres in and around Union Springs into trust for the benefit of the Nation.
