The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
CEASE AND DESIST
Town officials files lawsuit against The Wild Animal Park
SULLIVAN, N.Y. » A clash between The Wild Animal Park and the town of Sullivan has resulted in uncertainty and skepticism.
According to town officials, on June 1 town officials served The Wild Animal Park at 7621 Lakeport Rd. in Chittenango with a cease and desist order.
The lawsuit states that The Wild, owned by Jeff Taylor, is in violation of various town codes and ordinances.
The cause for concern from the town was The Wild recently building and implementing a drive-thru style animal interactive experience.
The town released in a statement, “Despite fully knowing that he was required to obtain the proper permits and zoning designations and approvals, Mr. Taylor elected to proceed to open a new and unapproved drive-thru safari business on land not approved or zoned for that use.”
Officials say Taylor also failed to obtain the necessary Planning Board approvals required for such a business.
Taylor did not return a request for comments on Wednesday, however, a re
“I was straight forward with the town from the start and explained it was an emergency situation to save my business. They were not fully supportive, but also did not tell me no.”
— Jeff Taylor, written on Facebook
sponse was posted on the park’s Facebook page.
In response to the cease and desist order, Taylor wrote on Facebook, “I was straight forward with the town from the start and explained it was an emergency situation to save my business. They were not fully supportive, but also did not tell me no.”
The town of Sullivan claims they have been very supportive of Taylor and The Wild for years, stating, “The zoo is an important part of the Town of Sullivan; families from across the state come to our community to enjoy The Wild.”
Though “unfortunately,” the town stated that there have been a number of instances, including the present situation, where Taylor has moved forward with construction and business operations without first seeking appropriate approvals from the various local boards, agencies, and officials.
“The town must take such matters seriously as safety issues must be addressed as part of these approvals,” town officials stated.
Sullivan Town Supervisor John Becker added, “Small businesses like The Wild are what make our community great.”
He continued, “Shutting down for months due to COVID-19 has hurt many of our businesses and we want them back open sooner rather than later, however, that does not give any business owner the right to forego the safety of the community and not abide by the laws in place. Over the years the Town has approved every request that was properly applied for by Mr. Taylor.”
According to Taylor, the drive-thru was a “last-ditch effort” to save his business that he has dedicated his life to building.
He added that the town waited 15 minutes until after his grand opening to serve him the cease and desist papers.
“Upon calling them they told me it was only to protect themselves, and they didn’t expect me to stop my business,” he stated. Further, he claimed that one board member shared their hopes that he didn’t stop his business.
Taylor said he has been “more than cooperative” with working with the town, doing “whatever they ask.”
“I thought I was on the right track until today,” he said on June 2.
However, the town claims that “Mr. Taylor was made aware weeks prior to his opening that a safari type business would need prior zoning and land use approvals.”
The town said that to date, the zoo owner has failed to file any applications despite having worked on the site for weeks.
Taylor accused the town’s code enforcement officer of being “corrupt,” adding “What [the town] says to your face and what they do are two completely different things.”
The debacle has caused a great upset for residents, with the town reporting that it has received a number of complaints about the business operating without any approvals or permits since it opened on May 18, 2020.
Additionally, neighbors have threatened to sue the town over the safari, according to officials.
On the flip side of things, the support for The Wild has been great. Taylor stated, “I really cannot thank everyone enough for the outpouring of support I have received over the past 24 hours. I am truly amazed and grateful to see the positive impact my childhood dream of building a zoo has had on the community.”
The town of Sullivan said it looks forward to working with Taylor on a resolution where The Wild can continue operating and the “integrity” of the neighborhood stays intact.
Taylor concluded on June 3 via Facebook, “For now, The Wild isn’t going anywhere, but only time will tell what the path these elected officials decide to take.”