Here are some helpful tools to help you research development and land use changes in Albany Pine Bush.

Properties on the Planning Board Agendas

See our Planning Board Agenda Tracker.

Search a Property

You can search a property here, however it must be in a very specific format to match the tax record, like this describing the property: 20 New Karner Rd, Town of Guilderland. If you don’t have that level of detail or nothing is returned, you should use the Google Spreadsheet below, search for the property and then click on the link in the spreadsheet.

Address:

Alternatively, you can search by Tax Map ID, such as 41.00-2-63. This is a best way to search if you know the Tax ID number to avoid pulling the wrong record.

Tax Map ID (Print Key):

If you know the coordinates of the parcel you are interested in you can search by those too.

Coordinates as Latitude, Longitude:
Zoom:

The Preserve Today

Albany Pine Bush Preserve and Study Area:
https://savethepinebush.org/leaflet/spbmap.php

• Green areas have been preserved, yellow areas are conservation easements.
• Blue border represents area under study by Albany Pine Bush Commission for potential preservation and management as Pine Bush, area defined by Article 46 of Environmental Conservation Law

Proposed Developments we are tracking:
https://savethepinebush.org/leaflet/proposed.htm

The Preserve Tomorrow

Albany Pine Bush Commission Vision Plan, by commission preservation recommendation:
https://savethepinebush.org/leaflet/spbmap.php

• Albany Pine Bush Preserve (Green), Conservation Easements (Yellow), Areas Recommend for Full Protection by APBC (Red), Areas Recommend for Partial Protection by APBC (Orange), Areas Recommend as Open Space (Blue)

Historic Topographic Maps

Compare 1893, 1927/30, 1953/54/55, 1980, 1995, 2020 Topographic Maps:
https://savethepinebush.org/leaflet/apbtopo.htm

• This shows the USGS Topographic Maps for the Albany Pine Bush Study Area, showing development over the years.
• Areas shown in green are current preserve, while yellow areas are conservation easements.

Current Property Property Ownership

Save the Pine Bush put together a spreadsheet that brings together the following data for each property in the Albany Pine Bush study area:

• Links to Save the Pine Bush Tax Mapper, Google Maps, Albany County Tax Maps (PDF)
• 2021 Albany County Tax Rolls (base data)
• 2020 NYS Office of Real Property Services Tax Rolls (* some records do not match county tax rolls as maps have changed slightly)
• 2017 Albany Pine Bush Commission Vision Plan (* joined in GIS software, may occasionally match bordering properties due to mapping inaccuracies)

This data can help volunteers spot proposed developments in Albany Pine Bush, including in areas that the Albany Pine Bush Commission recommends for full protection. This document is fully searchable and can be filtered in Excel. It contains over 9,300 property tax records and 117 columns, so it’s recommended you either use Microsoft Excel 2010+ or the free LibreOffice 7.2+ that can support opening large files. To filter the document, you may need to take the file out of protected mode.

Google Spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1p42SvyRXXuAda9DwZOdLMeu_RZOP65AEYyuekWq38IY/edit#gid=438396657

Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet: https://savethepinebush.org/Albany Pine Bush Parcels.xlsx

Explanation of the Commissions Pine Bush Scoring System (shown on Columns CO-DK in the above spreadsheet)

From page 52 of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission 2017 Management Plan Update:

Consistent with the approach used in previous plans, the value assigned to each criterion was based on the area’s contribution to the viability of the Preserve. Those that contribute more received a higher possible maximum score (e.g. 20). Conversely, those that are less critical to the viability of the Preserve (but still important Pine Bush resources) received a lower possible maximum score. By assigning an area scores for each of the criteria and summing their values, the total scores provided the basis for determining protection recommendations. The scores and scoring criteria are outlined in Table 9 and are consistent with previous Management Plans.

The range of scores possible for each criterion reflects its relative importance within the ranking system. Pitch pine-scrub oak barrens, linkages, and Karner blues were ranked highest (i.e. maximum score of 20) on the basis of rarity and importance. Although buffer areas are very important to maintaining the integrity of the Preserve, they are somewhat less critical to Preserve viability than linkages, pitch pine-scrub oak barrens, and the presence of Karner blues. Buffers are most important where they facilitate fire management. For this reason, areas within 500 feet of Preserve lands that can currently be managed with fire received a high score of 16. Without such buffers, Commission experience has been that habitat restoration and management with fire is extremely difficult.

Google Spreadsheet (see 2017 Vision Plan APBC tab): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1p42SvyRXXuAda9DwZOdLMeu_RZOP65AEYyuekWq38IY/edit#gid=438396657

Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet (see 2017 Vision Plan APBC tab): https://savethepinebush.org/Albany Pine Bush Parcels.xlsx

Area Location	Area Number	PPSO 4-20	Link	Karner Blue	Buffer	Water Resources	Hist. Arch.	Total Score	Acres	Preserve Goal	Municipality
17 Vision TRACT LOCA	17 Vision TRACT NO	17 Vision PP SO	17 Vision LINK	17 Vision KARNER BLU	17 Vision BUFFER	17 Vision WETLANDS	17 Vision HIS ARCH	17 Vision TOTAL SCOR	17 Vision ACRES	17 Vision P GOAL
CT	CU	CV	CW	CX	CY	CZ	DA	DB	DC	DE
NIMO Prow (West)	21a	20	16	20	20	10	0	86	11.71	Open Space	Colonie
NIMO Prow (West)	21b	20	16	20	20	10	0	86	15.31	Open Space	Guilderland
NiMo Prow	21d	20	16	20	10	10	0	86	32.66	Open Space	Colonie
N Pine Lane	29b	20	20	16	20	5	5	86	22.83	Open Space	Albany
N Pine Lane	29c	8	20	16	20	10	5	79	1.15	Full Protection	Albany
Apollo Drive	74	20	20	16	20	0	0	76	1.38	Full Protection	Colonie
Pine Lane South	84	20	20	16	20	0	0	76	1.46	Full Protection	Albany
Rifle Range Rd Terminus	51a	20	20	16	0	10	5	71	43.02	Open Space	Colonie
SW Morris Rd/Kings Rd	53	4	20	16	20	10	0	70	114.35	Full Protection	Colonie
Apollo Drive North	76	20	20	16	10	0	0	66	0.96	Full Protection	Colonie
Old State Rd West (South)	82	20	20	16	0	5	5	66	2.85	Full Protection	Guilderland
Wetland S Albany St	35a	16	20	13	0	10	5	64	71.36	Full Protection	Colonie
Wetland S Albany St	35b	16	20	13	0	10	5	64	29.49	Full Protection	Colonie
Wetland S Albany St	35c	16	20	13	0	10	5	64	34.62	Full Protection	Colonie
Wetland S Albany St	35d	16	20	13	0	10	5	64	121.31	Full Protection	Colonie
Wetland S Albany St	35e	16	20	13	0	10	5	64	30.52	Full Protection	Colonie
Wetland S Albany St	35f	16	20	13	0	10	5	64	7.11	Full Protection	Colonie
Wetland S Albany St	35g	16	20	13	0	10	5	64	60	Full Protection	Colonie
Apollo Drive West	75	12	20	16	10	0	5	63	4.86	Full Protection	Colonie
Rifle Range Rd Terminus	51b	20	20	16	0	0	5	61	11.75	Open Space	Colonie
N Prow & E Rapp Rd	62	20	20	16	0	0	5	61	6.72	Full Protection	Albany
NW Rt 155/Rt 20	3	16	16	13	0	10	5	60	116.32	Full Protection	Guilderland
NW Morris Rd/Kings Rd south	52c	8	16	13	0	10	5	60	18.61	Full Protection	Colonie
NW Morris Rd/Kings Rd south	52d	8	16	13	0	10	5	60	9.56	Full Protection	Colonie
S. Frontage Rd Terminus	78	4	20	16	20	0	0	60	6.24	Full Protection	Albany
Rt 155 Corridor	36	8	16	13	20	0	0	57	35.21	Open Space	Albany
N Hungerkill/W Ravine bottom	33b	8	20	13	0	10	5	56	66.11	Open Space	Guilderland
NW Morris Rd/Kings Rd	52a	8	20	13	0	10	5	56	120.89	Full Protection	Colonie
NW Morris Rd/Kings Rd south	52b	8	20	13	0	10	5	56	81.61	Full Protection	Colonie
Michael Drive North	71a	8	20	13	0	10	5	56	51.75	Full Protection	Colonie
Michael Drive South	71b	8	20	13	0	10	5	56	65.46	Full Protection	Colonie
Between Kings Rd & Curry Rd	72a	8	16	16	0	10	5	55	67.04	Full Protection	Colonie
Between Kings Rd & Curry Rd	72b	12	20	16	20	10	5	55	86.61	Full Protection	Colonie
NiMO Prow	21c	8	16	20	0	10	0	54	35.78	Open Space	Colonie
Rifle Range Rd Terminus	25	8	20	16	0	10	0	54	31.87	Open Space	Colonie
N Pine Lane	29a	20	20	13	0	0	0	53	12.02	Full Protection	Albany
Btween Kings/Morris/Curry	43	12	20	16	0	5	0	53	54.66	Full Protection	Colonie
Btween Conrail/Morris/Kings	44a	8	20	16	0	5	0	49	96.73	Full Protection	Colonie
Between Curry Rd & I-90	73	4	16	9	10	5	5	49	96.44	Full Protection	Guilderland
W of Rt 155 (South)	9	4	16	13	0	10	5	48	4.02	Full Protection	Albany
Between Kings and Curry Ext.	17c	16	16	16	0	0	0	48	26.76	Full Protection	Colonie
Golf Course Area	28	4	16	13	0	10	5	48	144.69	Open Space	Guilderland
Cordell Rd North	70	8	16	9	0	10	5	48	86.89	Full Protection	Colonie
Dennis Terrace	83	12	20	16	0	0	0	48	1.73	Full Protection	Colonie
Kings Rd East	86	12	20	16	0	0	0	48	1.65	Full Protection	Colonie
W Rapp Rd S	57	4	20	16	0	0	5	45	17.36	Partial Protection	Guilderland
Between Curry & Thruway (West)	55	4	16	9	0	10	5	44	149.32	Full Protection	Guilderland
Btween Lydius & Thruway	18	4	16	16	0	5	5	42	86.19	Full Protection	Guilderland
Ravine Corrider/N Willow St	46	0	16	9	0	10	5	40	64.7	Open Space	Guilderland
Apollo Dr.	87	8	16	16	0	0	0	40	1.4	Full Protection	Colonie
N Watervliet/S Conrail	27	0	16	13	0	10	0	39	24.19	Full Protection	Colonie
NW Conrail/N-way	24	4	16	13	0	5	0	38	15.86	Open Space	Colonie
Btween Curry & Thruway East	17a	12	16	9	0	0	0	37	60.54	Full Protection	Guilderland
Btween Curry & Thruway	17b	12	16	9	0	0	0	37	9.54	Full Protection	Guilderland
NE Wash Ave Ext/Rt 155	42	16	12	9	0	0	0	37	7.88	Full Protection	Albany
Btween Conrail/Morris/Kings	44b	8	16	13	0	0	0	37	7.63	Full Protection	Colonie
Brookview Drive	60	4	12	9	0	10	0	37	72.27	Partial Protection	Guilderland
Landfill	23	0	20	16	0	0	0	36	137.41	Open Space	Albany
S Blueberry Hill	61	20	0	16	0	0	0	36	11.28	Full Protection	Guilderland
SW Rens Lake	34	12	0	13	0	10	0	35	9.01	Full Protection	Albany
Morris Street	59	0	16	9	0	10	5	34	35.27	Partial Protection	Colonie
Conrail	22	0	20	13	0	0	0	33	116.37	Open Space	Colonie
Cook Park	38	4	0	13	0	10	5	32	41.23	Open Space	Colonie
Wetland NW of City Preserve	31	8	0	13	0	5	5	31	67.04	Partial Protection	Colonie
E of Route 155 (North)	77	4	16	6	0	5	0	31	4.77	Full Protection	Colonie
SW Morris/Curry Rd	54	4	16	9	0	0	0	29	229.98	Full Protection	Guilderland
S Hungerkill/N of Rt 20	32	4	0	9	0	10	5	28	366.14	Partial Protection Gui	lderland
NE Conrail/Northway	30	16	0	0	0	10	0	26	22.24	Partial Protection	Colonie
N Hungerkill/Town Park	33d	8	0	13	0	0	5	26	7.14	Open Space	Guilderland
SW of Madison Ave Ext/Rt 155	45	4	16	0	0	0	5	25	0.89	Partial Protection	Albany
Cemetery	81	8	0	9	0	0	5	22	43.69	Open Space	Guilderland
Old State Rd West (North)	80	0	0	16	0	5	0	21	45.61	Open Space	Guilderland