Lowville Business Owners Return Village Key in Road Dispute
Lowville business owners have returned a ceremonial village key in protest, amid a dispute with officials over who owns Forest Avenue.
By Mark Mason, Jr.
Published: Oct. 26, 2026 at 11:15 PM GMT+1 | Updated: 23 hours ago
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LOWVILLE, New York (WWNY) - Lowville business owners have returned a ceremonial village key in protest, as they disagree with officials over the ownership of Forest Avenue.
Arel Brown explained to the village board, "In 2015 we were presented with the keys to the village. I know it’s very symbolic, but I’m going to return them because I don’t feel the village of Lowville has been very straightforward or upright with us in our dealings with Forest Ave."
The dispute centers around Forest Avenue, a privately owned street that the Browns believe should be public. They have operated two businesses on the road for 26 years and are now in their 70s, looking to sell. They are suing to make the street public.
"Anyone controlling the street can do whatever they want with it," said Barbara Brown.
New paperwork was presented by the Browns, claiming to have found blueprints from New York Central that prove the village had given them the street for traffic purposes.
Lowville Mayor Danny Salmon said he had not seen this document before, and the village believes property documents from 2019 show they do not own the road. Salmon stated that if the road were village-owned, repairs could cost taxpayers millions.
County Legislator Barry Lyndaker, who owns the road, offered to allow public use of the road and is now drafting a 16-foot right-of-way agreement covering the entire length of the road, hoping to present it to the Browns soon.
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