For Immediate Release: December 20, 2006
Contact:
Keith P. McKeever | Public Relations | Adirondack Park Agency
contact@apa.ny.gov | (518) 891-4050
RAY BROOK, NY – Adirondack Club and Resort Application Deemed Complete – Public Comment Period Extended - Legislative Hearing Scheduled.
On December 20, 2006, Adirondack Park Agency staff determined the Adirondack Club and Resort project application complete. The application will now enter the regulatory review process.
The project site is located in the Town of Tupper Lake, Franklin County. The site, 6,400± acres, includes lands within the former Big Tupper Ski Area (500± acres), the surrounding Oval Wood Dish landholdings (5,900± acres) and the former McDonald's Marina (1± acre). Most of the site is located east of NYS Route 30, except for the marina and two other small parcels that are west of Route 30. The site includes about 1,800± feet of frontage on Simon Pond and 235± feet on Big Tupper Lake at the marina.
The applicant proposes a "planned resort development" with a ski center, marina, shooting school, 60-unit inn, 675 single family and multiple family residential dwelling units and 24 great camp lots. The Village of Tupper Lake municipal water system and two on-site wastewater treatment plants will service the proposed site. The Village of Tupper Lake municipal electric system will provide electric service to the site and the roads servicing the site will become Town roads. Funding for the infrastructure (i.e., water, wastewater, electric and roads) is proposed to be financed by bonds issued through the Franklin County Industrial Development Agency. A payment-in-lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement with local taxing jurisdictions has been proposed. If approved, this large-scale project would be undertaken in four phases over ten years.
The Agency is reviewing the application and project at this time, and must decide within 60 days whether to hold an adjudicatory public hearing on the project. Pursuant to Agency regulations, the Board's decision to hold an adjudicatory hearing is based on criteria found in Part 580.2(a) of the Agency's Rules and Regulations. Any person, organization or public agency having an interest in the project may contact the Agency for additional information and may comment in writing. Written comments should address the question of why an adjudicatory public hearing should or should not be held. Any such comments should be received by the Agency at its headquarters in Ray Brook, New York by Friday, January 19, 2007.
On Wednesday January 10, 2007 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, the applicant's consultant will present the technical aspects of the project to the Agency's Regulatory Programs Committee followed by a public comment session (legislative hearing) in the evening starting at 6:00 pm. The committee meeting, which is open to the public, and the public comment session will be held at the Harrietstown Town Hall in the Village of Saranac Lake. This location was selected to accommodate the anticipated large turn out.
The technical presentation at the committee meeting will focus on:
• natural resources on the project site • proposed design of the roads, water, sewer, and electric infrastructure • proposed types and locations of private and public buildings • redevelopment plan for the ski center • proposed ownership, organization, and management arrangements of the site when operational • proposed financing arrangements for project infrastructure • economic impacts • proposed phasing of the project • potential impacts on nearby state lands from increased recreational use
During the evening legislative hearing, the project sponsor’s consultants will first provide a brief overview of the project. Following their presentation members of the public will have the opportunity to make statements addressing any aspect of the project. The public will not be allowed to question the consultants nor the Agency Board. Oral statements will be limited to three minutes each and written statements are encouraged. Comments previously submitted are part of the project file and need not be repeated. The Agency will accept written comments until January 19, 2007.
The technical presentation and legislative hearing is not a forum to determine project approvability or whether to order an adjudicatory public hearing. It is a public information opportunity at which board members will be informed of project details and hear, first hand, public comments prior to the Agency February meeting where the project will be discussed and either approved or sent to a formal adjudicatory hearing.
The technical presentation and legislative hearing in January does not substitute for a formal adjudicatory hearing, should the board decide to hold one, nor do they substitute for the public comment component of a formal adjudicatory hearing for a project pursuant to Part 580 of Agency Regulations. It is an additional session, not required by statute or regulations, to provide an opportunity for the Agency and the public to obtain an explanation of the scope of this large scale project and another opportunity for the public to provide input to the Agency.
The application and supporting project materials are available for public inspection at Agency headquarters. Please direct inquiries and comments to George V. Outcalt, Jr. the assigned Environmental Programs Specialist. Requests to review and/or receive copies of the application materials under the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) should be directed to Brian M. Ford, the Agency's Records Access Officer.
The Adirondack Park Agency mailing address is:
Adirondack Park Agency PO Box 99 Ray Brook, NY 12977