For Immediate Release: May 2, 2008
Contact:
Keith P. McKeever | Public Relations | Adirondack Park Agency
contact@apa.ny.gov | (518) 891-4050
RAY BROOK, NY – The Adirondack Park Agency will hold its regularly scheduled monthly meeting on Thursday, May 8 and Friday, May 9 at the Adirondack Park Agency Headquarters in Ray Brook, NY.
The Full Agency will convene on Thursday morning at 9:00 for the Interim Executive Director’s monthly report. At 9:15, the Regulatory Programs Committee will consider three projects, one general permit and hear a presentation on previous telecommunication projects authorized by the Agency.
Verizon Wireless proposes a new telecommunication tower to improve telecommunications along the Northway corridor. The proposed tower will exceed 90 feet in height and will include a 12-panel antenna array and a lightning rod. In order to minimize visual impacts, Verizon proposes to camouflage the tower as a mature eastern white pine tree. The project site is located on the east side of US Route 9 in the Town of Schroon Lake, Essex County. Key issues include impacts to adjacent landowners, existing easements, access, alternatives and compliance with the Agency’s towers policy.
Dean and Donna Pohl and Antlers of Raquette Lake, Inc. propose to expand a preexisting single-family dwelling in order to create a new tourist accommodation and commercial use restaurant on Raquette Lake. The proposed project includes an Inn with 27 bedrooms, an 80-seat restaurant with a tavern, a small gift shop and an 8’ x 100’ dock for boat access. The project is located in the Town of Long Lake, Hamilton County. Key issues include shoreline protection, visual impacts, parking, impacts on adjacent properties and stormwater management.
The New York Power Authority proposes to re-align a portion of the previously approved Tri-Lakes Reliability Project 46.5 kV electric transmission line route to an area adjacent to and parallel with NYS Route 56 for a distance of 3.4 miles. 1.86 miles of the re-aligned transmission line route will be located in what is now forest preserve land for which an amendment to Article 14 of the NYS Constitution is being sought. The project site is located in the Town of Colton, St. Lawrence County. Key issues include open space/aesthetics, impacts to adjoining land uses and use of the Forest Preserve.
The Committee will consider a general permit that would authorize the NYS DEC, Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (Adirondack PRISM), qualified lake associations, local municipalities, certified lake managers, and qualified aquatic consultants to manage aquatic invasive plant species, including Eurasian watermilfoil, curlyleaf pondweed, water chestnut, yellow floating heart, and European frog-bit. This general permit would only apply to hand harvesting and benthic barrier use in water depths less than 2 meters.
Agency staff will conclude the committee meeting with an overview of a newly created GIS database for all telecommunications projects previously authorized by Agency permits since 1973.
At 1:00, the State Land Committee will hear a first reading of proposed amendments to the Remsen-Lake Placid Travel Corridor Unit Management Plan. The proposed vegetation management plan will replace language in the current plan with a detailed description of a three-zone vegetation management system within the railroad right-of-way and proposes to reduce the setback from wetlands where pesticides may be applied.
At 2:00, the Local Government Services Committee will hear a presentation on the City of Saratoga Springs Conservation Subdivision and Clustering Zoning Provisions. This presentation will focus on benefits provided to the community and cost savings passed along to developers.
At 3:00, the Enforcement Committee will meet to determine two enforcement matters; one involving an alleged wetlands violation and the other involving an alleged permit condition violation. The committee will also discuss the civil penalty component for a previously decided matter involving a mining operation in the Town of Ticonderoga.
On Friday, May 9 at 9:00 a.m., the Park Policy and Planning Committee will hear a first reading of the proposed Memorandum of Understanding between the Adirondack Park Agency and the Hudson River-Black River Regulating District. The MOU is designed to provide guidance to Agency and District staff on how to process applications from private individuals for wetland activities and new land use and development on lands of the State of New York under the jurisdiction of the Regulating District.
The Full Agency will meet at 10:30 to conclude its meeting with committee reports and take actions as necessary.
Meeting materials are available for download from the Agency’s website at: www.apa.state.ny.us/Mailing/0805/index.htm.
The next Agency meeting is June 12-13, 2008 at the Adirondack Park Agency Headquarters.
July Agency Meeting – July 10-11 Adirondack Park Agency Headquarters.