Chester, NY, Mar 07, 2011 — A prominent pro-environment group has been pushing the Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board to stop commenting on the issue of state land-purchases in the Park.

The Adirondack Council argues that the state-funded Review Board doesn't have a mandate to weigh in on the issue.

But APA chairman Curt Stiles says Review Board is defending the Review Board's decision to issue a resolution opposing the Finch Pruyn and Follensby land deals.

Chris Morris has details.  Go to full article

Lake Placid, NY, Jan 12, 2011 — A local government official in North Elba is accusing the Adirondack Park Agency and one of its commissioners, Arthur Lussi, of unethical conduct. Lussi is partnering with Verizon to build a new cell phone tower on top of the Crowne Plaza hotel in Lake Placid.

Now, a member of North Elba's planning and zoning board says Lussi and members of the APA staff tried to manipulate local review of the project.

As Brian Mann reports, the Park Agency says the case was handled properly, despite confusion and miscommunications between state and town officials.

Clarification: The proposed cell tower structure described in this story would be 56 feet high from the ground to peak elevation. The height above the existing roof line would be approximately 20 feet.  Go to full article

Ray Brook, NY, Dec 17, 2010 — A fierce political fight is building over the make-up of the Adirondack Park Agency board. Over the next year, Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo - a Democrat - will have the power to completely reshape the commission.

As many as eight members of the 11-seat panel could be replaced, including APA chairman Curt Stiles. With the Agency set to make landmark decisions in the coming months, various factions are lobbying hard to shape the commission. Brian Mann reports.  Go to full article

Dec 06, 2010 — For nearly twelve months, Adirondack businessman and environmentalist Peter Hornbeck has been waiting. Hornbeck is a boat builder in Omstedville, in Essex County. Last year, Governor David Paterson appointed him to sit on the Adirondack Park Agency's board of commissioners.

But his track record as a conservationist sparked opposition from local government groups and from Republican state Senator Betty Little. Little convinced Democrats in the Senate to delay Hornbeck's confirmation. Once again last week, a key committee left his appointment on the shelf.

Now Governor Paterson is leaving office and Republicans appear to have won a new majority in the Senate. After all those months, Hornbeck's bid to sit on the APA board appears to have reached a dead end. On Friday, Hornbeck told Brian Mann that he's been in a kind of political limbo, with little information about the process in Albany or what might happen next.  Go to full article

Nov 19, 2010 — State officials are close to approving a new management plan for the Moose River Plains region of the Adirondack Park.

The compromise deal would create more than 12 thousand acres of new wilderness in Hamilton County. It would also establish new trail corridors for snowmobiles and mountain bikes.

As Brian Mann reports, the plan has been more than a decade in the making.  Go to full article

Sep 09, 2010 — A strange kind of local trial is underway this week in Tupper Lake. Developer Michael Foxman and his partners are hoping to build the Adirondack Club and Resort on property that includes the old Big Tupper ski area.

But to gain permanent road access to more than 1200 acres of the resort property, the company needs legal rights to cross a small parcel of land owned by a neighbor. It turns out that neighbor is the Adirondack Nature Conservancy, which owns the Follensby Pond tract. The group hopes to sell the land to the state of New York to be added to the state forest preserve.

The Conservancy has said publicly that it doesn't want to sell or give away the access rights. So Foxman and his partners have begun a legal proceeding that could force the Conservancy to allow access to the road. The issue has sparked protests and an angry exchange in the Tupper Lake Free Press.

Brian Mann was in Tupper Lake yesterday and spoke about the case with Martha Foley.  Go to full article

Aug 20, 2010 — Critics of the Adirondack Park Agency have long claimed that its zoning rules and regulations stifle economic activity.

But over the years, the APA has approved eight shovel-ready business parks for light industry and manufacturing.

Businesses who choose to locate in these industrial parks - which stretch from Tupper Lake to Moriah - face little or no APA oversight.

Still, most remain empty or nearly empty.

As Jon Alexander reports, the real problem may be the lack of infrastructure and convenient access in remote rural towns.  Go to full article

Piseco, NY, Aug 13, 2010 — Later this morning, the Adirondack Park Agency is expected to approve a plan creating the first major piece of a new regional snowmobile trail.

The project in Hamilton County includes construction of a new 12-mile hub trail that would link the towns of Piseco and Speculator.

State officials say this project in the Jessup River area will be a model for a much larger snowmobile trail system now in development across the Park.

But critics on all sides say they're not sure this plan is workable or affordable. Brian Mann has our story.  Go to full article

Ticonderoga, NY, Jul 09, 2010 — The Adirondack Park Agency has approved a major expansion to a sludge landfill operated by International Paper in Ticonderoga. Yesterday's decision by the APA board was unanimous, despite objections from some neighbors.

As Brian Mann reports, company officials at IP say the new facility will allow the mill to continue operating for another three decades.  Go to full article

Ray Brook, NY, Jul 06, 2010 — An effort by North Country lawmakers to limit the enforcement power of the Adirondack Park Agency failed to pass the state Assembly last week. The bill which passed in the Senate would have placed a ten-year statute of limitations on environmental and zoning violations.

As Brian Mann reports, supporters of the change say they'll bring it back next session.  Go to full article