For Immediate Release: May 15, 2013
Contact:
Keith P. McKeever | Public Relations | Adirondack Park Agency
contact@apa.ny.gov | (518) 891-4050
RAY BROOK, NY - The Adirondack Park Agency (APA) is accepting public comment for a proposed amendment to the Whiteface Mountain Ski Center Unit Management Plan. The APA will accept public comments regarding the compliance of the proposed amendment to the guidelines and criteria of the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan. The public comment period will end on June 4, 2013.
Whiteface Mountain Ski Center is located in the Town of Wilmington, Essex County, New York and is a New York State - owned facility. It operates under the administrative jurisdiction of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and is managed by the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) through a Memorandum of Understanding with the DEC. The facility is classified as an "Intensive Use Area" under the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan (SLMP). An intensive use area is an area where the state provides facilities for intensive forms of outdoor recreation by the public.
ORDA operates a year-round multi-use recreation area on Whiteface Mountain which provides opportunities for public use such as competitive and recreational downhill skiing, hiking, mountain biking, and summer scenic gondola rides.
ORDA has proposed an amendment to redevelop an existing ski patrol building that is located on the summit of Little Whiteface. The proposed project would enhance the capabilities and services provided to the general public by the Whiteface Mountain Ski Patrol.
In addition, the new structure would contain necessary emergency antenna and communication equipment that are critical components of the Essex County public safety radio communication system. The Little Whiteface site is one of 14 locations which the APA approved as part of an overall project to modernize and improve emergency communications for Essex County and New York State. The project has previously been reviewed by the Adirondack Park Agency. The purpose of the UMP amendment is to document the new structures which will be constructed at the site.
To review the proposed amendment, please use the following link:
http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/90459.html
To access a copy of the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan, please use the following link:
http://apa.ny.gov/Documents/Laws_Regs/SLMP-20120201-Web.pdf
Comments to the Adirondack Park Agency should focus on the Unit Management Plan amendment in terms of its compliance with the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan. Comments related to State Land Master Plan compliance should be sent to:
James Connolly APA Deputy Director, Planning Division Po Box 99 Ray Brook, NY 12997
Or via email - apa_slmp@gw.dec.state.ny.us
APA will accept public comments until June 4, 2013. The APA Board is scheduled to consider Master Plan compliance for the proposed amendment at the June 13-14 Agency meeting.
The Olympic Regional Development Authority is also accepting comments on the proposed action in this Unit Management Plan amendment. Comments will be accepted through May 24. Please send comments related to the proposed action to:
Robert W. Hammond Olympic Regional Development Authority 2634 Main Street Lake Placid, NY 12946 (518) 302-5332 bhammond@orda.org
The mission of the Adirondack Park Agency is to protect the public and private resources of the Adirondack Park through the exercise of the powers and duties of the Agency as provided by law. For more information, call the APA at (518) 891-4050 or visit www.apa.ny.gov.
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