For Immediate Release: January 15, 2015
Contact:
Keith P. McKeever | Public Information Officer | Adirondack Park Agency
contact@apa.ny.gov | (518) 891-4050
More Than 95 Percent of Project Site to Remain Undeveloped
Stringent Environmental Protections Required in Permit Conditions
Ray Brook, NY - The Adirondack Park Agency Board unanimously approved New York Land and Lakes Development, LLCs proposed subdivision project 2014-48 at its Board meeting today. The project is located in the towns of Bleecker and Johnstown in Fulton County. The Agency Board authorized the applicants plan to subdivide 1,119 acres of the former Woodworth Lake Boy Scout Camp into 24 building lots and five commonly held lots on carefully designed sites concentrated adjacent to existing roads and infrastructure.
The Adirondack Park Agency staff conducted a thorough review of New York Land and Lakes Development LLCs proposal starting in 2013. Agency staff held pre-application meetings with the applicant, conducted five site visits and held a public information meeting on November 24, 2014 to receive public comment on the proposed project. As a result of staff review the applicant modified plans reconfiguring or relocating 75 percent of the proposed building locations to minimize impacts to natural resources. In addition, the applicant eliminated two lots after consultation with APA staff regarding potential impacts to wetlands and the presence of steep slopes. With these changes, 1,070 acres, or over 95 percent, of the project site will remain undeveloped open space governed by Forestry and Habitat Management Plans prepared by a professional forester.
Chairwoman Leilani Ulrich said, This project represents another example of Agency staff working diligently with an applicant to ensure development occurs responsibly, in a manner that protects natural resources and is in full conformance with the laws and regulations we administer. The Agency s extensive review resulted in a permit that concentrates where development will occur and ensures best management practices are used to avoid the fragmentation of wildlife habitat and minimize impacts to waterways.
The project site is the former Woodworth Lake Boy Scout Camp which opened in 1949 and closed in 2013. The site includes existing structures such as a dining hall, cabins and related infrastructure including powerlines along Woodworth Lake Road and a 180-foot cellular tower. During peak operations, the Boy Scouts ran five to eight week summer camps which were attended by 100-150 scouts plus staff. Significant portions of the property were under forest management practice throughout the duration of Boy Scout ownership. As a result, an extensive network of unimproved roads crisscrosses the site.
The approved project will allow the applicant to create 24 building lots ranging in size from 3 to 145 acres. The construction of one single-family dwelling will be allowed on each lot. The building location for each of these dwellings is specifically defined in the project plans. The final sites were selected after comprehensive natural resource analysis which included staff field-checking detailed topography maps, verifying wetland delineations and conducting soil tests. The approved plans concentrate development adjacent to Woodworth Lake Road, maximize the use of existing wood roads for driveways and avoid unnecessary impacts to natural resources.
Stringent environment protections are mandated through the Agencys permit for shoreline lots. All single-family dwellings must be set back 100 feet from the mean high-water mark of Hines Pond and Woodworth Lake. There will be very limited vegetative cutting allowed within 100 feet of the ponds or within 35 feet of the edge of wetlands and streams. Access to Hines Pond will be limited to foot paths from the private lots and only one dock on the commonly held lot. No motor boats will be allowed on Hines Pond. Lake access from the private lots on Woodworth Lake will be limited to foot paths leading to docks and, where necessary, a boardwalk not to exceed 100 square feet in size. The permit also thoroughly addresses on-site wastewater, storm water management, visual impacts and controlling the spread of invasive species
New York Land and Lakes Development, LLC voluntarily extinguished 24 potential principal building rights that were allocated to this site based on the density guidelines under the APA Land Use and Development Plan.
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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