For Immediate Release: March 21, 2018
Contact:
Keith P. McKeever | Public Information Officer | Adirondack Park Agency
contact@apa.ny.gov | (518) 891-4050
RAY BROOK, NY - The Town and Village of Lake George, in collaboration with the Adirondack Park Agency (APA), finalized an economic development plan for the Hamlet areas and commercial centers of their communities. The plan was developed through the APA's Hamlet Economic Planning and Assistance (HEPA) initiative. The Village, on December 18th, 2017 and the Town on February 5th, 2018 adopted the plan during monthly Board meetings.
The Economic Development Plan highlighted four overall objectives:
- Build the residential base necessary for a vibrant, year-round retail sector,
- Augment tourism to create a year-round visitor economy,
- Retain existing businesses and attract new businesses with a focus upon industries that export goods outside the community, and
- Ensure that community laws and infrastructure are consistent and compatible with the growth desired by the community.
The plan also identified key redevelopment sites and stressed the need for a shovel ready commerce park as well as a convention center. Over 95 actionable items were listed in the plan to help achieve the Lake George community's economic and community development goals.
"This economic development plan provides us with a framework for growth moving forward. Through a community engagement process, we learned about the goals of our constituents and developed a strategy for achieving them," stated Town of Lake George Supervisor Dennis Dickinson.
Village of Lake George Mayor said, "We look forward to implementing this plan. Expanding the economic diversity of the Village is imperative and this document provides us with the blueprint for a vibrant year-round economy."
Over the course of 2017, three separate public input meetings were held. A separate online survey was also distributed. Public feedback indicated that over 75% of respondents wanted to see Lake George grow in population, including over 46.5% who wanted to see the population grow by more than 15%. Respondents identified a longer tourism season, greater diversity of restaurants and retail, new year-round employment opportunities, and the expansion of retailer hours/seasons as top priorities for economic development.
"The Agency's HEPA initiative is a community-driven process to develop and implement economic improvement plans for Adirondack communities. We are excited to work with the Town and Village of Lake George to help them achieve their economic and community development goals. Moving forward I am confident that we can assist our local government partners to develop the year-round economy the residents of Lake George are seeking," stated APA Chairman Sherman Craig.
The Town and Village incorporated planning strategies consistent with the Towns recent Gateway Project which transformed NYS Route 9 south of the Village into a boulevard with a median, sidewalks, bike lanes, and landscaping. Lake George proposes to update zoning within the Gateway Corridor to enhance the walkability and commercial attractiveness of the area and allow for redevelopment of existing properties with new mixed use development.
"One of the important messages we hope to come out of this process is that Lake George is open for business. In Lake George we have a high quality of life, a beautiful place to live, strong brand recognition, and a talented and entrepreneurial workforce. We want to capitalize on these strengths as we grow our community" said Supervisor Dickinson.
Through the HEPA initiative, the APA builds partnerships with Adirondack communities to help them achieve their economic and quality of life goals. During the process, Agency staff works with local governments to facilitate a public input process to identify community economic development goals. The APA assists local governments and the stakeholder workgroup to implement a plan that results in completed projects and community growth.
Elected officials and from the Village and Town of Lake George teamed up with the Lake George Chamber of Commerce, EDC Warren County, and the APA's Economic Services and Planning Divisions to direct overall plan development. This stakeholder group worked with the public to identify plan components and will begin implementation now that the plan is adopted.
"We are very excited to assist the Village and Town on the implementation of this plan," stated EDC Warren County President Edward Bartholomew. "Work is global now and companies can locate and export from any place in the world. Why not locate your company in the one of the United States' most beautiful areas the Warren County/Lake George Region?"
"The Agency looks forward to continuing our partnership with the Town and Village of Lake George. Now that the plan is adopted, our staff will assist the community with moving the plan's priority projects forward," noted APA Executive Director Terry Martino.
The Adirondack Park Agency launched the HEPA initiative in 2014. All of the Park's 101 towns and villages are eligible to participate in the HEPA initiative. The initiative is a free service performed by the Agency's Economic Services and Planning divisions.
The Agency also provides technical services for existing and prospective businesses, local and regional economic developers, and community planning and development organizations. Services include market analysis, feasibility studies, project siting and permitting, and assistance with industry recruitment and retention.
For more information, contact Dan Kelleher, Special Assistant for Economic Affairs at 518-891-4050 or visit www.apa.ny.gov.
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.
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