News stories tagged with "adirondack-park-agency"

(11/21/11) On Friday, the Adirondack Park Agency commission delved deep into the business plan for the proposed Adirondack Club and Resort. The APA will vote in January on whether to approve the massive project, which supporters hope will revitalize the economy in Tupper Lake. The development has been on the drawing table for years, with more than seven hundred condos and mansions, along with a marina, equestrian center and modern ski hill.

One part of the Park Agency's review involves determining whether the project will have negative economic impacts on the community. As Brian Mann reports, that effort is complicated by the fact that there are still a lot of unanswered questions about how the resort will be financed and built. more

(11/10/11) Governor Andrew Cuomo made history yesterday when he chose Lani Ulrich as the first woman ever to lead the Adirondack Park Agency. The Old Forge resident takes over immediately and will guide the APA as it makes a decision on the controversial Adirondack Club and Resort project in Tupper Lake.

The governor also made history by picking a St. Lawrence County resident to sit on the commission for the first time. Sherman Craig is a woodworker and former teacher from Wanakena. As Brian Mann reports, yesterday's announcement leaves a couple of big unanswered questions. more

(10/24/11) The cell tower building boom in the Adirondacks has slowed this year. Applications to the Adirondack Park Agency are down - the agency has only issued nine permits or amendments for cell projects as of early October.

That's a big drop when compared to last year: 28 projects, and 2009, when the APA approved 27. Despite the trend, cell service providers say they're still planning to grow their wireless networks in the Park. Chris Knight reports. more

(10/14/11) The Adirondack Park Agency is meeting again this week without a chairperson and with many of its board members serving expired terms.

Three months have passed since the last chairman, Curt Stiles, stepped down.

So far, Governor Andrew Cuomo has given no sign of who might be chosen to lead the APA, either as a permanent or interim chair.

That matters because the APA is preparing to make a final decision on one of the most controversial projects ever proposed - the Adirondack Club and Resort in Tupper Lake.

The staff is also wrestling with continued complications with another big resort project in North Creek. Brian Mann reports.

(08/19/11) The Adirondack Park Agency met yesterday in Ray Brook. It was their first monthly meeting without former chairman Curt Stiles, who announced his resignation in mid-July.

As Brian Mann reports, there is still no indication from Governor Andrew Cuomo about who will lead the APA going forward or when a pick will be made.

(08/04/11) Adirondack Park Agency chairman Curt Stiles is stepping aside after four years on the job. His tenure was marked by some big accomplishments, including an effort to boost affordable housing in the Park.

But Stiles also faced a nearly constant drumbeat of criticism and controversy.

The APA's legal battle with Essex farmer Sandy Lewis and his public disagreements with local government leaders made regular headlines.

In an editorial written after Stiles announced his resignation, the Glens Falls Post Star blasted his leadership and accused the APA of "stomping" on individual rights.

Stiles sat down to talk with Brian Mann about the future of the Adirondack Park, about his own reputation, and about the reforms and changes that he thinks are still needed.

Note: So far, Governor Andrew Cuomo hasn't named a replacement for Stiles. An interim chairman is expected to be picked before the APA meets August 18th in Ray Brook.

(08/03/11) After four years as head of the Adirondack Park Agency, chairman Curt Stiles is stepping aside. His tenure was marked by big clashes with elected officials in the Park, who lobbied Governor Andrew Cuomo not to reappoint Stiles for a second term. But Stiles also pushed through major reforms of the APA's regulatory approach, and engineered the first legislative change to the Park Agency Act in a generation.

Stiles, a former Xerox executive who lives on Upper Saranac Lake, sat down to talk in-depth with Brian Mann. Here's the first part of their conversation.

Note: Tomorrow during The Eight O'clock Hour, we'll hear from Stiles about the environmental challenges still facing the Park and about some of his own controversial decisions, including his handling of the Sandy Lewis farm case in Essex County.

(05/16/11) The National Weather Service says some parts of the North Country will see more than four inches of rain before this latest storm passes. That's pushing Lake Champlain's waters back toward record-high levels. The Ausable and Raquette rivers also surged over the weekend. Most of the region is once again under flood warnings or watches.

For homeowners, businesses and local governments, recovering from the disaster will be tough. For communities inside the Adirondack Park blue line, rebuilding could be complicated by the need for project reviews and permits from the Adirondack Park Agency. Brian Mann has our story. more

(03/07/11) 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. more

(01/12/11) 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. more