1987-07-23 SP SCOPING SPECIAL SCOPING MEETING
QUEENSBURY TOWN BOARD
JULY 23, 1987 i
7-.30 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Mrs. Frances Walter-Supervisor
Mr. George Kurosaka-Councilman
Mr. Stephen Borgos-Councilman
Mr. Ronald Montesi-Councilman
Mrs. Betty Monahan-Councilman
Mr. Wilson Mathias-Town Counsel
PRESS: G.F. Post Star, WBZA
GUESTS: Mr. Mike Brandt, Mr. Bruce M. Erickson, Mr. Crannell
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY TOWN CLERK DARLEEN M. DOUGHER
SCOPING MEETING-WEST MOUNTAIN VILLAGES INCORPORATED
NOTICE SHOWN
SUPERVISOR WALTER-The purpose of the scoping meeting is to identify the issues of concern
and those issues which may have some environmental impact as far as the development of
the project. For the members of the public that are here it is not a critique of the project
but merely your opportunity to let the developers know what your concerns are and what they
should be including in their environmental impact statement. I will not allow any debate on
the project this evening, strictly your input your comments as to what should be included in
the environmental impact statement. When the developers submit to the Town an impact
statement there will be a public comment period there will be a public hearing and there will
be ample time for written comments and at that point members of the public that are here
may comment and criticize, a pat on the back whatever as far as your thoughts on the project.
What I would like to do for the public and just a review for the Town Board is to have one of
.` the developers make a brief presentation, please give us some over view of what will be commented
on this evening.
MR. BRUCE M. ERICKSON, Project Manager for West Mountain Resort I work for the firm
of J.J. Johnson and Associates we have offices in Albany, N.Y. and I am currently out of the
Utah Office. With me tonight is Mr. Joe Krzys, the owner of the project Mr. Mike Brandt,
Mr. Craig VanDusen from the Albany Office who has worked on the project before you and
you have seen a presentation from him previously. My understanding is that the Town Board
and the Planning Board have seen documents and have had a chance to comment especially
at sketch plan application phase, I will review briefly the size and shape of the project. (MAPS
USED) For the purpose of this, the entire property is owned by the West Mountain Villages
Inc. is two thousand seven hundred and eighty five acres of that five hundred and ninety three
acres are in Queensbury. (used map to show the line between Lake Luzerne and the Town
of Queensbury) two thousand one hundred and ninety two acres in Luzerne and five hundred
and ninety three acres in Queensbury...there is One hundred and twenty acres in Luzerne that
is in the Adirondack Park. The current proposal consists of a multi use PUD which we recognize
that there will have to be a district change in Queensbury as well as Luzerne, for making use
for single family, multifamily and recreation facilities attendant to those on the colored plan
you can see a golf course the remainder of the open space on the plan is also planned to have
more than one golf course if it is necessary. There are other park sites locations for as many
as, or optional sites for three condominiums hotels a business park on the Luzerne side and
...a commercial and condominium hotel in the area of the West Mountain Resort. In summary
of the land use planning there are five hundred and ninety three units on the five hundred and
ninety three acres on the Queensbury side and two thousand one hundred and ninety two on
the Luzerne side which equates to one per acre, doing a little manipulation of the numbers
approximately 62% of the site as you see here is undisturbed that number increases to 85%
if you included the areas within the lots that do not have a house or do not have garage or
---- don't have a driveway that is the impervious coverage, those figures are gross overall. Manipulating
the number a little bit further we are on an average of one unit per acre over the entire twenty-
seven hundred and eighty five acres. In doing our planning on this since September what has
happened is that we have had the opportunity to do most of the study on the site, if we were
just to consider the property less than 15% slope we are at one point eight units per acres
on the over all property. Those densities require the changes in districting the PUD, it is currently
zoned resort commercial in the area of West Mountain resort and one unit per three acres
on the remaining portion of the property within Queensbury, we recognize part of that as being
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the SEQRA process for approval in addition to the sketch plan approval. We have been studying
the site since September of 1986 that study consisted of a series of environmental studies internally
to determine the feasibility of development up there. Those are reflected in the eight sheets
that were submitted as far as the sketch plan submittal and also found in the grey mapping
rather than the colored mapping. (Map Shown) The map on the top is most valuable for tonight,
that shows all the adjacent properties and the owners names are reflected in the left hand
corner, so if we have any people who want to know their relation to the property. Our purpose
here tonight is to solicit comment from the Board as to lead agency in SEQRA process and
for preparation of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. We have had an opportunity
to discuss the draft with members of your staff, members of the County staff the school boards
and staff from the Dept. of Environmental Conservation. Since the last meeting and the request
for sketch plan Mr. Krzys has elected to go ahead with the SEQRA process in its entirety in
both jurisdictions, next Monday night will be a similar process with the Town of Luzerne.
SUPERVISOR WALTER-You said Mr. Krzys had gone ahead with the SEQRA process, I do not
know what you mean by that?
MR. ERICKSON-What I am trying to say is that previous to this meeting, May 21st or there
about there were some discussion with the Planning Commission about improved Sketch Plan,
at that time the Planning Board suggested that they probably would not take action until the
DEIS was completed. What I am getting to is that at that time Mr. Krzys elected to go to
the DEIS process rather than working toward the Sketch Plan approval, without the DEIS.
MR. MIKE BRANDT-The Planning Board asked for more information and the owners of the
project discussed it and thought it might be smart to develop all of this information and ask
for the option to enter the DEIS portion and ask permission from the both the Planning Board
and the Town Board to do that.
MR. DICK ROBERTS-At the last Planning Board Meeting the members felt that they needed
information...
SUPERVISOR WALTER-Asked the Town Board for comments relative to the DEIS.
COUNCILMAN BORGOS-I do not see any indication of the tennis concept, is that in there
or will it work in with the golf course or is it totally different.
MR. ERICKSON-The Tennis concept is currently in progress being developed and incorporated
into the plan...
._.rr
COUNCILMAN BORGOS-It might change the golf course configuration?
MR. ERICKSON-The golf course is conceptual at this time, I expect the course to vary as
we are in the field.
SUPERVISOR WALTER-I would let you know that some of the items we anticipate that you
would cover in your Draft Environmental Impact Statement would be your water supply, your
sewage and I would also indicate that in various meetings that we have attended relative to
the SEQRA process lately that documents should include alternatives what you are anticipating
in case what you are anticipating is something that is not able to happen, and how that will
impact on the environment. One of the concerns that we have seen with other projects, just
because of the development in Queensbury, but because of the geographic location of your
project would naturally be the traffic.
COUNCILMAN BORGOS-Roadways are obviously a major concern in terms of adequacy with
grade etc. also very concerned with a situation I talked to Mr. Brandt about, fire protection.
The entire project is a long ways from any fire dept. at the present time so I would be anxious
to know what you plan in terms of possible construction of fire stations, apparatus purchased
staffing, I will not give my opinion to those things at this time but they obviously have to be
in there, it is a major concern. At some early stage we are going to need topographical maps
at least of Phase I or II probably five to two foot contours., five would make me happy.
I would like to see a list of streams, ponds, lakes that are currently there, I would like an indication
of the seasonal flows of those streams, I think that is important, also an indication biologically
of what is in those streams. Maybe ENCON or DEC with their stocking process could determine
what is in there for you, that would be of great importance.
COUNCILMAN MONTESI-I would address the developers in a couple of things, obviously the
cost effectiveness of this development has to be the density, the relationship to the environment,
I perceive it as such. I am forced to look at opinions that have been registered to this Board
that we have runaway development, we pay no heed to the density of our town, we are destroying
the character of our town by allowing this type of development not yours specifically but developments
I guess I am sensitive to a request that says I want to triple the density. I don't say that in
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• derogatory way we are not going from one acre to four units per acre it is not that kind of
• Levit Town Development we are going from one unit per three acre to one per acre. That
kind of density, although it is not tripling, it is not as sever as some would perceive. I have
some concerns about that and probably that has got to be addressed. You are stating that
part of the PUD process that we as a town board can approve that zoning change within the
confines of PUD, I asked our Attorney and I guess he feels the same way it is in our prerogative.
I understand the concerns that the Planning Board had about not giving conceptual approval,
or denying conceptual approval for the lack of information. I also understand the conditions
that, that puts on you as a developer, voluntarily, you are rolling the dice, you are going to
put together a DEIS now without a conceptual approval. I applaud you, you have courage but
it is risky, bearing in mind the key is the density problem, as I see it. My other concerns are
environmentally, although we address the top of the hill, I know of late it isn't public output
_ that you are investigating the possibility of a tennis facility on the top of the mountain, with
a 15,000 seat stadium etc. with hotels, a real class operation up there, that may be on the
horizon and it sounds exciting. Not withstanding that there is still a major portion of that
development that is going to take place on the face of the mountain probably north or north
west of the Northwest Village, they are going to develop that part of the mountain severely,
I am concerned about what we are going to do about the sewer, I want to see some good details
on that, obviously once you get above six hundred and ten feet you are going to have to think
about a water tank because that is where our tank is presently...lastly I know we have discussed
it, I am not sure where I fit into this I know there are some economic development issues that
I should be addressing and if this project was to come to completion it would be of no question
that it would bring dollars to my community through sales tax revenues. What part do I have
in it other than trying to get the job done for you, I am not sure I should be spending, and I
am not saying I wouldn't, taxpayers dollars to redo Luzerne Road, I just have some strong feelings
about that I am sure my constituents would to. I noted that you are requesting that the Town
of Rueensbury improve Luzerne Mountain Road to West Mountain Road to the Town line to
bring the road to current Town standards. I presume that was paved four or five years ago,
what current town standards must relate to is less than a 10% grade ...Those are some of the
concerns that I would like to see addressed.
COUNCILMAN MONAHAN-I am concerned with the visual impact of the project, as you know
the ski trails can be seen for miles, I was coming from Argyle the other day and looked over
and saw the ski trails. I am concerned of what we are going to be doing to the visual ethics
over the whole area, not just the Town of Queensbury. I am also concerned over the unusual
flora and fauna that is probably up there on West Mountain also the protected species. That
is something that has to be looked over for many months, spring, summer and fall it is not
something that someone can go in and take a quick look at and say there are not any. I know
one development that we permitted here and the Impact Statement said there were no protected
plants and it is loaded with Lady Slippers, I would hate to see that happen with this development.
SUPERVISOR WALTER-The other types of things that we would be looking for, and for a general
rule you could use the guide that is put out by DEC but of particular note to the Town in the
past is identification of any historic structures, markers or whatever and how they could be
preserved. In as much as it is a little bit different kind of development than we have seen
before because of the kinds of facilities that you are thinking about the kind of noise impact
would be important to the Board as to how much noise the various facilities would be generating
and what you would be doing to mitigate the noise levels. I do not think anyone has touched
on erosion control because we are certainly looking at a mountainous area, it is unique as far
as any of our developments. We would be looking for projections of population for future services
and how they would be impacting on our town. I know that Steve eluded to fire protection,
one thing that this Board is adamant about is that sprinkler systems have been required in
all buildings in other development and I would believe that we would not move off that, that
requires a great deal of water and water pressure. You might be heading the impact of on
the water system the other developments in the Town too, what we are trying to get over
is taking a look at one particular project and seeing what that impact is because these vary
large projects impact on each other and other developments in the Town and we are taking
a look at how they will impact on the present service level that we can provide particularly
on water and perhaps in future expansion, we would be looking at your projection in that area.
Another item, and I am going back to my original traffic item, as to what we will be doing
to allow a smooth flow of traffic to and from the development but also very important and
Ron did talk about is who is going to pay for this infrastructure and how you perceive that.
We do want to continue to provide utilities underground, we have done that in the Town and
it would seem that we would be looking for that kind of development on the mountain. Drainage,
storm water is extremely important as far as the mountainous area, while some of these things
I am pointing out, they are included in the outline but because of the nature of this project
it is something we will be looking at very closely. In providing details in your DEIS, we want
some in-depth information rather than reciting the ENCON rules and regulations on Speedies
we are looking for your plans for sewering how they will work on your property.
COUNCILMAN BORGOS-We have received two DEIS documents`recently and this would be
the fourth PUD addressed recently and a lot of our thoughts coming from what we had to do
essentially to get those together we asked for sewers, water we asked for roadways so do not
feel weighted down all of a sudden. We talked about fire projection we should add emergency
medical services, ambulance, that is another consideration. In this particular project, I lived
on that Mountain for a long time, I would like you to look at and check the sighting of black
panthers over the years, that species is not around much, the historical name for the Mountain
is Panther Mountain., there maybe something to that, obviously there is bobcats up there.
I told Mike before the world's largest deer live up there at least by their tracks, also something
I learned having lived up there, there were Indian camp grounds in that area, as a historic point
of view you are going to have to have an archeologist, as has been needed in the other two
projects, to determine the locations if any of the Indian campgrounds and what means are
to be taken to protect those. I think we should also look at the alternative uses of the property,
that is something that everyone has had to address before and alternative configurations as I
to what you have here. You may say there are no reasonable alternatives, period, that is one
way to do it. —
COUNCILMAN MONTESI-On April 10th in the official statement that you gave to us you talked
about phasing, phasing as been addressed in the introduction and generally follows the geographic
changes on the site, Phase I, will be on the lower mountain area. I understand that and I understand
the reasoning for that but in the background there is a degree of excitement but there is something
that has come along that would force you to change your direction and what to get going on
the upper part, I do not know how you address that in an orderly fashion and present it to me,
if this happen we will have this phase and if that happens you will have this as phase I. I think
that has to be nailed down, I can give you some flexibility but I want to know what you are
doing. Your April 10th statement related to a usage of 522,600 gallons of water, as a lay person
not as an engineer I can't comment on that the only thing I can say to you is, we have just
finished a PUD of 1100 homes and our engineer and their engineer estimated their usage to
be 400,000 gallons a day. Yours would seem very conservative which is critical to me, this
town is getting ready to negotiate in addition to our filtration plant to bring us up through
the 90's with what we perceive as our needs, a couple of hundred thousand gallons a day will
change those things. We are thinking of adding a five million gallon filtration system we can
add ten, we need to have some data to help you, because in front of you there is another PUD
a second one, and they are talking nine hundred homes and they are talking somewhere in the
area of 400,000 gallons per day range, they have an impact on us and on our water abilities.
SUPERVISOR WALTER-Is there anyone from the public that would like to make any suggestions
at this time?
MR. TERRY CRANNELL-My name is Terry Crannell and I am here to speak on behalf of the
Queensbury Association concerning the scoping of the draft environmental impact statement
for the proposed project at West Mountain. As a person who resides adjacent to the proposed
project, and as a person who is quite familiar with the area through hiking and cross country
skiing, and as a person with a masters degree in environmental planning and analysis, I hope
that my comments may be useful. I would like first briefly identify those items that the Association
feels are of critical importance in the preparation of the DEIS. In describing the proposed
action a convincing statement about the project's purpose, need and benefits is necessary.
Furthermore, a detailed design and layout of the complex is needed focusing on proposed impervious
surface area, drainage, open space and infrastructure. The environmental setting should cover
detailed descriptions of surface and subsurface geology, topography, groundwater and surface
water resources, wetlands, and demography. A comprehensive transportation plan is essential
as well as plans for water supply, sewage treatment, and solid waste disposal. A strong discussion
of alternatives regarding density and land use is very important. These and several other concerns
are identified on an attached checklist that I will present to the Town Board. Our primary
concern, above all others, is the density that may be allowed. It is our understanding that
the project as proposed will greatly increase the density, exceeding that which is presently
permitted. It is also our understanding that the PUD provisions in Queensbury's Zoning Ordinance
does not allow for increased density as an element of any PUD proposal. We see tripling the
allowable density as a contravention of the language and intent of the existing Zoning Ordinance
and a very ill-advised proposal. We hope that the Town Board in future decision making on
this project keeps in mind the results in the recent attitudes survey of Queensbury residents
undertaken by the former Town Planner. This survey indicated a strong preference by the
residents of Queensbury to retain open space, particularly by restricting development in the
maintenance areas of Queensbury. Thank you for the opportunity to speak on this important 1I
project. i
SUPERVISOR WALTER-Is there any other member of the public who wishes to have input
at this scoping session? Do any of the developers have any questions?
MR. ERICKSON-It does make our job easier knowing you just completed two PUD's and two
SEQRA processes, we are wondering if it is not possible tonight to discuss some procedural
issues, one, you have lost your planner who would normally direct you in issues like this in
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processing the technical portions, we would like to encourage you to contract with some professional
assistance while we go through this and direct us in who you are planning on using and what
kind of schedule you are on for that.
SUPERVISOR WALTER-I guess that the Board will have to take that comment under consideration.
We have been able to move a PUD through without a planner and I think we have some capabilities
in house, you will go through the procedures, we do have, almost in this case, a reviewing firm
to review the plans and the DEIS and I think we will continue to do that at the very least.
The Town Board will be very glad to accept your DEIS if it contains all the elements that a
Draft EIS should contain to get out to the public for their review and their comments. Also
to assist the Planning Board in any decisions that they are going to make or recommendations
to the Town Board. At this point it is my understanding that in your appearances before the
Planning Board that they have indicated they cannot give any kind of approvals nor do they
want to give any disapprovals until they have more information on the project...which is the
reason why they have asked for the Draft Environmental Statement to assist them in their
decision making. The Town Board feels the same way and so therefore there is not really too
much we can do until we hear from you as far as the DEIS is concerned...then we can get the
clock rolling on the comment period and have a public hearing and then at that point the DEIS
is being reviewed, there will be some kind of recommendation from our professional firm and
the Planning Board would then make its decision. I think right now that the Town Board can
do nothing more then to wait for you people to submit your DEIS and what we tried to do here
tonight is to give you the kinds of things that we are going to expect in the DEIS, those areas
in the statement that we are most concerned about because of the location and the nature
of the project.
MR. ERICKSON-The Planning Board was very cooperative Tuesday night and in the course
of making their motions to proceed forward with us on the DEIS discussed the opportunity
to submit information to them dealing with the technical reports, and we thought that would
be particularly helpful in this schedule dealing with the complexity in this project and its
fairly sophisticated PUD. There are a lot of things going on...I recognize from your comments
tonight. I would like to make a couple of very brief technical comments...first of all with
respect to Luzerne Mountain Road...our original application suggesting that we would ask the
Town to pay for some of the road to bring it into County standards...I think we would like to
retract a portion of that for the purpose of the DEIS and consider that to be an alternative
under discussion. It is not our intention to suggest this happening if you buy the road and so
if that would be a record comments on that, I think that would be appropriate—you will consider
improvements to Luzerne Mountain Road as several of the alternatives that we've already
identified to the developer of the property. For example there are two or three methods either
lessening the grade or improving the safety on that road without a great deal of impact property
which it passes.
SUPERVISOR WALTER-I think that also some of the comments from the Planning Board and
and also from the Town Board Members that my discussion was... is the Luzerne Road going
to be ample for the traffic and I think that some of the information that has to appear in the
DEIS is to whether one road is going to do it no matter how that road is improved or will there
be alternative routes. Will you be designating some of the land in your project as road way
leading to other road ways other than West Mountain Road, Corinth Road or where ever?
MR. ERICKSON-I believe Mr. Montesi spoke or one of the other Board Members suggesting
using phasing to what comes first and what comes next...to provide emergency services obviously
came from a couple points of view and the developer has a stake in that to...his insurance
rates go up and down with the ability to get the fire truck up there and that is the part of
our planning study.
SUPERVISOR WALTER-Before we go any further so there is no misunderstanding, although
you are going to be submitting information as it becomes available...the DEIS should be, as
far as phasing is concerned, I guess—the DEIS is going to cover the whole project as you perceive
it, then we would break it down to your phasing...whether you do three first, or one first...
COUNCILMAN MONTESI-I wanted to ask a question while we are still on the roads...obviously
I have some trouble with being overly concerned about part of this development being in another
community and when I say I have some trouble with this...you have asked me to be the lead
agency on the PUD and the SEQRA as it stands as a total unit and I can appreciate that and
I— I presume that this Board has that responsibility...
SUPERVISOR WALTER-We have named ourselves Lead Agency.
COUNCILMAN MONTESI-I can presume that means for twenty-seven hundred acres.
MR. ERICKSON-Under the regulations we understand that you could not consider less
COUNCILMAN MONTESI-Two of the things that bother me is...your tentative plan is that
you are taking sewage from the Town of Queensbury portion and doing it in a supposedly packaged
plan and disposing of it in the Town of Luzerne in what some refer to as a nine mile swamp
I suppose that is the name that's up there...I have some concerns about that. I am not sure
how hard I can push those concerns because we are talking about another community...the
other thing I want to mention is the other alternative for a road, although costly, although
lengthy, is obviously to come up from Corinth Road through the parcel of Luzerne Road. That
would make for an awful long road but it is an alternative that will someday be developed
but again we get back to a phasing situation...if this drain project comes through on top of
the mountain I know and Mike has related to me that, as an example, if you go to one of these
national tennis tournaments, U.S. Women or Wimpleton they park thirty-five acres of cars...so
where do we go with this.
i
MR. ERICKSON-The EIS will consider an admittance of that scale...whether it is an actual
golf tournament or tennis tournament...the scale of magnitude of a multiple single variance —
is what we are talking about assessing here.
COUNCILMAN MONTESI-I guess however you phase it, sooner or later you gotta bite the bullet
and run down the Corinth Road.
MR. ERICKSON-The road right now as designed is a major collector through the property.
There is no question in our mind that there is a traffic threshold in there that the road will
have to be built. There is also no question that we will encourage the developer to do that
as soon as possible. That is one of the alternative methods in the DEIS we foresee, and hopefully
we are clear with that with you. One other point of clarification with respect to trying to
deal with Impact Statement of the project we are viewing the impass approximately we are
reviewing the impass approximately outlined by the Corinth or Call Road and the West Mountain
Road here probably extending to the properties across the street from West Mountain Road
in the traffic portion of this I expect to continue out to the Northway, both the on and off
ramps. I do have a question for the Board Member who was discussing visual impacts...It would
be normal in circumstances like this in using the visual assessment form in the SEQRA Documents
that there are some prime corridors of the mountain as you come across the Hudson River
Bridge you see the mountain, that could be an impact point...I am wondering if you perhaps
in this form or a different one we can sit down and discuss with you what you consider being
a prime issue and what is most important and we can consider the visual analysis of those locations
and we would be at your disposal to do that or whoever else wishes to participate in it.
COUNCILMAN BORGOS-We have talked about a major completion, we will probably get five
or ten thousand people a day as a potential crowd...it would be important I think, to know the
number of days that this peak might be sustained and what provisions would be made for holding
tanks, whatever you do to be able to keep your holding tank to a reasonable size.
MR. ERICKSON-I think what we do we suggest anything that goes on, on the top of that mountain
will end up flowing down hill and in some record we are going to have to have our experience
for trying to plan for water supply...I appreciate the comments tonight in respect to how you
wish the water system addressed so it is a point of clarification...the cumulative effects on
your water system...it is a good point for us and that is one of the questions I asked earlier.
SUPERVISOR WALTER-The reason we brought this up is that you indicate that you need water
we have a big plant down there that is producing the best water around and there is a big
industry that probably isn't going to use as much but we do have other areas that are developing
so I would just not want you to indicate that if they are not using it, it can be set aside for
us...but what we attempting to is to look to the future and take a look at what facilities we
have with all the developing that is going on we can improve those facilities or expand them
to meet that demand and we would need to know specifically what you are going to be using
and when and I think I talked with Mike at one point and he indicated that there would be a
water storage tank on the mountain which we didn't talk about before. That is certainly going
to help with the pressure for any kind of pumping if you are going to be utilizing the Queensbury
system.
MR. ERICKSON-I think there is comma missing in the number printed.(referring to water consum--"pn)
than that I believe the issues are fairly clear and we look forward to the Queensbury Association
input. _
SUPERVISOR WALTER-Our water Engineers are Kestner Engineers of Troy and I would hope
that in any of your engineering or DEIS you would contact that firm and it would be most helpful
in giving you technical information that you could use in the document.
COUNCILMAN MONTESI-That is an important point that the Supervisor has raised that in
the last PUD, although we did hire an engineering firm to review the DEIS, we did sort of pull
out the water and sewer to give it to Kestner for review, because Kestner is our engineer
t)S
for water and sewer.
MR. ERICKSON-That makes our job considerably easier if water and sewer engineers talk
to water and sewer engineers, the rest of us don't need to face that. We need to ask questions
and our engineers need to speak to engineers on this.
COUNCILMAN BORGOS-I would appreciate it if you would take a look at the alternative sewer
of tying into the Glens Falls Plant and then we could find out what the ramifications would
be, I understand their plant is a package plant that could be expanded.
MR. ERICKSON-In doing that perhaps I need to restate again the scope of the DEIS theory
we are considering is not limited by a property boundary but to keep this thing manageable
I think it is limited by Corinth Road and West Mountain Road if traffic comes down to the
intersection...that is our intention and our planning, sewage and water with those kind of impact
I think would have a more regional...
COUNCILMAN MONTESI-They are accumulative affect on the Town with your development
and every other development.
MR. ERICKSON-I am not trying to eliminate those, what I am saying is and I do not want to
do cultural research over the region, I want to do the other types.
COUNCILMAN BORGOS-Asked if the traffic will be beyond...
MR. ERICKSON-The traffic will be all the way out to Northway, that is our intention, both
north and south.
UNKNOWN-I talked with DEC today and they said they haven't received the referral form
yet, requesting you be the Lead Agency.
SUPERVISOR WALTER-Asked the Town Clerk if they had been sent out?
TOWN COUNSEL-Stated that the Resolution declaring the Town Board Lead Agency and the
EAF in the Town Clerks submission should have been sent.
TOWN CLERK-Stated that they were sent out on April 30, 1987 to the list submitted to her.
-- TERRY CRANNELL-I found out a couple of days ago that the preliminary map has been drawn
that realigns Luzerne Road cuts through my property and this is the first I heard about the
map and I see tonight that it is necessary and it bothers me that people in Albany are drawing
maps that cut up my property without me there.
SUPERVISOR WALTER-I don't understand who drew the map?
TERRY CRANNELL-The developers. That concerns me I don't like that.
COUNCILMAN BORGOS AND COUNCILMAN KUROSAKA-Both stated that there is nothing
official about that map, we have never seen this map.
COUNCILMAN BORGOS-You can be sure that if its your land and you don't want a road there
there won't be a road there.
SUPERVISOR WALTER-I will tell you one thing when we are talking about alternatives we
are talking about alternatives, we are talking alternatives that can happen and in the last DEIS
we held up accepting the final DEIS until there was a letter of understanding as far as the
option was concerned. I understand what Mr. Crannell is saying and you cannot put that in
as an option unless you know that, that landowner is going to sell you the land because that
is not a reasonable option.
- MR. CRANNELL-What I would like to see is that if this option, suggestion of realignment
of Luzerne Road and that being specifically taking my property is considered then I would
like to see a very specific analysis regarding the amount of fill, how much land is going to
be taken and what is it going to do to my property and everyone else's property.
COUNCILMAN KUROSAKA-If you do not want your land taken there is no way they are going
to take it.
COUNCILMAN MONTESI-We have made a stand already on some suggestions that are in litigation
about eminent domain proceedings and I think this Board is a conservative board in that matter
when it comes to taking land...taking the land for a road for a specific use like that...I realize
one thing too, it will have a bearing on the neighbors and the rest of the town that I would
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like to see some specific alternatives and that is it may not be in SEQRA but it has to be part
of DEIS and that's what are your alternatives for the fee in lieu of recreation land or land
in lieu of fee. I would like to see that spelled out in specific, real alternatives. Don't tell
me the ski center is a recreation facility...
COUNCILMAN MONAHAN-If there is going to be any blasting done I would like to see something
about the effect of neighboring wells and streams...Fran mentioned noise control and I hope
that would include noise control during construction and the hours of work, because that is
going to be a big project, day by day for the neighbors up there to listen to this is go on is
going to be very offensive so we are going to have some control over that, we have one situation
in the Town right now that we are battling. Also traffic control during construction, I can
see local traffic moving behind twenty or thirty construction trucks going up that mountain
and getting more and more furious particularly if it is an emergency situation. I would like
a listing of any facilities that will be opened to the general public and I also request that you i
cross index your EIS documents as well as a table of contents, I have spent hours trying to
find specific items in the EIS statement, so I would appreciate it.
COUNCILMAN BORGOS-It might not be a bad idea as a guide to look at the previous set of
EIS documents.
SUPERVISOR WALTER-We are looking for some kind of substance not volume. To help you
out because we don't have a Planner they can either give me a call or Dick Roberts.
COUNCILMAN MONTESI-The thing we have done with the last two PUD's and it is something
we do for ourselves and it is important to do with you is set a time table up so we all have
an idea of where we are going. I know I have to either accept or reject the DEIS so it is important
to touch base with Mrs. Walter on that so that everybody is running on the same time clock.
PAT TATICH-One of the items that has not been mentioned is the school system and continue
what Betty has said earlier about the visual impact, in the winter time see that the ski trails
from a far distance, and also take in consideration the illumination of the roadway that are
going to be developed, we are going to have a glowing mountain top.
COUNCILMAN BORGOS-The only other thing we want underground power, the main transmission
lines normally go overhead, if you are going to have to bring in a pretty good amount of power
for the top of that mountain, I don't know if you can take it right off current ski lift towers...but
you are going to have to cut pretty big swath through the woods and I would like to see where
you propose to do those and what impact that might have visually.
SUPERVISOR WALTER-Asked if there was anyone else wishing to make comments relative
to the scoping session, if not I would say we will be waiting to see your DEIS so we can continue
with the project and as Ron indicated some kind of a time table, we've worked that out in
other projects, Dick Roberts and myself and the developers and we have seen how the Town
Board and the Planning Board can work together in moving the project along, so if there is
no further comments the Special Meeting and Scoping Session closed:
8:50 P.M.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED
DARLEEN DOUGHER
TOWN CLERK, TOWN OF QUEENSBURY
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