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4.06 4.6 GRANTS/Brownfield Application—South Queensbury—APPLY and Approve LaBella services—6-19-2023 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SUBMITTAL OF NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF STATE BROWNFIELD OPPORTUNITY AREA PLAN APPLICATION AND ENGAGING LABELLA ASSOCIATES RESOLUTION NO.: , 2023 INTRODUCED BY: WHO MOVED ITS ADOPTION SECONDED BY: WHEREAS, the Queensbury South Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) is an approximately five hundred forty (540) acres area characterized by eighteen (18) potential brownfield or underutilized sites that are located in the South Queensbury neighborhood, and WHEREAS, by Resolution 287, 2005 the Queensbury Town Board authorized a grant application to fund the Queensbury South BOA Pre-Nomination Study, and WHEREAS, the Town of Queensbury received said funds and completed the Queensbury South BOA Pre-Nomination Study, and WHEREAS, by Resolution 27, 2017, the Town Board authorized an application for Grant funding for a BOA Nomination Study, and WHEREAS, by Resolution: 294, 2018, the Town accepted said Grant funds and commenced work on the Nomination Study, and WHEREAS, the Town does not yet have an agreement for lease for use of lands targeted for a proposed Visitor Center-the core element of the Nomination Study, and WHEREAS, the Nomination Study Grant does not have adequate remaining funds to complete the Visitor Center design as described in the New York State Department of State (NYS DOS) approved work plan, and WHEREAS, the Town has advised NYS DOS of these circumstances and its intention to apply for additional funds to complete a BOA Plan, and WHEREAS, on May 15, 2023, the NYS DOS issued a Request for Applications from eligible applicants to compete for funds available through the BOA Program; and WHEREAS, the Town may request between $100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Dollars) and $500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) to complete the Queensbury South BOA Plan and seek official designation as a BOA, and WHEREAS, such designation may improve the Town's ability to secure future funds from New York State and provide incentives to stimulate economic development activities in the target area, and WHEREAS, the Queensbury South BOA Plan will advance the following tasks: 1. Schematic Plan Development for public and waterfront access, a Feeder Canal Heritage Trail Visitor Center, wayfinding gateway and interpretive signage, and infill opportunities in the study area, including neighborhood recreation facilities and pedestrian enhancements; 2. Design Development level plans for the Visitor Center; 3. Public Workshops; 4. Completion of the Final South Queensbury BOA Plan; and WHEREAS, on June 13, 2023 the Town received a proposal from LaBella Associates, (LaBella) recommending the Town apply for $135,000 (One Hundred Thirty-Five Thousand Dollars) and provide a required match of 10% equaling $15,000 (Fifteen Thousand Dollars) for a total project cost of$150,000 (One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars) to complete said tasks, and WHEREAS, LaBella's proposal offered services to complete the BOA Grant funding application for a fee of$4,000 (Four Thousand Dollars), and WHEREAS, the Town Board wishes to engage the services of LaBella to write the NYS DOS BOA Program Grant application as delineated in LaBella's proposal dated June 9, 2023, revised June13, 2023, and presented at this meeting, for an amount not to exceed Four Thousand Dollars ($4,000), and WHEREAS, the BOA application process requires that the governing body of the local municipality support the submission of the application, pledge financial commitment and related actions, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Queensbury Town Board hereby authorizes and directs engagement of LaBella Associates to prepare the NYS DOS BOA Program Grant application as delineated in the LaBella proposal dated June 9, 2023, revised Junel3, 2023 substantially in the form presented at this meeting, for an amount not to exceed Four Thousand Dollars ($4,000), and BE IT FURTHER, RESOLVED, that such services shall be paid for from Engineering Account No.: 001- 1440-4720, and BE IT FURTHER, RESOLVED, that the Town Board further authorizes the Town Supervisor to submit a funding request for completion of the Queensbury South BOA Plan in an amount not to exceed $135,000 (One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars), and BE IT FURTHER, RESOLVED, that should the project be awarded funds by the NYSDOS, the Town Board pledges the required match of 10% equaling $15,000 (Fifteen Thousand Dollars) for a total project cost of$150,000 (One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars) and commits to completing the Queensbury South BOA Plan in a timely manner if funded, and BE IT FURTHER, RESOLVED, that the Town Board will seek official Designation of the Queensbury South BOA by the New York State Secretary of State upon completion of the BOA Plan, if funded, and BE IT FURTHER, RESOLVED, that the Town Board further authorizes and directs the Town Supervisor to execute all financial and administrative processes related to the completion of the Queensbury South BOA Plan, if funded, and any needed Agreement with LaBella, and BE IT FURTHER, RESOLVED that the Town Board further authorizes and directs the Town Supervisor, Town Clerk, Town Budget Officer and Senior Planner to execute any further documentation and take any other necessary actions to effectuate the terms of the Grant application. Duly adopted this 191h day of June 2023 by the following vote: AYES : NOES : ABSENT: LaBella by p,irtne shi ' June 9, 2023 Revised June 13, 2023 Stuart Baker, Sr Planner Town of Queensbury 742 Bay Road Queensbury, NY 12804 Re: Queensbury 2023 CFA Application Brownfield Opportunity Area Program Proposal for Professional Services Dear Mr. Baker: Thank you for the opportunity to present this proposal to assist the Town of Queensbury with securing funding through the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) process. We have been successful in the past with securing funds for the Town, The Town has been in communication with the NYSDOS representatives of the Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) program regarding the status of the South Queensbury BOA. The Town recently communicated that there are inadequate funds to complete the Nomination study and that it would seek additional funding. Based on this understanding we propose the following. Task 1-Consolidated Funding Application We will work with you to define the scope of the funding request so that it meets your needs and satisfies the program eligibility requirements. We will work with the Town in preparing a work program in sufficient detail to substantiate the project budget and the funding request. The prior work program did focus on preparing preliminary plans for a Visitor's Center on the Feeder Canal in the heart of the study area. The BOA program has evolved since the Town was awarded funding in 2018 and this type of activity would be eligible under the BOA Predevelopment program. The funding request will focus on completing the Nomination Study Preliminarily we recommend that the Town budget$150,000 for this effort,the grant request would be $135,00o and the Town will be required to provide a match of$15,000 (10%). We will guide the Town and/or prepare all necessary resolutions, and documents necessary to satisfy the CFA submittal requirements. We will provide electronic submittal through the Consolidate Funding Application portal and provide you with a copy of the completed application. Applications are due July 28, 2023. We encourage the Town to engage the EDC Warren County as well as the Lake Champlain/Lake George Regional Planning Board to solicit support from the Capital District Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) as they provide 20% of the application scoring. 20 Elm Street Suite 110 i Glens Falls, NY 128011 p(518)812-0513 Closing and Agreement Our fee for completion of the CFA application is $4,000. ALL work under this agreement be advanced on a lump sum basis. Invoices will be issued monthly for all services performed during that month and are payable upon receipt. Please feel free to contact me at 518-824-1938 if you have any questions or require clarification of the proposed scope of services offered. LaBella looks forward to the opportunity of working with the Town on this effort. Respectfully LaBella Associates fr Chris Round VP Planning Service Y , Town of Queensbury • Community Development Office ' AI 742 Bay Road Queensbury,NY 12804 Town of Queensbury To: Leslie Zlatev,Revitalization Specialist NYSDOS Office of Planning,Development and Community Infrastructure From: Stuart Baker,Senior Planner Subject: South Queensbury Brownfield Opportunity Area Nomination Study Status. Contract#C1001071 Date: May 9,2023 The Town of Queensbury was awarded funding from NYSDOS in 2017 to prepare a BOA Nomination Study for South Queensbury. This work built on a Pre-Nomination Study(completed 2006-2008). The State contract providing the Town $100,000 NYSDOS funding and an engagement agreement with LaBella(formerly Chazen)to perform the work was formalized in 2019. Completing the scope of work as originally envisioned is not feasible because of delays in securing landowner approval, inadequate funds and changes to the project/program. Background/Rationale The Nomination Study work plan focuses(in a large part)on preparing schematic development plans for the Feeder Canal Heritage Trail Visitor's Center("Visitor's Center")to be located on lands of BASF adjacent to the canal towpath. Considerable effort and time have been expended on communications and negotiations with BASF representative to advance the project. This included a series of concept plans depicting the Visitor Center at alternate locations. This effort (and expense)has greatly exceeded that anticipated in the original work plan. Over 6 years have passed since the funds were awarded and 4 years passed since work was initiated on the Nomination Study. • NYSDOS Communications &Recent Developments LaBella representatives participated in a call with Stuart Baker and NYSDOS representative Lesley Zlatev regarding the project status and funding constraints. We communicated that,despite concerted efforts by the project team,the Town does not yet have an agreement or lease for use of lands targeted for the visitor center. Additionally,the project does not have adequate funds to complete the design of a visitor center to coincide with the NYSDOS Work Plan. However,work will continue toward completion of the Nomination Study through the end of the current contract. The Town intends to make application for additional funds in the 2023 CFA program to complete the Nomination Study. Additionally we also discussed with NYSDOS the recent announcement of the closure of the Lehigh Cement company- and its prominent location partially within the South Queensbury Study area. At a minimum,this will be identified in the South Queensbury BOA Nomination Study. Brownfield investigation and reuse study of the Lehigh Cement property may be an expanded topic of interest addressed in a separate but related effort in coordination with the City of Glens Falls and Warren County.