Staff Notes_11 26 19
Town of Queensbury Planning Board
Community Development Department Staff Notes
November 26, 2019
Site Plan 67-2019 GREAT ESCAPE THEME PARK, LLC
1172 State Route 9 / RC – Recreational Commercial / Ward 2
SEQR Unlisted
Material Review: site plan application, line of site map, ride plan details, biennial traffic count and annual
sound survey
Parcel History:SP 6-2014 Super Nova ride, SP PZ 23-2015 Greezed Lightnin ride, SP 5-2017 Bonzai
Pipeline ride; SP 15-2018 Pandemonium ride; Several more
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Requested Action
Planning Board review and approval for a new ride “Adirondack Outlaw” located near “Desperado Plunge” –
removing an existing building for the new ride.
Resolutions
1. SEQR-[[345,1266,2344,1323][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]no further seqr review is required per Finding Statement adopted 7/2001 unless the board finds the
[[331,1324,1118,1381][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]project exceeds established thresholds [[1117,1324,1143,1381][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]– [[1143,1324,2158,1381][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]the
board is to evaluate the height guidance areas [[2158,1324,2334,1381][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]. A Full
[[336,1381,597,1438][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]Environment [[596,1381,1382,1438][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]al Assessment Form has been provided [[1378,1381,1404,1438][12][,I,][Times
New Roman]]
2. PB decision
Project Description
Applicant proposes a new ride “Adirondack Outlaw” located near “Desperado Plunge” – removing an existing
building for the new ride. The new ride is to be 165 ft. in length/height. Project includes ride construction and
construction of enclosed entry area. Project includes landscaping and stormwater management. Pursuant to
Chapter 179- 3-040 of the Zoning Ordinance, new commercial construction shall be subject to Planning Board
review and approval.
Staff Comments
Location- The project site is located at 1172 State Route 9 the Great Escape Theme park.
Arrangement- The project includes removal of a portion of a building in the Ghost Town area of the park.
The site would be prepared for a single ride and ride entry area. The ride is to be a single arm with rider
units at either end.
Revised
. Site Design- The Red Garter Saloon /Saddle Rock Café of 6,190 5,990 sq ft will be removed. The
remaining portion of the building about 5,900 sq ft the Dan McGrew’s building will remain. The applicant
had explained the ride booth and que line are adjusted so the portion of the building to be removed will be
matched to concrete wall on the Dan McGrew’s building and the restroom area building with a canopy
1,123 sq ft on the opposite side will remain –adjacent to the Desperado Plunge. The matchwall facing the
new ride will have a ghost town architectural background –false front.
Revised
. Building – There is a queue line open sided pole structure that will be covered in canvas. There
will be a 4 ft by 6 ft attendant booth for the ride operations. There will also be a 10 ft by 20 ft mechanical
building for the ride.
Signage-The plans show a sign specific to the ride just outside the ride entrance area.
Landscape plan – The applicant has indicated the greenspace on the project area of is at 6% and will be at
44% upon installation of permeable areas and greenspace for the ride. A landscape plan of the specific ride
area has been provided.
Revised.
Site lighting plan – The rides has lights on the ride arm and the two ride baskets. The applicant
has indicated the lights will be timed to not be on during the top of the ride arc.
Revised.
Elevations – The ride height is given at 165 feet as it rotates. The applicant has indicated the ride
will be at a horizontal position when it rests.
Generic Environmental Impact Statement and the Final-The Great Escape Theme Park completed a Generic
Environmental Impact Statement and the Final was adopted on 7-11-01 and subsequent update in 7-04. No
additional SEQR review is required as long as the proposal is consistent with the impact assessment and
thresholds adopted in the Findings Statements.
The applicant has indicated the new ride is within Park Area A noted as 237.6 ac and an area for siting
new rides.
Revised.
Visual Analysis –The FGEIS Section 4.3 explains the visual analysis of the topography and
ride heights visibility. The new ride is located in a threshold area of 135 ft to 145 ft and is adjacent to a
threshold area of 175 ft to 180 ft. The applicant has completed additional visual analysis where on
th
November 8 an attempt to fly balloons didn’t work as expected and on November 14, 2019 a crane and
crane basket with a balloon were used. The applicant has compared the 2001 visual analysis with the
2019 visual analysis. The applicant has used a drone to take photos and develop the cross section view
from 1.5 mile of the ride to Glen Lake. The applicant has also supplied the color scheme of the ride to
be reddish and cream in color.
The thresholds items include:
Traffic –the proposed ride is not intended to generate new or additional park attendance;
o
Sound –the proposed ride is interior to the park the noise generated from riders would not exceed
o
the noise threshold;
Stormwater –the applicant has indicated existing building site converted to the ride area includes
o
permeable pavement area and new landscaped areas to accommodate the stormwater from the
ride area. The applicant has requested a waiver from preparation of a stormwater report;
Wastewater –no wastewater generating facilities are proposed for the project;
o
Soils, Geology, Topography and Ecology –the project does not disturb any existing natural
o
wooded.
Waivers-Planning staff has reviewed the applicants request for waivers that include items g. site lighting, j.
stormwater, o. commercial alterations/ construction details, p floor plans, q. soil logs, r.
construction/demolition disposal s. snow removal.
Staff suggest discussion on lighting and color of the new ride.
Pursuant to Section 179-9-050 the Planning Board may grant waivers on its own initiative or at the
written request of an applicant. The Board is to review the waivers and to determine if they are to be
granted.
Summary
The applicant has completed a site plan application for the installation of a new ride of 165 ft and associated site
work.
[[148,2777,1100,2834][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]Previous supplied with the 10/22/19 meeting…. [[1100,2777,1578,2834][12][,,][Times New Roman]]Additional attachments [[1578,2777,1603,2834][12][,,][Ti
mes New Roman]]– [[1603,2777,2396,2834][12][,,][Times New Roman]]Staff has included the Section 4.3 from
the FGEIS Visual Field Analysis with Figure V-1 Visual Threshold Map, noting no balloon test photos or map.
Meeting History: PB: 1022/19;
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