APA Annual Report: Adirondack community success in 2025

RAY BROOK | Adirondack Park Agency (APA) commissioners received the APA 2025 Annual Report at their March meeting last week. Executive Director Barbara Rice highlighted progress in local communities with two recent NY Forward awards presented to Keeseville last year, encompassing sections of Keeseville in the Towns of Chesterfield and Ausable. Last week, the Town of Moriah won $4.5 million in NY Forward grant funding to revitalize downtown Port Henry and support local economic development. As communities assess economic opportunities for growth, APA has provided staff assistance for local planning through mapping, land use and wetlands analysis. In addition to NYForward, Rice said 26 Adirondack communities and organizations received more than $3.2 million in Community Smart Growth Grants, supporting projects related to housing, recreation, infrastructure and planning. APA works with the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Department of State (DOS) to solicit and review Smart Growth projects across the Adirondack Park. "We remain committed to working closely with our partners, DEC, DOS to help Adirondack municipalities compete for success," Rice said. Toward that goal, APA continues to expand GIS and mapping tools, which support all facets of staff work. "These tools help communities, planners and developers evaluate development. Staff developed and refined interactive map layers that integrate land use classifications, environmental data and infrastructure information." Town of Jay Supervisor Matt Stanley presented the Town Spotlight at the March meeting, highlighting town planning progress. A video of the Jay Spotlight is available to view online, access via the APA Vimeo albums page: vimeo.com/nysapa/albums ADIRONDACK PLANNING FORUM Rice also announced the 2026 Adirondack Planning Forum dates set for May 6 and 7 at the Hotel Saranac. The annual conference hosted by APA provides training for planning and zoning board members and is a sounding board for information about current issues, regulation and funding resources. This year's forum includes sessions on zoning board appeals, regulating short-term rentals, workforce housing solutions and community-based recreation. Registration is open online. A tentative agenda is available on the web page: apa.ny.gov/planning/adirondack-planning-forum.html Last year, Rice noted, over 250 representatives from local governments, nonprofits and state agencies attended the planning forum. PROJECT GUIDANCE The APA Annual Report tallied 1,240 jurisdictional inquiries brought to the agency last year. Of those, 828 were found non-jurisdictional and did not require full APA permitting. Another 249 are in APA review. Rice said agency staff completed 309 wetland site visits in 2025, using remote sensing and aerial imagery to respond to wetland determination questions more efficiently. APA engineering staff completed technical review of 351 on-site wastewater treatment systems and 333 storm water management systems. They assisted in evaluating 259 shoreline development projects and reviewed 111 shoreline variance proposals. In enforcement actions, APA opened 166 new cases last year, with 77 closed with no violation. Another 57 cases were closed with agreements signed or with voluntary compliance. AGENCY HEADQUARTERS UPDATE Rice also told commissioners that, on March 9, Saranac Lake Village Board of Trustees approved a lease for APA to use the village's Power & Light building at 1-3 Main Street in the village. The historic building is part of a $40 million headquarters relocation project. The lease agreement begins on April 1 and continues for 43 years, according to lease documents, at a cost of $1 per year. The village owns the building on a 2.3 acre property. The project will have to undergo village planning review and also through APA's own review process. A copy of the draft lease agreement is available on the APA Headquarters Project Dashboard: apa.ny.gov/headquarters-project.html Rice said APA will host a public information session before moving forward with design work toward construction bidding this summer. The 1-3 Main St. building was erected almost 100 years ago, in 1927, as a major renovation to the Paul Smith's Electric Light and Power and Railroad Company Complex. Phelp's Smith, Adirondack hotelier Paul Smith's son, maintained electric power operations until his death 10 years later when Paul Smith's College inherited the property. The power generating plant was purchased by Niagara Mohawk in 1966 and operated through their grid until the village bought the property in 1986. For many years, the building housed the village offices. APA communications staff have developed an APA Headquarters Project Dashboard online to provide updates and announcements: apa.ny.gov/headquarters-project.html .......................................................... HOWITZER PROJECT HEARING MOVED In a news release mid-March, APA announced adjudicatory hearings on the howitzer barrel testing project proposed in the Town of Lewis have moved to June 24. The project in review was submitted to APA by Unconventional Concepts owner Michael Hopmeier, who plans to build a range for testing the internal ballistics of 155 mm howitzer cannon barrels. Testing would sustain, according to the application, over a 5-year period. Administrative Law Judge David Greenwood issued an order to adjourn the previously scheduled April 22 hearing to June 24. The adjournment was requested by the applicant, according to a March 13 decision that references their concern for "uncertain duration" of an Article 78 lawsuit filed in state Supreme Court. Hopmeier and attorney Matthew Norfolk challenged legality of the APA vote that sent the project to adjudication, because newly named APA Commissioner Rush Holt previously worked with the Adirondack Council. The lawsuit also contends that ALJ Greenwood is similarly prejudiced due to his work at the Council years ago. "Furthermore, the Applicant contends that the uncertain duration of the CPLR Article 78 proceeding weighs in favor of granting a stay of the public hearing 'so as not to waste months' worth of time and money developing a record in this public hearing that could eventually be undone," Greenwood's decision says. The Supreme Court has not ordered any stay in proceedings. "Simply put, State Supreme Court has not yet issued a stay of the public hearing under the auspices of the CPLR Article 78 proceeding and I am determined to continue the process of this public hearing as called for in my appointment as Hearing Officer by the Agency (APA) until such a stay is ordered," Greenwood wrote. The administrative law judge denied several scheduling changes requested by intervening parties. But he did grant a move of pre-filed testimony to June 10, given the revised in-person hearing date change to June 24 The Howitzer hearings will begin at 10 a.m. that day at APA headquarters, 1133 Route 86, in Ray Brook. Documents related to ongoing hearing schedules are available on the APA website: apa.ny.gov/permitting/topic/permit-hearing.html

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APA Annual Report: Adirondack community success in 2025

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