The Adirondack Council

News Release

For Immediate Release, Thursday, October 31, 2002

LAKE GEORGE, NY -- The Adirondack Park Agency has issued a permit for a controversial, 97-unit lake shore hotel here, virtually ignoring the complaints of nine separate parties to the case, in an effort to accommodate the construction schedule of the applicant, who happens to be the Park Agency's former chairman.

"We predicted that this project was a done deal when the Commissioners voted on October 10 to delegate the decision to its staff, well before the public comment period ended. I'm sorry to say we were right," said Adirondack Council Executive Director Brian L. Houseal. "In the 27 years we have been watching the APA, we have never seen it roll out the red carpet like this. They violated the public trust. We are now investigating whether they also violated the law."

Houseal said the Council has filed a Freedom of Information Act request for all communications to the Agency, by any party, concerning this application. The FOIL request will allow the Council and others to determine the viability of legal action against the APA, he said.

"Like the Great Pumpkin of Peanuts fame, the hotel will have a red roof, sit on a knoll above the lake and will intrude upon every major scenic vista in the area," said Houseal. "The APA boldly required the applicant to plant four, six-foot-tall evergreen trees. Apparently they have not lost their sense of humor.

"In fact, the Agency delegated all decisions on materials and colors to the town," said Houseal. "The Agency can't abdicate its statutory responsibility to limit the adverse visual impacts of a Class A project of regional significance to any village or town, whether that village or town has an approved land use plan or not."

Houseal condemned the apparent adoption of a new APA "dig now, fix it later" policy. The permit requires no erosion control, nor storm water runoff plan, nor outdoor lighting plan, until two months after the developers have broken ground and commenced construction. The Agency will amend the permit next year to include these plans.

"What is to stop every hotel owner and builder in the Lake George basin, or anywhere in the Park, from demanding the same height and hands-off treatment?" Houseal asked. "This could be the beginning of a wall of tall hotels around Lake George and other Adirondack lakes. This Halloween nightmare will haunt the Park for many years to come."

The Fort William Henry Hotel project was proposed by former APA chairman (and former Dept. of Environmental Conservation Commissioner) Robert Flacke. Flacke and his business associates already operate a 99-unit motel on the same site.

The Adirondack Council is an 18,000-member, privately funded, not-for-profit organization dedicated to protecting and enhancing the natural character and human communities of the Adirondack Park through research, education, advocacy and legal action.