First Wilderness Heritage Corridor

Adirondack Park Local Government Day

Wayne E LaMothe, AICP

Warren County Planning Dept

Lake George, NY

First Wilderness Corridor Program

Presentation Elements

Geographic Location

History of the Planning Process

Carsey Institute tenets of Economic Development

Investments to date

Lessons learned

The Corridor extends from Tahawus in the High Peaks to Saratoga Springs. The primary focus area has been from North Creek to Corinth as that is the extent covered by the existing MOU governing the administration of the Plan.

Geographic Boundary

The Planning Process

• The development of the First Wilderness Plan involved 10 communities, 3 Counties and multiple State Agencies.

• The Plan was developed over a 2 year period that included 182 meetings with Towns, consultants, staff and community working groups.

• Principle funding Agency for the Planning Program and resulting capital projects was the NYS Department of State through the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP)

• Ongoing with an update to the Action Plan in progress

The Planning Process

The Adirondacks were the first place where Americans realized that wilderness was going to be a distinguishing and permanent feature of their landscape

New York Upstate chapter of the American Planning Association, designated “Rediscovering the First Wilderness: Inter-Municipal Strategy for the Northern Hudson River” report was the 2003 Outstanding Planning Project of the year for Comprehensive Planning-Special Community Initiative.

Focus on the authenticity & quality of the experience(Everything should reinforce high quality in the built environment, but don’t destroy the beauty by trying to make it “too pretty.”)

Preserve and protect resources (including natural, human and social)

Make Sites Come Alive(incorporate the working landscape; build upon existing community activities)

Collaborate – Compliment not Compete!(a single experience will be a bigger draw) Source: National Trust for Historic Preservation

Principles for Implementing the First Wilderness Experience

A Change of Perspective on Small-Town Rural Economies

(The following is adapted from the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire, Policy Brief No.9 and Place Matters, Vol.1 No.4.)

•The Planning Approach.....•Rural communities are bound by the common threads of remoteness, low density and natural resources which collectively make them unique and special. •Outdated approaches no longer yield sustainable results.•Planning policies must center on solutions that serve the needs and goals of both present and future residents to keep the quality and integrity of the rural lifestyle. •Action plans must enhance, protect and preserve the beauty of the natural environment by using place-specific resources and human capital to attract and grow new economic opportunities.

Carsey Institute Tenets

Policy brief NO.9 – Fall 2008• Innovation is key to driving growth and prosperity in today’s global economy

• Significant capital investments are required to put innovations to use

• Development efforts must seek to protect valuable natural assets

• Development is a “contact sport,” best pursued though dense networks of personal contacts.

History of the Planning Process

92/93 Project is outgrowth of North Creek Action Plan1999-Warren County staff attend American Planning Association

conference in Seattle. 1999- County submits application for LWRP funding – This begins

the involvement of the NYS Department of State in the project.1999-Funding awarded under first round of Quality Communities

Program2000-Project expands to include Saratoga County Communities

History of the Planning Process

2001- Resolution 455 of 2001 adopts Plan by Warren County and refers it to Adirondack Park Agency for comment

2004- Action Plan Developed

Currently there are 39 separate projects underway – many with multiple components.

The Action Plan

Of the 216 goals identified in the current Action Plan

• 57 are completed

• 39 are in work with current funding awards

• 10 are targeted with funding in place

• 54 are no longer viable

• 56 are yet to be addressed and are to be reevaluated during Plan update

North Creek Destination (History, Skiing & Services)

Riparius Attraction (History & Specialty Retail)

The Glen Whistle Stop (Whitewater & River ecology)

Thurman Station Whistle Stop (Biking, History & Services)

Stony Creek Attraction (Outdoor Recreation & History)

Hadley/Lake Luzerne Destination (Whitewater & Services)

Corinth Destination (History, Water & Services)

Current Work Programs

Prior to existing work programs the County facilitated LWRP, QC and GOSC grant awards in furtherance of Corridor projects totaling $759,450.

Current Projects: 2007 Award - $505,000Component 1: Planning, design and construction of improvements to the North Creek Train

Station complexComponent 2: Planning, design and construction of connections between Hadley and Lake

Luzerne, including streetscape enhancements and construction of a train station and parking facilities

Component 3: Updating the First Wilderness Heritage Corridor Action PlanComponent 4: Corridor coordination to assist with marketing and outreach

Current Work Programs

Current Projects: 2008 Award - $258,270• Component 1: design and construction of improvements to the North Creek Train

Station complex and adjacent streetscapes

• Component 2 :develop a marketing and promotion plan to guide the preparation and delivery of events and materials to enhance regional tourism activities

• Component 3: enhancements to the First Wilderness Heritage Corridor website

Current Work Programs

Current Projects: 2009 Award - $416,006• Component 1: The Town of Chester will assess the capability of the hamlet of

Chestertown Water District to support a newly created 22-acre industrial park and a 56-acre parcel to be developed for affordable housing

• Component 2: The Town of Chester will complete streetscape enhancements in the hamlets of Chestertown and Pottersville, including lighting, sidewalks, and landscaping

• Component 3: The Town of Stony Creek will construct non-motorized trails with associated parking and signage at Dean Farm, a 217-acre parcel owned by the ESF College Foundation, Inc., in order to create a recreational destination for residents and tourists

• Component 4: Using designs completed under a previous grant award, the Town of Lake Luzerne will complete streetscape enhancements in the hamlet of Lake Luzerne, including sidewalks, lighting, and landscaping

• Component 5: Warren County will design wayfinding sites and signage in the hamlets of Lake Luzerne, Thurman, Warrensburg, Chestertown, North Creek and Pottersville

Current Work Programs

Current Projects: 2011 Award - $463,116• Component 1: Design of Dynamite Hill Ski Area Improvements: The project partners

will complete design and engineering of improvements needed to modernize the Dynamite Hill Ski Area in the Town of Chester in order to allow it to serve as a year-round destination area in winter months and to make the park more accessible for bike and pedestrian traffic from Main Street

• Component 2: Design and Construction of North Creek Streetscape Improvements• Component 3: Design and Construction of Thurman and Hadley Station Improvements• Component 4: Design and Construction of Boarding Platform at the Old Corinth Station• Component 5: Design and Construction of Adirondack Folk School Enhancements• Component 6: Corridor Marketing and Promotion

Current Work Programs

Current Projects: 2012 Award – 308,000• Component 1: Design and Construction of Warrensburg Main Street Improvements

• Component 2: Design of Warrensburg Waterfront Park

• Component 3: Design of Town of Corinth Rail Station

Current Work Programs

Current Projects: 2013 Award – 553.500• Component 1: Town of Hadley – Sacandaga River Whitewater Park This project

involves the development of the first phase of a whitewater park on the Sacandaga River in the area west of the Bow Bridge in the Town of Hadley

• Component 2: Town of Stony Creek - Dean Farm Preserve Enhancements This project involves the design and construction of enhancements to the Dean Farm Recreation Area

• Component 3: Town of Stony Creek – Hamlet Streetscape Enhancements This project involves the design and construction of streetscape and gateway enhancements in the hamlet

• Component 4: Town of Lake Luzerne – Adirondack Folkschool Enhancements This project involves the enhancement of teaching facilities at the Adirondack Folkschool

Current Work Programs

Current Projects: 2014 Award $410,450• Component 1 - Update of the Corridor Market Study The study will evaluate the

role of improved passenger rail in the Adirondack economy• Component 2 North Creek Mainstreet This component requests funding to provide

the materials to replace public waterlines• Component 3 North Creek Sewer District Create a Map and Plan Report for the

formation of a Sewer District in the Hamlet of North Creek• Component 4: Linkage between Chestertown and Pottersville The project is to

develop a concept for a 10.7-mile bike-pedestrian path between the hamlet of Chestertown to Scaroon Manor Day Use Area

• Component 5 - Town of Corinth Reservoir Property linkages• Component 6 - Stony Creek Community Center The scope of services covered is the

Construction Documents phase of the project

Lessons learned

Lessons Learned......

•Outdated notions of rural and “one-size-fits-all” planning must be redefined.•Protection of natural resources is critical to preserving rural character.•Planning programs, policies and action strategies must become “placed-based” within regional contexts.•The process is growing – more communities involved•Learn to temper local enthusiasm with reality of how much can be done with local forces.

Lessons learned

• Consensus building is nice but a dictatorship is more efficient• Local ownership is key to achievements• Rural Towns need Technical Assistance• Do your homework early to get the right consultant• “Economic Development” is a relative term• The best we can do is provide a means for a community to prosper – we can’t do it for

them.Continued updates at http://www.firstwilderness.com/

This presentation may be found at http://firstwilderness.wordpress.com/slides/