Not even ten years ago, it seemed to be common to hear somebody express absolute fear regarding the Adirondack Park Agency.
This included fear of their enforcement personnel, fear of the regulations, and fear of them finding out about something on your property.
Fear of the regulatory process for permits… just overall fear of anything to do with the Park Agency.
Certainly today, as compared to years past, there is much less apprehension towards the Park Agency.
Many things have changed in how they do business. There have been some changes in the rules but not major changes.
Essentially the rules are the same. What has changed is how they do business.
New staff, better technologies, time and experience in the regulatory process, are the main reasons for improved public perception.
They still have a job to do.
As in any public type job, budget restraints are a reality, especially on the state level.
Cuts in staff and the funding of programs are constantly under the microscope.
Developing better and more positive relationships with applicants, attorneys, engineers, designers, property owners, municipalities, state and local elected officials and code enforcement personnel all over the Adirondack Park is imperative… and has definitely come a long way.
At least here in the Town of Webb code office, we have seen a substantially improved working relationship with Park Agency staff over the past ten or more years.
Sure, we have our disagreements on certain issues, or properties, but those things are discussed openly.
More often than not, it was a matter of not understanding how decisions are made, how regulations apply or definitions of certain terms. It’s not personalities.
Years ago, the idea of even calling the Park Agency with questions, let alone the filing of a JIF [jurisdictional Inquiry Form], was out of the question for many people.
There was a huge hesitancy in making contact with the Park Agency for any reason. People were scared of them. They were assumed to be the Big Gorilla in the room that flexed its muscles in opposition to every proposal.
Times are changing.
Although Park Agency staff still have a job to do, and the regulations are substantially the same, there is no doubt that they are much easier to work with.
Often, with their help, minor changes to a proposed project can be identified to make something totally non-jurisdictional—absolutely no Park Agency permit or variance required.
Not only is that good news for the applicant, it clearly strikes at the heart, intent and mission of the Park Agency, which is compliance with the regs and standards!!
So, is the Adirondack Park Agency the Big Gorilla in the room?
Not any bigger than all other interested agencies that may have jurisdiction, including the town.
It is not impossible to have multiple agencies requiring a permit for the same project.
Each agency may have special conditions or requirements different from others, all must be adhered to.
No one agency over-rides another; they all apply and the more restrictive requirements must be met.
Wouldn’t it be great if there were one centralized source that could deal with all of the regulatory agencies with a ‘one-stop’ approach?
In a perfect world that may happen. Not yet… but with today’s technologies, that day is getting closer.
Here in the code office for the Town of Webb, we do try very hard to offer advice to applicants pertaining to the potential of other agency requirements.
Clearly knowing and understanding we have no true authority with other agencies, we can help guide a project review in a direction that hopefully will make the process somehow easier for everyone involved if other agencies are involved.
The applicant really needs to open those lines of communication with those other agencies directly.
So, there is no longer a Big Gorilla in the room, just a whole bunch of monkeys running around trying to administer their programs.
Hopefully all these monkeys can talk to each other and not run into each other.