The Town of Webb School will be one of four locations throughout the Adirondacks where the Adirondack Park Agency (APA) will be holding public listening sessions to solicit comments regarding possible amendments to the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan (APSLMP) including proposals identified as part of the Essex Chain Lakes classification.
As part of the Essex Chain Lakes Complex classification, the APA agreed to consider amendments to the APSLMP that would allow the use of all-terrain bicycles in the Essex Chain Lakes Primitive Area and the use of non-natural materials for the construction of a bridge over the Cedar River.
The public will have the opportunity to make suggestions about changes to the APSLMP in relation to the Essex Chain Lakes commitments as well as suggest additional recommendations during the series of four public listening sessions.
The meeting format will include opportunities for individuals to interact directly with APA staff, ask questions and provide suggestions about possible revisions to the APSLMP for further consideration.
The public is encouraged to bring written comments to support their input.
At the conclusion of each listening session, agency staff will present an overview of the process required to amend the APSLMP.
The local session will be held at the TOW School gymnasium on Tuesday, November 18 from 5 to 8 p.m.
In addition to the listening sessions, APA will accept written comments on APSLMP amendments until December 5, 2014.
At the conclusion of the public sessions, the APA will discuss topics for further consideration with DEC and engage stakeholders to identify amendment recommendations.
Following public and stakeholder engagement, the APA will undertake the State Environ-mental Quality Review Act process on the Essex Chain Lakes Complex proposals. APA will also develop a timeline to consider other possible APSLMP amendment recommendations.
The Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan defines permissible activities on State-owned Forest Preserve land in the Adirondack Park.
The APSLMP was written in 1972, but since 1987, there have been no major amendments to the APSLMP, despite changing recreational activities, such as mountain biking.
