Story reprinted from article first appearing in the September 16, 2006 issue of News Enterprise.
Front Street agrees to infrastructure stipulations. By Mike Mender

  JOHNSBURG – A 200-plus-unit resort project proposed by Front Street Development at the town of Johnsburg Ski Bowl is inching forward after the developers agreed to pay for a fire truck, a building to house the truck and enhancements to town water and septic systems relating to the Ski Bowl site.
    The agreement came during discussions between Johnsburg Town Board Member Sterling Goodspeed, town Attorney Tony Jordan and Front Street principal Mac Crikelair. The outcome of those discussions was revealed during a Town Board meeting earlier this month as Goodspeed updated the board on the project.
    “I believe that we have an agreement,” Goodspeed said, appearing somewhat tentative. “Is that correct Mac?”
Sitting near the back of the room in the Wevertown Community Center, Crikelair nodded in the affirmative. Goodspeed pressed for confirmation.
    “So you’re on the record here tonight that Front Street agrees to fund those,” Goodspeed said.
    “Yes, absolutely,” Crikelair responded.
The agreement answers questions the Adirondack Park Agency had relative to the plan and satisfies requests of the developers by the Town Board. Front Street agreed to purchase a new fire truck with an estimated cost approaching $1 million, as well as to build a structure to house the truck. In addition, Front Street also agreed to pay for repairs to one town-owned water well, to dig a

  second and agreed to allow the town some access to the development’s septic system.
    The project which is being described as a resort hub featuring condominiums, homes and a resort hotel and restaurant built around a trail link between Gore Mountain and the town’s Ski Bowl represents a several-million dollar investment in the local economy. The project necessitates a working relationship between the Town of Johnsburg, ORDA, which operates state-owned Gore Mountain, the state of New York and Front Street Development.
    The project faces other hurdles. The Residents Committee to Protect the Adirondacks is challenging the plan, questioning whether public funds should be used to enhance trails that the group argues will primarily benefit a private developer.
    “It’s clear to everybody that state funds are being used to enrich a private resort developer,” RCPA Executive Director Peter Bauer said in a press release, “That’s wrong.”
Subsequent to the RCPA challenge, state Development of Environmental Conservation Commission Denise Sheehan directed her staff to conduct a supplemental SEQRA evaluation to review the impact the proposed ski trails and lifts would have in conjunction with the proposed resort project.



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