Relates to the Mount Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex in Essex County

• Democratic1

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Dan Stec says this is needed

This legislation implements an amendment to Article XIV, Section 1 of the Constitution, which protects the integrity of the Forest Preserve by constitutionally authorizing the existing Mt. Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex and allowing for a limited expansion of the Nordic and biathlon trails and appurtenances thereto, to comply with modern inter- national standards necessary for accommodating international Nordic skiing and biathlon events. This legislation also implements that part of the constitutional amendment which, as an offset to the total 322.26 acres of land that could potentially be developed for the Olympic Sports Complex, requires the addition of 2500 acres or more of land elsewhere in the Adirondack Park. The Mt. Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex traces its origins as far back as 1929, when a bobsled run was built to accommodate the 1932 Olym- pics. The entirety of the Olympic Sports Complex now includes portions of the Nordic ski and biathlon trails and related facilities on Forest Preserve lands, as well as portions of the Nordic ski and biathlon trails and the bobsled run on land owned by the Town of North Elba over which the State has an easement. The amendment and this legislation apply to those portions of the Olympic Sports Complex that are located on State Forest Preserve lands. The constitutional amendment allows the construction, operation, and maintenance of Nordic ski trails and "appurtenances thereto" on Olympic Sports Complex lands on 322.26 acres of Forest Preserve land, but does not define the term "appurtenances." This legislation defines "appurte- nances" narrowly; clarifying that appurtenances include only those structures and improvements which are directly related to and necessary for the construction, operation, and maintenance, and public use of modern Nordic skiing and biathlon facilities. The legislation also clar- ifies that the amendment specifically excludes improvements such as zip lines, hotels, condominiums, swimming pools, tennis courts and other structures or improvements which are not directly related to and neces- sary for operation, maintenance, and public use of the sports complex, as well as structures located at or above 2200' feet in elevation above sea level that would be used for the sale of any goods, servic-es, merchandise, food, or beverage. The legislation also confirms that any new development at the facility must be authorized through the unit management planning process. This process includes State Environmental Quality Review Act review, and a public review and comment period. As required by section 816 of the Executive Law, unit management plans and amendments thereto are not effective until and unless the Adirondack Park Agency finds that the proposals contained therein conform with the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan. The public comment and review process and Adirondack Park Agency Review will ensure that the construction, operation, and mainte- nance of all facilities at the Olympic Sports Complex comply with the terms of both the constitutional amendment and this implementing legis- lation. The legislation repeats the requirement in the constitutional amendment that, as an offset to the potential use of 322.26 acres of Forest Preserve land for the Olympic Sports Complex, the State must acquire at least 2500 acres of land for inclusion in the Forest Preserve, and that the legislature must approve the acquisition. Thus, the legislature will be able to ensure that the acreage requirement is met and that the land being acquired is a suitable addition to the Forest Preserve. In addition, ORDA has committed to request that the Adirondack Park Agency reclassify approximately 200 acres of this currently classified Intensive Use Area to Wilderness, making it part of the adjacent High Peaks Wilderness Area. This will not only add addi- tional acreage to this Wilderness area, but will decrease the footprint of the existing Mt. Van Hoevenberg Intensive Use

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.