TUPPER LAKE - The planning board will split up various parts of the application for the Adirondack Club and Resort so members can study each issue in depth.
At Wednesday's board meeting, planning board member Ralph Russell was assigned to study electric issues. Bob Fuller, who is also the village Water and Sewer superintendent, was assigned to study water and sewer. Ben Peets and recently returned board member Jim Ellis will study fiscal and economic issues, especially the proposed payment in lieu of taxes that developers are negotiating.
Board Chairman Jim Larkin and member Bob Collier will study infrastructure, and town Planner John Storrin said Collier could help with other issues as well because, according to Storrin, he is familiar with each of the issues.
Storrin said he and Kirk Gagnier, the board's attorney, will work on administrative issues and strategy with the application, as well as making sure time clocks are honored.
ACR developers plan to rebuild the Big Tupper Ski Area and develop the land around it with 651 luxury housing units plus amenities like an inn, a marina and an equestrian center.
The state Adirondack Park Agency, which needs to approve a permit before developers can begin work on the project, moved the project into an adjudicatory hearing in 2007 and, after developers put it on hold for a few years to negotiate, it is expected to start up again in the coming months.
Larkin said each of the 10 issues that are being dealt with in the hearing should fall within one of the planning board's categories. While he said other board members are welcome to have opinions and make statements on issues they aren't focusing on, he said he expects the process will go smoother if at least one board member has expertise in each area.
New board member Don Dew Jr. was not assigned an issue. Since he owns property that borders the proposed development and is a party to the hearing, Dew plans to recuse himself from any discussion or decisions dealing with the ACR project.
Ellis said he thinks that while it's a good idea to have people concentrate on issues, it also might benefit the board to have each of the groups keep the rest of the board up to speed on their findings. He said he and Peets plan to invite John Tubbs, executive director of the Franklin County Industrial Development Agency, to a discussion, and Russell said village electric Superintendent John Bouck told him he'd be willing to speak with the board as well.