LAKE PLACID – Below is the list of goals and objectives of the updated Village of Lake Placid/Town of North Elba Comprehensive Plan, as proposed by the Lake Placid North Elba Community Development Board.

A public hearing on the plan is set for 4 p.m. Tuesday in the first-floor conference room of the North Elba Town Hall. The public hearing is required before adoption by the Lake Placid village board and North Elba town board.

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Government Structure and Function

Goal 1: To improve the operation of all village and town government departments to optimize efficiency.

Objective 1: Explore the idea of a “municipal manager” position to serve as a liaison between departments and town and village boards.

Objective 2: Create a community development position.

Objective 3: Coordinate five-year capital improvement plans to better plan for future expenditures.

Objective 4: Move toward basing the town and village park maintenance and capital improvements funding on assessed values.

Objective 5: Investigate the possibility of appointing, not electing, the town highway superintendent in an effort to consolidate the village and town highway departments.

Objective 6: Consider utilizing county tax collector for assessments and collection of all taxes.

Objective 7: Explore the idea of creating a shared “purchasing agent” position to organize joint bids and purchasing in collaboration with other towns, villages, school districts and New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority.

Objective 8: Enhance efficiency, transparency, and access to municipal information/records.

Goal 2: Decrease town/village energy consumption and make existing usage more efficient.

Objective 1: Decrease town/village overall energy usage by 10 percent by the year 2015; 25 percent by 2020; 40 percent by 2025.

Objective 2: Explore supplementing Lake Placid Electric Company energy sources with local renewable sources of energy including reopening local dams, solar panels, wind turbines, geothermal energy and biomass furnaces for individual school, municipal and ORDA buildings where appropriate.

Objective 3: Increase energy efficiency of school district and ORDA facilities.

Goal 3: Continue to foster strong and cost-effective relationships among all government entities including the village, town, Lake Placid Central School District, surrounding towns and villages, Essex County, ORDA and New York state.

Objective 1: Move toward sharing school administration positions with Saranac Lake Keene and Tupper Lake whenever possible.

Objective 2: Reduce the costs of government employee health care.

Objective 3: Explore reorganizing law enforcement, fire districts and the judicial system to increase efficiency and reduce cost as per the Center for Governmental Research study.

Objective 4: Create a Community Advisory Committee to partner with ORDA.

Objective 5: Collaborate between town, village and county to obtain grant funding.

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Economy and Tourism

Goal 1: Enhance the customer and visitor experience by creating an educated workforce capable of meeting/exceeding our customers’ expectations.

Objective 1: Identify communitywide customer service training resources and needs.

Objective 2: Implement recommendations of the Tourism Readiness Committee.

Objective 3: Educate front line, customer service personnel with seasonal training relating to area experiences/activities/offerings, and training on how to access this information.

Goal 2: Continue to promote Lake Placid and the surrounding area as an eco-friendly residential, business and tourism destination.

Objective 1: Enhance, promote and increase awareness of the eco-friendly offerings in the area.

Objective 2: Increase visitor awareness of area events, information and activities.

Objective 3: Increase Internet connection/access to encompass Lake Placid by 2015.

Goal 3: Grow and sustain our workforce focusing on all ages and abilities.

Objective 1: Encourage the creation of new business start-ups and/or the continuation of existing businesses.

Goal 4: Help small businesses to develop and grow.

Objective 1: Enhance small business growth through increased connections, cross promotion and marketing.

Goal 5: Maintain a dynamic downtown business district and adjacent commercial areas.

Objective 1: Increase business and commercial activity along Main Street in the central business district.

Objective 2: Increase appropriate commercial development to extended business areas outside of Main Street – Saranac Avenue, Mill Hill and Sentinel Road.

Objective 3: Encourage cooperation between commercial businesses located along Main Street and adjacent commercial areas.

Goal 6: Promote sharing of services and office space to increase efficiency, productivity and success.

Objective 1: Utilize available empty real estate space to unite small business owners, entrepreneurs and/or visitors in need of temporary and/or “away from home” work space.

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Community Facilities and Services

Goal 1: Continue to ensure the efficient high quality operation and maintenance of the public water and sewer system.

Objective 1: Upgrade distribution systems.

Objective 2: Develop a preventative maintenance plan of water and sewer system.

Objective 3: Continue to improve diversion and infiltration of storm water.

Objective 4: Continue to explore alternative uses for wastewater effluent.

Goal 2: Continue steady, cost efficient municipal electric for commercial and residential and anticipate future needs.

Objective 1: Develop preventative maintenance plan of utility lines and components.

Goal 3: Continue to improve visual impacts of utility lines and other components.

Objective 1: Require utility lines associated with new construction/development and/or located in sensitive view sheds to be buried as well as screening all electric meters.

Goal 4: To provide quality and reliable protective services to area residents and visitors while ensuring the safety and security of those providing the services.

Objective 1: Upgrade the village police department facility to accommodate staff and storage needs.

Goal 5: Lake Placid’s recreational facilities and sports venues will be of the quality, quantity and design to serve residents and visitors of all ages throughout the year and support a healthy, vigorous lifestyle in the community.

Objective 1: Sustain Lake Placid recreational facilities and services for residents and visitors of all ages.

Objective 2: Expand use and offerings at ORDA and North Elba town venues to include festivals, concerts, educational, sporting, artistic and other programs that engage large groups of residents and visitors.

Objective 3: Ensure that every neighborhood and lodging facility is accessible (10- to 20-minute walk) to a trail.

Objective 4: Continue to offer year-round recreational services to the local youth that support lifelong healthy recreational options.

Goal 6: Develop Lake Placid as a friendly community for residents and visitors of all ages and abilities across the lifespan.

Objective 1: Develop and promote Lake Placid as a place where residents can age in place successfully.

Objective 2: Integrate youth and senior services where appropriate to create intergenerational engagement opportunities.

Objective 3: Develop a community center to accommodate and engage people of all ages and abilities across the lifespan.

Goal 7: To have available at all times a full complement of basic emergency and health care services and access to advanced care.

Objective 1: Provide emergency care, basic health services, rehabilitation services, nursing care beds and assisted living care in Lake Placid.

Objective 2: Continue the operation of an ambulance service and access to advanced care.

Goal 8: Maintain excellence in the public education system and serve as home to private educational and nonprofit institutions.

Objective 1: Increase and enhance offerings for continued learning and job opportunities.

Goal 9: Lake Placid will strive to be a zero waste community through recycling, composting and reuse of building materials.

Objective 1: Expand recycling opportunities.

Objective 2: Provide a system for reuse or recycling of used/new building materials.

Objective 3: Educate, mandate and enforce the practice of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

Goal 10: Develop a master plan for utilizing and sustaining the landfill and transfer station property to its most optimum potential.

Objective 1: Engage a professional assessment of the overall state of the property and plan for the future waste disposal needs of Lake Placid.

Goal 11: Provide healthy options by way of community gardens in residential neighborhoods.

Objective 1: Establish community gardens in residential neighborhoods to provide healthy food and lifestyle recreation opportunities for residents.

Goal 12: Positively engage local residents.

Objective 1: Advance volunteer efforts in the Lake Placid community.

Objective 2: Promote a positive, welcoming community atmosphere.

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Mobility

Goal 1: To plan and establish a comprehensive, safe, and accessible network of pedestrian and bicycle facilities that is incorporated into existing and proposed facilities, and links residential areas; commercial business districts; educational, cultural and recreational facilities; and community services.

Objective 1: To identify opportunities to improve and expand the existing network of pedestrian/bicycle facilities, in coordination with road repair, reconstruction and construction efforts on village, town, county and state roadways.

Objective 2: To create safe and convenient pedestrian connections between key destinations.

Objective 3: To create safe and convenient bicycle connections between key destinations.

Objective 4: To develop a pedestrian network that is accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities.

Goal 2: To encourage and promote the use of the pedestrian/bicycle network.

Objective 1: To establish a communitywide wayfinding signage plan to help residents and visitors navigate the community by foot and/or bicycle.

Objective 2: To provide a comprehensive system of bicycle parking facilities for residents and visitors.

Objective 3: To promote and market Lake Placid/North Elba as a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly community.

Goal 3: Improve the life of residents of Lake Placid and North Elba by supporting enhanced countywide public transportation.

Objective 1: Enhance public transportation services for Lake Placid and North Elba residents.

Goal 4: Improve trolley operation to reduce congestion on Main Street, improve downtown parking, and improve around-town transportation for tourists and for those without personal vehicles.

Objective 1: Increase the efficiency of trolley operation.

Goal 5: Increase connectivity and transportation options to Lake Placid.

Objective 1: Coordinate activities between train stations, bus stations, and airports to Lake Placid and its various destinations.

Goal 6: Create a balance of parking that supports economic development but does not detract from the quaint village atmosphere.

Objective 1: Develop a parking plan for the village of Lake Placid.

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Environment and Natural Resources

Goal 1: Strike and maintain an optimal balance between protecting and preserving the natural environment, to include ground, water and air, and improving economic vitality and quality of life in the community.

Objective 1: Keep the air (including light, smell/odor, particulates and noise) as clean as possible.

Objective 2: Encourage the protection of existing trees, the removal of diseased trees, and replanting to enhance landscaping and erosion mitigation.

Objective 3: Identify and eradicate invasive species.

Objective 4: Continue to improve and enforce the existing watershed management plan.

Objective 5: Partner with land and water protection organizations and government entities effectively.

Objective 6: Inventory of best usage for local lakes and waterways to be done by existing volunteer groups such as Lake Placid Shore Owners’ Association, Mirror Lake Watershed Association, Ausable River Association, Mill Pond Dam Neighborhood and other interested parties.

Goal 2: Establish a community fund to further the aims and objectives of the goals alluded to in this document

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Housing

Goal 1: Increase the stock and availability of income-based housing in the North Elba/Lake Placid community.

Objective 1: Accurately measure and track changes in the inventory and price of targeted housing stock.

Objective 2: Monitor and adjust the impact of the adoption of the 2012 Land Use Code.

Objective 3: Increase the opportunity for the private development of income-based housing.

Objective 4: Build upon the existing partnership with the Adirondack Community Housing Trust.

Objective 5: Develop mechanisms that may facilitate the flow of federal and state housing funds.

Goal 2: Ensure that short-term rental housing units meet the health and safety requirements of the uniform code.

Objective 1: Establish a rental permit system for short-term home rentals that provides for inspection, posting emergency information, maintaining safety equipment and reasonable occupancy limits.

Goal 3: Promote energy efficiency in the construction of new homes and the renovation of the existing housing stock.

Objective 1: Create a one-stop “clearinghouse” with information and guidance about programs available to contractors and homeowners.

Objective 2: Develop methods for financing energy efficient construction.

Objective 3: Promote energy audits of existing and new housing stock.

Objective 4: Increase incentives for energy upgrades.

Goal 4: Provide for the housing needs of an increased senior population.

Objective 1: Increase the housing that meets the requirements of seniors and those with physical disabilities such as building accessibility, location of bathrooms, door widths and height of controls.

Goal 5: Increase the availability of subsidized independent housing for seniors.

Objective 1: Place the community in a position where it can successfully compete for grants for the construction of senior housing.

Objective 2: Increase the community resources available for the development of subsidized senior housing.

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Land Use and Design

Goal 1: To promote an architectural style for commerce and municipal uses that complements the natural and manmade environments.

Objective 1: Encourage the town and village to work together to create uniform community design guidelines.

Objective 2: Monitor signage guidelines to ensure compliance with existing regulations regarding size, color, duration of temporary signage, prior approval and consolidation where appropriate.

Objective 3: Monitor the land use code to encourage architectural diversity and multipurpose buildings while still maintaining the character of the area.

Goal 2: To preserve and enhance the vitality and attractiveness of the business district.

Objective 1: To enhance and further develop an aesthetically pleasing, user-friendly business district.

Objective 2: Increase customer access to the business district.

Objective 3: To facilitate a secondary use for vacant buildings.

Goal 3: Establish uniform gateway designs to integrate with neighboring towns.

Objective 1: Work with neighboring communities to enhance appearance of corridors and gateways into town.

Objective 2: Work with neighboring communities to coordinate similar development and design goals.

Goal 4: To preserve and enhance the natural beauty of viewsheds and open spaces.

Objective 1: Maintain and enhance the use of public open spaces.

Objective 2: Preserve vistas and open spaces.

Objective 3: Encourage cluster subdivisions or planned unit developments in areas to protect existing open space, viewsheds and natural land forms.

Goal 5: To promote the maintenance, beautification and upkeep of residential and commercial properties.

Objective 1: Encourage regular upkeep of properties.

Goal 6: Promote public appreciation of the town and village heritage and encourage the preservation and revitalization of historic resources for the educational, cultural and economic benefit of all residents of the community.

Objective 1: Recognize the inherent value of historic preservation at all levels of town and village government and functions.

Objective 2: Encourage voluntary actions by private property owners that will help accomplish historic resource management goal.

Objective 3: Promote public awareness and understanding of the cultural history and importance of preserving heritage to the social and economic well-being of the community.

Objective 4: Increase the attractiveness of historic neighborhoods.

Objective 5: To encourage the appropriate rehabilitation, preservation and renovation of existing properties in the business district.

Goal 7: To promote and encourage sustainable and low-impact development.

Objective 1: Cultivate opportunities to enhance and develop the use of green and eco-friendly practices.

Objective 2: Educate and promote public awareness on the benefits of sustainable low-impact development and practices.