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Supervisors begin process to consider accepting former state emergency facility; environmental review and timeline noted
Summary
The board discussed a home-rule request to accept state-owned emergency management property on Fox Farm Road in Queensbury; supervisors said the county needs environmental study and cost analysis before final acceptance and that the earliest transfer would follow state-legislative action in 2026.
The Warren County Board of Supervisors discussed a resolution to request a home-rule bill that would allow the county to accept title to a state-owned emergency management facility on Fox Farm Road in Queensbury.
Supervisor and other speakers described a recent tour of the facility and told the board the site includes an underground facility of roughly 10,000 square feet, an antenna and satellite-dish infrastructure, and two large warehouses. County officials said the state has vacated the site and indicated it would convey title to the county, subject to the state's legislative and administrative processes.
County speakers cautioned supervisors that key questions remain before the county would accept ownership: annual operating costs, possible underground fuel tanks or other environmental conditions that could require remediation, and the intended county use for the warehouses and underground space. County staff said they plan to perform environmental due diligence and a cost analysis before moving forward.
County officials explained the procedural timeline: the resolution would initiate a home-rule request to the state legislature; if pursued, the earliest practical introduction of related legislation would be January 2026, with possible state approval in mid-2026 and final county acceptance thereafter. The county attorney confirmed that the county deeded the property to New York State in 1967 and that a small portion had been deeded to the town of Queensbury for parking or trail access; the attorney said the board would see another resolution in 2026 before taking title.
Why it matters: Acquiring the property could provide warehouse space and emergency-management infrastructure, but it also raises potential cleanup and operating-cost obligations that could affect county budgets. Supervisors said they want more homework on costs, environmental risk and potential county uses before committing.
Next steps: Supervisors requested further study including environmental assessment, a detailed cost estimate and committee-level review; the resolution, as discussed, would start the home-rule process with the state but not transfer title immediately.
