Queensbury Planning Board delays SEQR recommendation on West Mountain resort after stormwater, process concerns

Chairman Stephen Traver said the Queensbury Planning Board would not yet forward a State Environmental Quality Review Act recommendation to the Town Board after a March 12 special meeting in which residents pressed for more stormwater, permit and waiver detail on the proposed West Mountain Planned Resort Development.

The applicant, identified in filings as Apex Capital LLC and Mountain Top Ventures LLC and represented at the meeting by Jon Zapper and members of Studio A, presented a concept for a mixed-use resort on roughly 365.43 acres at 59 West Mountain Road that includes an "alpine village," townhouses, an 80-room hotel and single-family home parcels. The Board heard extended public questioning on how the Planning Board's concept-level review differs from later detailed SEQR, site-plan and permitting steps.

Why it matters: The project would rezone land from Recreation Commercial to a Planned Resort Development and could change how the site is developed for many years. Residents and board members repeatedly said they want more complete stormwater analyses, permit documentation and specifics about requested subdivision waivers before the Town Board makes SEQR findings or adopts PRD zoning language.

What happened at the meeting: Traver opened the session and described a two-part public hearing format: process questions first, general comments second. Tim McNulty, Ward Four councilperson, gave a separate county road/culvert notice for residents. The applicant's representative, Jon Zapper, told the Board that "stormwater is the biggest issue we deal with on every project" and that final stormwater design and outside approvals (Town-designated engineer and DEC SPDES) would be required before implementation.

Studio A designer Matt Huntington described a staged stormwater approach that places infiltration and filtration measures near runoff sources as the design progresses down the mountain and said the team used updated rainfall data and conservative safety factors in modeling.

Several residents said those concept-level descriptions were insufficient. Dwayne Zuhlke of Bedford Close repeatedly asked what the Planning Board was voting on and whether sending the concept to the Town Board would effectively lock in decisions before detailed engineering is completed. Travis Whitehead cited the applicant's filing that 53.2 acres of new impervious surface are proposed and said that runoff timing and water quality differ materially between grassland and paved surfaces, reinforcing the need for full HydroCAD and permit-level studies.

Planning staff and Senior Planner Stuart Baker told the Board that the Planning Board's role for this filing is advisory: under the Town Code the Board must issue a favorable or unfavorable report to the Town Board within 60 days after the public hearing closes. Staff also reported that revised Full Environmental Assessment Form (EAF) materials had been submitted and that staff would post further revisions online for public review.

Board actions and votes: The Planning Board voted unanimously to schedule a special meeting on April 10, 2025, to continue its review (motion introduced by Chairman Stephen Traver; seconded by Vice Chair Ellen McDevitt). The Board also voted unanimously to ask Town Counsel and Town staff to draft a recommendation resolution to the Town Board reflecting the Board's discussion of the PRD objectives and SEQR (motion introduced by Ellen McDevitt; seconded by Tom Uncher). No final SEQR determination or site-plan approvals were made.

What comes next: Staff said the applicant submitted additional EAF revisions that staff is still reviewing and that the updated materials will be available online before April 10. The Planning Board left the public hearing open to allow the Board and public to review those materials and to permit further public comment at the continued meeting.

Representative quotes: "Stormwater is the biggest issue we deal with on every project, and that's something that doesn't get approved until you're satisfied that the Town Engineer and DEC have signed off," Jon Zapper said. "We are not approving anything tonight," Chairman Stephen Traver told attendees when residents asked whether review at the Board level would preempt later SEQR findings. "There are 53.2 acres that are going to become impervious," resident Travis Whitehead said, urging more complete stormwater analysis.

The meeting ended with motions to set the April 10 special meeting and to have staff and counsel prepare the Board's draft recommendation to the Town Board; both motions passed unanimously. The Planning Board will reconvene to review the revised EAF and continue its advisory review to the Town Board.