Lake Placid planning agency recommends CIP updates, removes 'dog park' and adds natural-gas placeholder

The Lake Placid Local Planning Agency voted June 1 to recommend that town council adopt ordinance 2026-03 (the annual update to the capital improvement schedule) and resolution 2026-05 (the 10-year capital financial strategy), with two amendments: strike the words "dog park" from the documents and add a zero-dollar line item for a natural-gas line so the town can pursue grants.

The action came after staff explained the town had handled budget numbers during the most recent cycle but had not finalized the formal ordinance and resolution paperwork. "We went through this process already and it was adopted back in 2025," Eva, the town clerk, said, explaining the current effort is to complete the statutory paperwork and better align the CIP with the budget cycle.

Why it matters: including projects in the five- and 10-year capital-improvement schedule is often a prerequisite for many grant programs and for economic-development funding, speakers said. "Natural gas will be a part of my ongoing recommendation," said Pam Fentress, a Lake Placid resident, urging the board to keep the natural-gas extension eligible for future grants and development even if construction is years away. Board members agreed a zero-dollar placeholder would permit grant applications without committing town funds now.

The vote and the amendment: Board member Gary Freeman moved to recommend adoption of the ordinance as amended—removing the dog-park wording and adding a zero-dollar line item labeled for an investigation into a natural-gas extension—and Dr. James Oxer seconded. Tina called the roll after discussion; Gary Freeman, Dr. Oxer, Dustin Woods and Alex Ramos recorded "yes." The chair reported the motion carried.

Public concerns and staff response: Several residents raised concerns about perceived inconsistencies in the CIP document and about project cost estimates. Pam Fentress pointed to a prior recommendation for a natural-gas line from State Road 70 to the town government center and told the board that leaving the line out of the document could harm grant eligibility. She also flagged apparent inconsistencies in project listings and line-item costs, including a police-station figure that she said appeared low compared with earlier estimates.

Staff responded that the strike-throughs reflect an adopted 2025 document and that the current effort is to reconcile prior edits with the budget process. "You can make any changes you would like tonight," the town clerk said, noting the ordinance will go before town council for a first hearing the following Monday and return for final adoption later in the cycle. Staff also said the town will bring the CIP into the budget workshops in July and seek adoption alongside the budget in September.

Planning staffing and regulatory work: Board members urged the town to consider budgeting for an in-house town planner to provide continuity and accelerate updates to land development regulations, architectural-review standards and other planning documents. One member argued that contracting planning work can leave the town without ongoing oversight and slow progress on long-term regulatory updates. Rodriguez, the town administrator, confirmed that the town planner (Miss Redell) and attorneys are reviewing five land development regulations now and that comp-plan review and regional coordination are forthcoming.

Next steps: The LPA's recommendations will go to Lake Placid town council for public hearings and votes as part of the budget-cycle workshops this summer. The board also noted upcoming openings for regular and alternate LPA members and encouraged community recruitment before adjournment.