This authorization allows the state Olympic Regional Development Authority to move forward with plans to make improvements to the sliding track at Mount Van Hoevenberg. The ORDA board approved $96 million in capital funding for the project on Sept. 20.

The project involves a number of improvements, including a construction of a new refrigeration building and upgrades to shading and roofing for the track, which is meant to help the track remain functional in warmer conditions.

In order to move forward with the project, ORDA needed to request an amendment to it’s UMP, a document detailing how a piece of state-owned land can be used. Similar amendments were made in 1999, when a new Nordic combined track was created and 2018, when other renovations were made to the facilities.

The Mount Van Hoevenberg facility, located outside of Lake Placid, is on land that is classified as an intensive use area — the least restrictive land classification that allows the area to host a large number of visitors for day use.

Some of this land is Forest Preserve land, whereas almost all of the structures and improvements are entirely on permanent easement land, which the state purchased from the town of North Elba. This land is still considered the state’s because it is a permanent easement, which means it was land given to the state for a specific purpose, in this case, creating a sporting facility.

Responses to public comment

ORDA CEO Ashley Walden and Vice President Rebecca Dayton presented the public comments that it received during the joint APA-ORDA public comment period. ORDA recieved 13 comments during that period, Walden said.

The public comments did not result in any changes, although Walden and Dayton presented responses with clarifying information for each relevant comment.

“Since (the draft UMPA) has been released, there have been no substantive changes to the draft UMPA,” Walden said at the conclusion of ORDA’s presentation.

In response to light pollution concerns, Walden outlined plans to use shielded and low-level lighting, as well as creating “zones” of lighting that could be individually adjusted.

Several comments raised concerns about the mountain bike trails, including one that questioned whether the trails were consistent with the APSLMP. The presentation cited both the 1999 and 2018 amendments to the UMP, which stated that the facility should be used for year-round recreation.

The ORDA responses also pointed out that no technical features of the mountain bike course will be located on forest preserve, and that the sections of the track located on the forest preserve will only be temporarily used for the UCI World Cup, and not open to the public.

Three of the 13 comments were simply expressing support of the amendment and plans to improve Mount Van Hoevenberg.

APA Director of Public Information Keith P. McKeever said the APA will continue to work with ORDA as the project moves forward, even as the board approved the amendment to the UMP.