The development commission is made up of a group of volunteers, including representatives from the town, village and the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism. The commission also includes seven active subcommittees made up of 31 individuals and representatives from 10 community groups, according to development commission chair Lori Fitzgerald. These groups address topics such as child care, light pollution and access to lakes and waterways.

“Everyone always complains that the quality of life is not what it used to be, that there’s no sense of community,” Fitzgerald said. “But there are people working on child care, there are people working on bike paths, there are people working on access and other things that would improve the quality of our life and allow us to be a stronger community and to have a stronger community bond.”

The commission was created by the village of Lake Placid and town of North Elba boards in August 2014. Their primary purpose is to facilitate the implementation of the Lake Placid/North Elba Comprehensive Plan, which is in the process of being updated. The commission also helps advise the town and village boards on relevant issues as requested.

Fitzgerald invites members of the public who want to be a part of this discussion to get involved in two ways. The committee’s monthly meetings are open to the public and occur on the third Thursday of every month at 8 a.m. in the North Elba Town Hall third floor meeting room. To get involved with a specific subcommittee, or to learn more about the commission, contact Community Development Director Haley Breen at hbreen@northelba.org.

“There are community members trying to make this a better community,” Fitzgerald said. “If you want to help do that, then join us. You’re welcome to.”

Comprehensive plan update

The development commission was charged with vetting and hiring consultants to help update the comprehensive plan. They also assisted in creating and sharing a community survey and other methods of gathering public feedback, including focus groups and a community open house.

For both the comprehensive plan and the North Elba Horse Showgrounds master plan, they have been working with the consulting firm SE Group.

Now, the plan has been drafted with nine sections to address key areas of concern for Lake Placid. SE Group is expected to deliver the draft to the committee within the next few weeks, Fitzgerald said.

After that, they will meet again with stakeholders in the community to review the plan. The final plan is expected to be presented to the town and village boards in March.

The showgrounds master plan is a separate venture, although public feedback was collected for this project in conjunction with the comprehensive plan. Breen oversees both of these efforts and many people involved with the development commission are also involved with some of these efforts.

“There’s a lot of cross-conversation,” Fitzgerald said.

Related to the comprehensive plan, the development commission worked with Clarkson University students and instructors to renew their Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification. This certification applies to the New York Olympic Region, which is made up by the town of North Elba, the village of Lake Placid, the state Olympic Regional Development Agency and the Lake Placid Central School District.

The NYOR originally received a Gold Level certification from LEED in 2019 through the region’s partnership with Clarkson University. The recertification was submitted in 2024 to the Green Building Council for review. When this recertification is received, it will allow the town and village to continue to be eligible for bigger and better grants, Fitzgerald said.

The Downtown Revitalization Initiative is yet another project that is in process for the town and village. The application for this competitive grant from the state was submitted in October and Lake Placid is still awaiting results of that application. If Lake Placid were to be awarded a DRI grant, the development commission would also have input into the use of that funding, Fitzgerald said.

Recap of 2024

In a report given to both the town and village boards, the committee outlined accomplishments in key areas.

The child care committee conducted research in collaboration with ROOST and met with local day care providers, ultimately creating a pilot program with St. Agnes Elementary School for child care for kids from birth to age 3. This project was awarded $50,000 in funding from the town of North Elba at a town council meeting on Jan. 14.

The appearance committee, which focuses on improving the appearance of public spaces, made progress on projects at Peacock Park and Teddy Bear Park. At Peacock Park, adjacent to the Beach House, the committee worked with Clarkson University students to create a plan and began installing fencing along Parkside Drive. They also began communicating with the Adirondack Park Agency and the state Department of Environmental Conservation about installing kayak put-ins. At Teddy Bear Park on Hillcrest Avenue, they successfully submitted a list of recommendations to the village board to upgrade equipment and improve accessibility.

The Arts Alliance committee, which has the stated goal of promoting public art, facilitated the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort murals which were painted by Hannah Williams, a painter from Glens Falls.

The committee is currently seeking funding for another mural on the side of the Bike LP building next to the Adirondack Rail Trail.

The Dark Skies committee, which became a standing committee this year, includes members of the community who hope to reduce light pollution and increase opportunities for nighttime activities like stargazing. The committee has already engaged in community outreach through various means and has drafted modifications to the North Elba/Lake Placid Land Use Code.

Another effort by the commission was to create Community Day, which was hosted in 2024 with a record 800 attendees and 40 organizations. This was hosted in partnership with ORDA. This year, they expanded the committee and identified additional sources of funding for the event.

Goals for 2025

The biggest priority for the development commission in 2025 is to complete and adopt the updated comprehensive plan, Fitzgerald said. Based on community input that the commission received throughout the year, two issues they plan to focus on will be housing and recreational opportunities.

The committee plans to continue work on the projects and initiatives that have been ongoing, including improvements to local parks, establishing a community infant and toddler child care program, creating a public art fund and growing Community Day. They will be working with a group of “interested citizens” to work on improvements to recreational opportunities, such as bike paths, sidewalks and preservation of waterways. They will also be seeking community feedback as the draft lighting ordinance is developed.

Efforts to address housing needs in Lake Placid have been taken over by Adam DeSantis, the region’s economic development director who is employed by both ROOST and the town. DeSantis oversees the Lake Placid and North Elba Destination Management Plan, which includes both housing and economic development plans for the area.

The planning process for the DMP began in 2019 with research, surveys, focus groups, workshops and reviews, and extends until 2030. DeSantis reports to the North Elba/Lake Placid DMP Committee, which includes representatives from both the town and village as well as ROOST, the Lake Placid Center for the Arts, Lake Placid Central School, Adirondack Sports Council, the Adirondack Park Agency and ORDA.