I strongly oppose the MWH LLC/Hurley Bros. application (Joint Review Board Case #1007) for a proposed bulk propane storage and transfer facility at 132 Old Military Road highlights the need for a fresh look. The potential problems presented to the community by the applicant’s proposed facility are significant and in a worst case scenario, potentially catastrophic.

Public safety doesn’t typically lead the conversation when discussing planning and zoning matters. However, the locations of the Lake Placid Health Center/Emergency Room, Elderwood at Uihlein, Olympic Training Center, Lake Placid Elementary School and Lake Placid Volunteer Fire Department highlight the importance of making informed land use decisions with the goal of reducing or eliminating significant adverse impacts from the hazards that threaten their basic safety and operational continuity capabilities. Many of these entities are within the ½ mile evacuation zone for a large spill and others would be affected in the 1-mile evacuation zone for flammable gases (including refrigerated liquids) per guide/section 115 of the 2016 Emergency Response Guidebook; U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. This reference is widely used by firefighters, police, and other emergency response personnel who may be the first to arrive on the scene of a transportation incident regarding dangerous goods/hazardous materials. Source: https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/ERG2016.pdf

Simply put, a spill or fire at or near the proposed bulk storage site is highly probable given the proposed frequency of 53 ft. long tanker trucks and bobtail delivery pulling in and out of the high traffic, Old Military Road location which is at the crest of a blind hill. This would effectively shut down Old Military Road between Station Road, John Brown Road and Cascade Road/Rt. 73. The town/village’s elected officials have an obligation to advance effective emergency preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery efforts. This obligation requires a plan that defines the mission critical services and processes and to ensure they can be continued and/or recovered when normal operations are not viable. 

The only prudent action is to table the Hurley’s application for the present until this effort can be completed. To preserve, sustain, and enhance safety in our community, the Town of North Elba Board, in conjunction with the Village of Lake Placid, must undertake an assessment of the town/village land use code related to future growth of the community including physical design, neighborhood impacts, public facility adequacy, infrastructure impacts and a comparative analysis of alternate land use scenarios. Based on the outcome of that effort, changes may be needed on the current planning and zone approach. This is a sensible place to begin that conversation.