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What are some of the regulated activities reviewed by government agencies in the park?

Many land development activities require a permit from the Adirondack Park Agency. The need for a permit depends on the land use area in which the property is located, proximity to water bodies, streams and wetlands, and the history of development on the site.

The following activities in the Adirondack Park may require an Adirondack Park Agency permit:

• selling or gifting a portion of your land
• building a house or other structure or installing a mobile home
• starting, changing or expanding a commercial/industrial use or a public use
• installing a privy, septic system or wastewater treatment system
• filling or excavating or otherwise impacting a wetland
• altering the natural flow, level or condition of a river, stream, lake or pond
• constructing a retaining wall, deck, or other structure within 100 feet of a shoreline
• cutting vegetation within 35 feet of a shoreline
• cutting trees within 100 feet of a river
• clear cutting more than 3 acres of forest
• placing fill
• other new land use or development.

Before you begin any work, it would be prudent to call the Agency to make sure you have all your permits. Projects may also require permits from other agencies, such as the Town or Village, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, NYS Department of Health or the Army Corps of Engineers. If more than one permit is required, all such permits should be obtained prior to any land clearing, grading or construction.

To find out if you need an Adirondack Park Agency permit, call us at 518 891 4050. Staff is always available to answer your questions by phone, to send you information, a map, a form used to determine if an Adirondack Park Agency permit is needed, or to send you an application form used to obtain an Adirondack Park Agency permit or you can download the form from this website (forms). We are open Monday thru Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.