Dan - Staff Photo

Dan Barusch
Planning & Zoning

Planning & Zoning Contact Info

  • Dan Barusch

  • Director of Planning & Zoning
  • Phone Icon (518) 668-5131 ext 5
  • Email Icon This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Email Icon This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Address Icon 20 Old Post Road
  •       Lake George, NY 12845

  • Staff

  • Adele Behrmann
  • Planning and Zoning Clerk
  •  
  • Doug Frost
  • Code Enforcement Officer

Responsibilities

The Planning and Zoning Office administers the Zoning Code, Stormwater Regulations and Subdivision Regulations of the Town of Lake George, among other things. Additional duties of the Planning and Zoning Office include:

  • Septic Initiative Program (SIP) administration and Septic Permitting
  • Hazard Mitigation Planning
  • Climate Resiliency and Energy Efficiency Planning
  • Historic Preservation Planning
  • Parks, Trails and Recreation Planning
  • Economic Development
  • Stormwater Management and MS4 Program Administration
  • Capital Improvement Planning
  • Assistance with Caldwell Sewer District
  • Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
  • Floodplain Management
  • Grant writing, administration, and management
  • Pandemic and Emergency Management Planning
  • Housing Development and Assistance 

The Planning and Zoning Office also works with the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, and the Consolidated Board of Health in regulating development throughout the Town. Meetings of the Boards are held monthly, the second Tuesday for the Planning Board, the first Wednesday for the Zoning Board of Appeals, and the third Tuesday for the Consolidated Board of Health. Other meetings are held when necessary. In order to be included on an agenda for a specific date, applications and paper work must be submitted to the Office prior to the deadline for review. Included on this page (Planning Board Meeting Schedule and Application Deadlines, Zoning Board Meeting Schedule and Application Deadlines) are the dates for Planning Board and Zoning Board Meetings along with the deadline dates for applications.

It is through this office that those involved in any building or development would obtain a Zoning Certificate of Compliance, a document necessary in order to obtain a Building Permit from the County. Additionally, the Planning and Zoning Office does provide property owners and lending institutions with Zoning Letters of Compliance as requested.

Copies of the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations can be found in the Lake George Town Code. Click to view the Town Code. Applications for Site Plan Review, Zoning Variances, Land Use Permits, or Septic Permits can be downloaded from this page. The Planning and Zoning Office also handles stormwater issues and complaints.

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Housing Development and Assistance

The Town and Village of Lake George are researching the need for a home repair and rehabilitation program in Lake George.  This program would be funded by a grant from the New York State Affordable Housing Corporation (AHC), if awarded.

This grant would provide up to $35,000 for home repairs, such as roof replacement, plumbing and electrical upgrades, furnace replacement, and structural repairs. This assistance would be available to homeowners whose household income is below 90% of HUD established median income based on household size.  Homeowners would have to meet other eligibility criteria, which are specified in the request for proposals.

Please reach out to Director of Planning and Zoning, Dan Barusch, at 518-668-5722 (x5) or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any questions or to submit an application. The request for proposals / solicitation can be found pdf here.

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Septic Initiative Program

Click here to view the Septic Initiative Program information details and related documents

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Hazard Mitigation

The Town of Lake George attempts to mitigate harmful effects of natural hazards using the direction from the Warren County Hazard Mitigation Plan.  Click on the link for the Plan, or see below for other Hazard Mitigation resources.

 

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Historic Preservation Planning

“Analysis of Military Campaigns Associated with Fort George and Environs”
ABPP Report

In July 2016, the American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) awarded the Town of Lake George a $50,000 grant to compile a major report including an inventory and analysis of sites and features associated with the Battles at Fort George. This project was accomplished between 2016 and 2018, using period maps and primary documentary sources coupled with non-invasive archaeological field reconnaissance and GIS technology. ABPP funds projects conducted by federal, state, local and tribal governments, nonprofit organizations and educational institutions with the goal of safeguarding and preserving significant American battlefield lands as symbols of individual sacrifice and national heritage.

The creation of this report and associated GIS mapping will allow the Town and partner organizations (the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Fort George Alliance) to effectively identify historically relevant properties throughout the Town and determine the level of importance each site may have played during important American wars. It will serve to educate landowners and land preservation groups about the lack of protection that most sites associated with Fort George currently experience.

The Town worked with Hartgen Archeological Associates to complete this planning research project, which was finished in fall 2018. Throughout the course of the project, numerous public meetings were held to allow for the citizens of Lake George to come learn about the project and to tell us their own stories about the history of Lake George. The project report, as well as presentations from the public meetings, can be downloaded above or viewed at Town Hall in the Planning and Zoning Office.  Over the next several years, the Planning and Zoning Office will follow the reports guidance on implementation of actions to promote heritage tourism and historic preservation. 

Other Resources

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Economic Development

Lake George Draft Economic Development Plan

The Town and Village of Lake George, in coordination with the Adirondack Park Agency’s Hamlet Economic Planning and Assistance initiative, developed an economic development plan for the Hamlet areas of Lake George.  The plan seeks to leverage improvements from the Gateway Project, which turned Route 9 from Exit 21 to the Village line into a boulevard with sidewalks, new lighting, a median, and bike lanes, to generate new growth in the community.   In order to determine components of the plan, input from the community was sought through a survey.

Other Resources

APA Economic Services Unit – Website
Warren County EDC- Website

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Storm Water Management

For any concerns or report of violations regarding stormwater runoff and pollution, please call 518-668-5131 (x311) to talk to the Stormwater Management Officer.

Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4)

To prevent harmful pollutants from being washed or dumped into MS4s, certain operators (including municipalities) are required by New York State to obtain NPDES permits and develop stormwater management programs (SWMPs). The SWMP describes the stormwater control practices that will be implemented consistent with permit requirements to minimize the discharge of pollutants from the sewer system. The Town of Lake George is a registered MS4 in the state of NY and the Town’s SWMP can be located above and other resources can be found below.

Other Resources

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Grant Awards and Projects

    • The Planning and Zoning Office spearheads all grant applications for the Town of Lake George and administers and manages any successfully awarded projects, bringing in hundreds of thousands in state and federal funds for planning and capital projects for the community and local government.
    • Grant Awards to date:
      • $30,000 (DEC/EFC) - Lakeshore Drive Sewer District Feasibility Study (2021)
      • $5,000 (NYSERDA) - Clean Energy Communities Designation Grant (2021)
      • $75,000 (DEC) – Adirondack Smart Growth Grant – McPhillips Preserve @ French Mountain Park Plan/Design (2019)
      • $50,000 (EFC) – Caldwell Sewer Inflow and Infiltration study (EPG) (2019)
      • $30,000 (DEC) – Beatty/Cedar Green Infrastructure Feasibility Study (WQIP SWP) (2019)
      • $343,000 (EFC) – Caldwell Sewer District Phase 2 Improvements (2018)
      • $657,000 (DEC) – Pumps Station Rebuild (WQIP WWT)(2018)
      • $25k (DOS) – Village DPW/Town Highway Consolidation and Joint Motorpool Study (LGEP)(2017)
      •  $100,000 (EFC) – Caldwell Sewer Engineers Report (EPG)(2017)
      • $125,000 (DEC) – Lakeview Circle Stormwater Projects (WQIP NPS)(2017)
      • $120,000 (DEC) – Caldwell Sewer District Phase 1 Improvements (WQIP WWT)(2017)
      • $104,000 (DEC) – Septic Initiative Program (WQIP NPS)(2016)
      • $50,000 (NPS) – Fort George Battlefield Park Study (ABPP)(2016)
      •  $25,000 (DEC) – Climate Action Plan w/ Village (CSC)(2016)
      • $16,000 (DEC) – Electric Vehicle Charging Station (ZEV)(2016)
      • $7,000,000 (FHWA/DOT/EFC) – Route 9 Gateway Project with NYSDOT (TEP/STP/NHPP)(2015)
      • $60,000 (DEC) – MS4 program (MS4)(2015)
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Zoning Amendments

Short Term Rentals

Pursuant to Town of Lake George regulations on short-term rentals, residential property owners are no longer allowed to host short-term rentals in the Town of Lake George’s residential-only zoning districts. The Town of Lake George Zoning Code Section §175-52(B) “Use of Residences for short-term rentals” ordinance was passed by the Lake George Town Board on November 19, 2018 as part of Local Law 3-2018 and has been amended several times since.

Pursuant to this new ordinance, short term rentals (a rental of a residential dwelling/premise for period of 30 days or less) have been deemed illegal in the Town’s residential-only districts. Those districts where short-term residential rentals are now illegal include all Land Conservation (LC) districts, all Residential Rural (RR) districts, the Residential High Density district (RH) and the Residential Medium-density districts (RM-1 and RM-2). Any rentals longer than 30 days at a time are allowed in these and all other zoning districts without permitting or approvals from the Town. The remaining zoning districts in the Town will allow for short-term residential rentals via an approval and permitting process through the Planning and Zoning Office. The Short-Term Residential Rental permit is available below and at Town Hall.

Given the growth in popularity of short term rentals in New York State, the Town has hired the third-party company “Host Compliance” to assist the Planning and Zoning office with compliance of these rentals. Finally, a 24/7 short-term rental complaint Hotline has been established for the Town of Lake George, that number is (518) 500 – 4080. Questions can be directed to Doug Frost at the Town of Lake George Planning and Zoning Office at (518) 668 – 5131.

Zoning Amendments

The Planning and Zoning Office assists the Town Board with drafting Town Code revisions, and in particular zoning amendments, and assists the Board in the legislative process. Below are Zoning Code and similar amendments made to the code over recent years.

2021 Amendments

Local Law 1-2021

Local Law 1-2021

Local Law 1-2021

 

2020 Amendments

Local Law 7-2020

Local Law 6-2020

Local Law 5-2020

Local Law 4-2020

Local Law 3-2020

Local Law 2-2020

Local Law 1-2020

 

2018 Amendments

 

2016 Amendments

 

Permits

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Deadlines and Fee Schedules

Plans and Reports

Links

Town Code
The entire Town Code is accessible on this link. However it has been discovered that certain firewall programs make using the link impossible, therefore it might be necessary to disable the computer’s firewall program temporarily to view the code.

Quick Links