The Adirondack Park Agency (APA) has approved a major expansion of Sunset Bay RV Park in the Fulton County town of Mayfield, allowing the lakeside campground to more than double its size along Great Sacandaga Lake.
The decision, made during the board meeting, permits the addition of nearly 360 new RV sites, despite concerns from some APA members and public opposition regarding the project’s environmental and community impact.
The approved permit includes multiple conditions to mitigate potential impacts. These requirements address lighting and signage standards, fencing, wastewater treatment, stormwater pollution prevention, and road improvements.
Sunset Bay RV Park has operated for 55 years on the southern shore of Great Sacandaga Lake, one of the busiest summer destinations in the Adirondacks.
The campground currently accommodates 283 RVs, but the new approval will increase its capacity to more than 640 sites.
According to APA Environmental Program Specialist Ariel Lynch, the project area includes forested land, open fields, wetlands, and a stream. In addition to the new RV sites, the expansion plan features construction of three bathhouses, a community building, a poolhouse, a splash pad, two sports courts, and an outdoor amphitheater.
“You can see the existing campground in this 2022 aerial photo on the eastern side of the project site. The rest of the project site has some forests and two fields,” said Lynch during her presentation to the board, as reported by North Country Public Radio on October 10.
Public response to the project was largely negative. The APA received 35 written comments, 32 of which opposed the proposal.
Lynch summarized the main themes of those comments, noting that they centered on “project size, quality of life concerns, environmental concerns, and community impact concerns.”
One of the concerns was lighting. The board discussed potential light pollution resulting from the increased number of RVs and new facilities. APA Counsel Damion Stodola explained that while the agency can regulate lighting on permanent structures, it lacks authority over vehicle lighting.
Board member Rush Holt also raised questions about the expansion’s potential impact on the lake.
He noted that most of the current campground’s RV owners also use boat slips, raising the issue of increased lake activity. “I mean, if three-quarters of the existing sites have boats at that marina, what do we make of that?” Holt asked.
The expansion plan does not include additional boat slips, meaning that RV owners on the new sites would not have a permanent docking area.
APA’s John Burth explained that RV users could still access four public boat launches around the lake but said site limitations might restrict boat storage.
Burth also clarified that shoreline regulation falls under the jurisdiction of the Hudson River-Black River Regulating District, which manages the dammed lake’s water levels.
Water supply was another issue that drew scrutiny. The campground owner plans to drill a new well to accommodate the increased capacity. The state Department of Health has already approved the well’s location and will require testing to ensure sufficient yield.
Board member Art Lussi expressed hesitation about approving the project before those test results are available. “I just don’t like having to rely on other agencies,” Lussi said. “I just feel like we have a mission to do our best with the information we’re given.”
When the project was brought to a vote, three members—Lussi, Holt, and Jose Almazar—voted against approval. Seven members voted in favor, allowing the expansion to move forward.