It then has 90 days to approve the project, approve it with conditions or direct it to a public hearing. If the APA decides a hearing is necessary, it must start the hearing within 30 days. The site submitted to the APA is a 376-acre tract along Kildare Road. The prison will occupy 77 of those acres, with a buffer of approximately 1,000 feet on all sides, except for the access road running along the east side of the property. The land is owned by the International Paper Co. DOCS is currently having the land appraised.
State law prohibits agencies from paying more than appraised value for any property.
The Department looked at two other sites in the Town of Altamont. One was rejected because of substantial wetlands, the other because it is located too close to commercial and residential property. Commissioner Goord said he is in the process of forming a Community Advisory Task Force to be the Department s liaison with the Town of Altamont and the Franklin County community. The board will include up to a dozen members, including private citizens, business representatives, community leaders and elected officials. It will meet at least monthly with representatives of the Department.