Hacker Boat Company Inc. took one step further in their plans to make 315 Corinth Rd. in Queensbury, their own. The company, which is leasing as they purchase the property off Exit 18, already has permission at the location to build and repair their high-end wooden boats, effectively moving the center of their operations from the Morgan Marine in Hague to Queensbury.
Monday evening, they asked the Queensbury Town Board to allow boat sales and storage there, too. The 6.39 acre parcel is zoned for Commercial Light Industrial, and their request Sept. 13 argues that limousine companies, bus storage and other similar uses are already allowed.
Somehow boat sales were not included as an allowable use when the zone was created.
They are represented by the law firm, Stafford, Carr and McNally.
A quick, unanimous vote on a resolution before the town board sent the request to the town’s Planning Board and the county’s planning department for advisory opinions before it comes back to the town board for final approval and an environmental review.
With a zoning change followed by site plan approval, the boat company plans to store up to 200 boats, both Hacker-Crafts and other boats. The materials from the lawyers say that many of the boats will be stored away from roads and be shielded from the road by trees and fencing.
As well, they plan to winterize the boats off-site, perhaps at their marina on the lake, the letters says.
The plans say the company hopes to build an as-yet-undesigned sales floor for the luxury line of boats.
“What the applicant has planned for this property is a multi-million dollar facility which it believes will be a jewel in the Queensbury Tech Park and exactly the type of project envisioned for this location,” the lawyers write.
Town Supervisor John Strough said the privately-owned tech park had long languished, largely under-developed, until the addition of the town sewer system on Carey Road. That seems to be driving development, he said.
"I have some concern about that road," indicating Corinth Road, said Board member Tim McNulty. As it develops, traffic will be a concern that the town must handle, he said.
Hacker Boat is leasing the property and is under contract to buy it from Robert Perkins. No one from the company or law firm appeared before the board on Monday.