The Town of Montgomery planning board generally evaluates projects both modern and cutting-edge, from distribution facilities to solar farms. Last Monday, June 24, the board began a review process for its most prehistoric submission yet: the Orange County Dinosaur Park, a project aiming to amaze residents with Jurassic-like beasts of yore.

Jay Samuelson, a principal of Engineering & Surveying Properties, represented the applicant and presented the project to the board and residents. The dinosaur park is a 124.5-acre recreational facility proposed for 17K between Barron Road and New Road; the park would take up 32.6 acres, while the remaining 119 acres would comprise DEC-regulated wetlands, buffering, and a potential ambulance bay.

“We will be donating 4.4 acres back to the Town of Montgomery for potential use as an ambulance bay and ambulance site. There’s approximately one acre of land that goes down Barron Road that’s still beaded to this property, and that will leave about 119 acres for the actual park,” Samuelson said. “Of that 119 acres, the park will only encompass 36.2 acres. There are roughly 32 acres of DEC wetlands and another 27 acres of buffer areas associated with it.”

The park would feature over 75 animatronic dinosaurs with numerous exhibits and activities for attendants to enjoy, including playgrounds, mazes, mini golf, and educational areas. Other amenities would include a dining area, a pavilion, concession stands, restrooms, a maintenance building, one or two wells, and a parking lot with a capacity of 728 guests and 82 employees. Attendants would purchase tickets at the front entrance of off 17K and could either walk around the park or ride a miniature train.

Schedule-wise, the park would be open from April to October on Friday and Saturday between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. and Sunday between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m. The project would hook up to the town’s sewage treatment plant and require 15,000 gallons of water daily during operational hours.

Samuelson played a video showcasing the park’s layout, mockups of the animatronics, and a few activities. He then introduced Phil Grealy, a principal of Colliers Engineering & Design, who explained the traffic component of the project. Currently, Grealy and his team have begun working with the New York State DOT and drafting a traffic study that would account for other proposed projects in the area, such as the zipline park and the QuickChek at Scott’s Corner.

“We are just starting the process with New York State DOT. As part of the traffic study, we will identify certain improvements, such as widening Route 17K to provide right and left turning lanes into the project,” Grealy said.

Planning Board Chairman Fred Reichle stated that the board would speak with the fire department regarding the project’s fire safety and requested that the developers submit more sketches and a lighting plan. He assured residents that the project would have an extensive public review and that the board would hold several hearings in the future.