BY ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week

POTSDAM -- The Potsdam town board has approved special districts for water and sewer for a development area along Route 56.

The town board approved both districts at its regular meeting Wednesday, Oct. 14.

Now that the town board has approved the districts, both will be voted on by the district residents for final approval. That referendum is set for Jan. 19, from 12-8 p.m. at the Town Hall.

Construction on the district will take about 2 and a half years after residents' approval at the ballot box.

The districts will provide those town services to a number of households, a planned factory to be constructed by LC Drives that would employ up to 200 people, and future economic development.

The LC Drives company, which constructs innovative electric motors, plans to complete construction of their factory within the districts on Route 56 by 2023. The town board is hoping the districts could attract more business development along the Route 56 corridor.

Planning for the districts, handled by consultant Kevin Feuka from engineering and planning firm C2AE and Potsdam attorney Roger Linden, with the town board, has been in the works for a number of years.

The cost for the two districts is estimated around $10 million. About $4.78 million in grants and loans from USDA Rural Development will help pay for the project.

The remaining cost will be covered by any other grant money the town receives for the work and the issuance of serial and/or statutory installment bonds and bond anticipation notes and bond anticipation renewal notes, the resolution passed by the town board Oct. 14 said.

Costs to individual residents living within the districts could be around $605 per year for sewer and $462 for the water district.

The town board held meetings and a public hearing in August and September reviewing the plans for the new districts, the proposed maps, costs and project timetable.

Town residents can view those documents at the town clerk's office during normal business hours.