HARTWICK - Concerns about water may be one of the major issues involved in the review of the Cooperstown Dreams Park's latest three-year expansion plan that would increase the park's attendance my another 20 percent.

During Tuesday's Hartwick planning board meeting, members discussed some indications that development along the route 28 corridor may be starting to impact residential wells.

Tom Liner, a property owner south of the Dreams Park near the location of the new Howard Johnson's motel, said he experienced problems with his well during a pump test for the new motel.

Wayne Bunn, the town's engineer, said data from Lamont Engineering indicated that a well at a residence across from the motel site also was impact during the testing.

Liner asked the board to require the motel developer to post a bond in case he has problems when it opens.

"I want something put in an escrow account in case my well goes dry," he told the board.

Bunn said the concept was good, but he wasn't sure about the legalities of requiring the developer to do it.

He added that the board had been concerned about the amount of water at the site during its review of the project and required the motel to plan for additional water storage capacity to be certain its needs were met.

The planning board also received a letter from the NYS Department of Health in regard to lead agency status for the review of the Dreams Park expansion. In the letter, the agency expressed concerns about development and water usage in the area and its potential impact on neighboring properties.

"This office is becoming concerned with the degree of development in the immediate area of the Dreams Park. If new water sources are proposed, their impacts on neighboring water supplies must be carefully monitored," wrote Ronald Sheppard, senior sanitary engineer with the Department of Health.

Sheppard stated that the health department must approve plans for the expansion of the park's water system, particularly an analysis of its ability to meet the daily and peak demands of the expanded park.

Those concerns, the agency stated, could be addressed as part of the planning board's State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) of the Dreams Park proposal.

The planning board intends to begin the SEQR process by working on the environmental assessment form during its March meeting.

In other business, the board approved the site plan for the Yum Yum Shack on Route 28.

Prior to the approval there was discussion about work on the project being started before the site plan had been approved. David Neil told the board that he had obtained a building permit from the county and believed it gave him the green light, but the planning board explained that despite the permit, he first had to have his site plan approved.

"We've had that happen previously and I'm happy that will be taken care of with Mr. West's inspections," said planning board member Orrin Higgins.

Higgins was referring to Dave West, who was hired by the town board last month when it created the position of local laws enforcement officer.