Lake Wononscopomuc Association divided on zoning change

LAKEVILLE — Five years ago it was the proposed use of herbicides to kill aquatic weeds. Now the Lake Wononscopomuc Association finds itself on the horns of another dilemma: whether to advocate for more stringent zoning regulations around the lake.

On the docket at the association’s annual meeting Saturday morning, June 2, at the Grove was a proposal by association members Edward Erbacher and Bob Blank to change the minimum lot size in the lakeside zone from one acre to two. The lakeside zone is roughly the area bounded by routes 41, 44 and 112.

In presenting his proposal to the 50 or so members at the meeting, Blank spoke of eutrophication as “the lake’s biggest problem.� Eutrophication is the conversion of a lake to a wetland and is often characterized by weed growth brought on by an increase in nutrient levels associated with development.

“Development and human activity are the largest accelerators of this,� said Blank. “Our major problem is not weeds, as bad as they are.�

Blank noted that, except for its two village centers, the town of Salisbury (including Twin Lakes) is zoned for two acres, meaning that new construction must be on lots of at least that size. The proposal would also increase the required distance of a home from the water from 75 to 125 feet and it would restrict the use of accessory buildings.

Restricting further development on the lake to two-acre parcels would slow the entry of nutrients entering the lakes from septic systems and preserve property values for lakefront properties, he added.

Reaction among those in the audience was mixed. Association member and Manhattan real estate executive Keith Ellis presented a counterproposal that does not recommend a change to two-acre zoning. Rather, Ellis called for a moratorium on future blacktopping of driveways to mitigate run-off by reducing the amount of non-permeable surfaces in the watershed. Under Ellis’ plan, the replacement of existing asphalt driveways would also be prohibited in favor of permeable surfaces such as crushed stone.

In addition, Ellis wants a ban on fertilizers for lawns and gardens, a push to extend sanitary sewer service to the unsewered half of the lake and a financial impact study to “determine how any proposed zoning changes would decrease the appraised value in the lakeside zoning areas.�

Blank told Ellis he was being “careless with the facts.�

“No one has a monopoly on caring about the lake,� Ellis shot back. When Ellis finished his presentation and walked back to his seat, he looked Blank in the eye and firmly said, “You need to step back from this.�

Association member Faith Hochberg cautioned that under Blank’s proposal, perhaps dozens of properties around the lake would become non-conforming uses. They would be grandfathered and allowed to remain, but any changes to the structures on the non-conforming properties would require an extensive review and a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals. Hochberg asked Blank how many properties would be so affected. Blank was not sure.

“If you want to build a simple mudroom, you have to do a survey costing thousands of dollars,� Hochberg said. “Let’s be sure the positive change would be worth the displacement.�

Association President Bill Littauer suggested trying to reconcile the two proposals with a small subcommittee working together to forge a compromise. A vote of the association revealed only about seven hands raised in favor of Blank’s zoning proposal, while slightly more than half wanted to reconcile the two concepts. The results will be discussed in a future meeting. Any proposal for a zoning change would have to come before the Planning and Zoning Commission for a thorough public review.

In other business, the association heard from Gerald Smith of Aquatic Control Technologies about herbicide options for controlling millfoil. No herbicides will be used on Wononscopomuc this year, so the association will not have to decide on a course of action to combat the weeds until its October meeting, at the earliest. Also discussed was a proposal that the association become the holder of conservation trust easement certificates.