Center Harbor Beach / Boat Launch

[tummyman]

Saw this Letter to Editor in Laconia Sun. It is very disturbing. Bottom line, if you are not a resident or taxpayer in Center Harbor, there is a petition floating around to eliminate your use of the Center Harbor Beach and Boat Launch over a dispute with a developer and the Moultonborough Planning Board. This could be very punitive to folks who are not involved in the nasty dispute. Petition would exclude everyone from using these facilities, especially the boat launch, unless you are a Center Harbor RESIDENT or TAXPAYER. If you are from Moultonborough or anywhere else, you will be EXCLUDED if these petition succeed!! You can express your concerns to 2chwarrants@gmail.com



http://edition.pagesuite.com/html5/r...30620020909047

[John Mercier]

I doubt the Moultonborough Planning Board will be able to stop the development. They would need to find an issue relevant to the town and already within the scope of the development regulations.

[AC2717]

It has been a long belief of mine due to reading it somewhere some long time ago, that each town surrounding the lake is to have public access to the lake for launching of boats. This was never really a problem when marinas would allow the public to use their ramps.
Now cities/towns like Laconia do not have public access to the lake as the marinas have closed down public use of their ramps unless it is a regular customer of theirs, and they are hiding behind the notation that regular customers of theirs fall under the operations of public use therefore compling with state rules.

According to the state, in order to have marina status, Marinas are supposed to meet 5 out of 7 items in order to be considered a marina and one of those items is public use of launching facilities. Again they are using the idea that they let regular customers only use thier ramps maybe and they comply with public access. I believe those items are: ship store/docks/public access/fuel/pump out/repair/docking - could be wrong on one or two of these, when I looked at this when all the marinas started droping access nad the Watermark Marine was being built (yes they have marina status), my thoughts are foggy on the topic and I need to refresh them. I had asked the Laconia Daily Sun, and the Weirs Times multiple times via email and calls to do a story or investigate this topic of all the loss of public access to the lake but no one took up the task, so it fell by my wayside as well.

[John Mercier]

Only the State has a requirement placed on F&G.

Winnipesaukee has a F&G launch in Alton.

The State cannot mandate the towns to have access... that would be a violation of Part First Article 28-a.

[ITD]

Hmmm, kind of a tempest in a teapot IMO. But I think cooler heads will prevail here. If the condos go through, I suspect the boat launch will remain unaffected. $25 a launch is a tough revenue stream to give up. Lots of boats use that ramp throughout the season and I think the fees charged probably cover most of the expenses with the launch.

The beach on the other hand, I suspect you probably end up restricted to CH residents. Not sure if this is really necessary or not, but it is certainly not without precedent. Try to use the Sandwich beach or boat launch with out a sticker and see what happens.

[fatlazyless]

That long Center Harbor boat ramp sees a lot of use, and seems to be one of the go-to spots since Ames Farm in Alton faded away. During bike week there was an all-white 42' Cigarette that was using it. Not too may ramps can launch a 42' boat.

Here's something you may not know, that Center Harbor allows roof-rack kayakers and stand-up paddle boarders, everyone, not just Center Harbor taxpayers, to park and unload into the lake for free, up close behind the nearby town basketball court. You need to speak with the launch ramp attendant, first, who will give you a temporary parking pass.

Also, the www.wildmeadowpaddlesports.com ..... a short walk away on the Center Harbor/Moultonborough town line has a grass walkway to the Center Harbor Bay water behind their store. And Heath's Hardware ... www.acehardware.com/store-details/17087 .... has a very deep selection of boat items to repair, clean, maintain, improve your very happening boat.

[C-Bass]

As a Moultonborough resident I would definitely support cutting off access to the boat ramp if it means stopping this project.

[John Mercier]

They would need to vote to rescind the access, and then see if the developer chooses to stop the project.

Moultonborough's low tax rate, coupled with access to businesses in Center Harbor, and the ''backdoor'' around traffic of Rte 25 to get to Meredith or even I93 is quite a large draw for many potential buyers.

[sluggo]

The Koss project has been going through the ZBA and planning board for about three years , Last year the ZBA approved the variance needed to get past the wetlands for the road / driveway to the two lots. The planning board approved the project two months ago for 21 duplex's / 42 units and the Koss project has two year's to meet all the conditions of the approval before it is signed off on. There are still issues with the public wells they drilled being in an area of old dry cleaners because of the contamination concentrated in the bed rock of the aquifer. The NH well board denied the first permit and they have not re-submitted a new application yet. There are multiple issues at play here with the wetlands involved , the aquifer that supplies our local wells and the well head radiuses. Other issues involving Center Harbor is the impact it will have on our fire and police dept. and the impact of change to our small community. This project will not benefit the local population as all of the units are being priced at above 500,000 and marketed to the lake community in reason halting the public use of our ramp and beach to town residents only because of the impact it will have.

[John Mercier]

Obviously, someone thinks they will get the permitting necessary to build.

[ITD]

I'm doubting that CH cutting off beach and/or boat ramp access will kill this project, this developer is too far into it now. What it would probably do is cause lower prices. These people would still have access to the Moultonboro beach and boat ramps, just a short drive away.

[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by John Mercier

Obviously, someone thinks they will get the permitting necessary to build.

As long as they keep moving forward that is always a risk. With the little bit I have been able to find and read, the arguments being made are fair. This development likely would be moving forward with out much argument, except for the fact of its location. Center Harbor, ultimately has no control over whether the project gets all permitting or not. But the people of Center Harbor are concerned about the impact, on their community.

Given the location I believe that to be a fair concern. The question becomes how to keep the cooperation going between Center Harbor and Moultonborough.... I think ultimately a compromise will be found. That will keep the ramp and beach open to Moultonborough residents to use...

[John Mercier]

I understand the concern.

But like ITD stated, I doubt that it would stop the project... and the petition must be because someone thinks that the well permit issue will be resolved in favor of the developer.

Moultonborough putting a stop to the development without just cause would face a lawsuit... and probably still see the project built, just with more Moultonborough taxpayer money going into the offset.

The only option that I think could work is offering the developer to purchase the property and cover the cost of expected profit that it would produce.
Whether Moultonborough, Center Harbor, or a combination of the two should do so would be up to them.

They offered us this type of option in Belmont, because we have already purchased every piece of property marked for primary conservation and concern exist about property in other towns that might affect us.

[Cobalt 12]

Just the continuous destruction of New Hampshire. Soon, it will not be known as New Hampshire. It will be referred to as Northern New England.

[The Real BigGuy]

I wonder if the original settlers felt that way as more people moved north?


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[AC2717]

What I want to know, is what is really the impact of 44 housing units not on the water going to have on the boat ramp, are they assuming that there will be 44 or more boats being launched and retrieved everyday? Because that is ridiculous. Do these units have more than 2 parking spaces in order to store their boats on trailers to get to the water? can they even park trailers on the property to store their boats there? Seems to me the towns response has nothing to do with the project. This fight would be more genuine to me if they were to cut Center Harbor direct services to Moultonboro, services that would be directly affected by the project. Or why not only cut off Moultonboro residents from the ramp and not the public.

With more and more public access being taken away at lakes and ponds all over NH, and other states in New England for that matter, this seems to be a major trend and problem and I believe Center Harbor is using this development as an excuse to shut down their access to Lake Winni to others as many other towns have done on their access to other lakes.
As a fisherman just this year alone there has been 5 lakes that I know of that I can no longer have access to, boat launch nor roof top launch, because the towns folk or land owners around the public fresh water have seen it fit to change the public ramp the town owns and make it resident only or shut it down all together. An example - Canobie Lake, ramp open last year, now Windham gated the access and locked it and you need to be a resident and get a key, and the roof top launch in Salem is Salem residents only. Reasons were complaints about noise and trash blaming fisherman and others. On Big Island Pond and Canobie there were town rules put in place even before ramps were shut down that you could not fish docks or within 25 feet of docks due complaints of property owners? But yet the State says the water is public up to the high water mark on the land, so how are these rules possible??? and they have a state agency Fish and game enforcing these town rules? This remains unchecked and unchallenged.

I pay a license fee in order to fish State public fresh water and I cannot get to the state owned public waters because the town land is cutting off the access that was once provided. More and more lakes and ponds and waters have been cut off over the past 5 years. By cutting off access to public waters it is going to create more pressure on other waters and they will eventually be cut off due to complaints or pressure on the water system.

[ITD]

Who knows why these towns want to shut down access, but I will say I wish fishermen would not cast near boats. I have a few dings and a few tears in my canvass from a couple dumbasses casting right to the boat, missing, then ripping the canvas retrieving their lures. I have no problem with fishermen but a little common sense goes a long way.

[Sue Doe-Nym]

A Center Harbor resident posted a well thought out letter that spelled out many reasons why limiting access to their beach and launch areas would not be productive. He urged local residents NOT to sign any petition in favor of such restrictions. Hope they pay attention!

[AC2717]

Originally Posted by Sue Doe-Nym

A Center Harbor resident posted a well thought out letter that spelled out many reasons why limiting access to their beach and launch areas would not be productive. He urged local residents NOT to sign any petition in favor of such restrictions. Hope they pay attention!

could you provide a link to it
thank you

[longislander]

Petitions are only triggers for some other action; e.g. change in ordinance, a town vote or other action, for that jurisdiction.

Center Harbor ordinances: town beach 2.4
https://www.centerharbornh.gov/sites..._2021.docx.pdf

https://www.laconiadailysun.com/opin...111a26b75.html

https://www.moultonboroughnh.gov/Arc...wFile/Item/907

https://www.moultonboroughnh.gov/296...16-170-12-Bean

[Sue Doe-Nym]

Originally Posted by AC2717

could you provide a link to it
thank you

Google Laconia daily sun, and click on letters, and you’ll find it.

[AC2717]

here is a link to the letter: (also posted by Longislander - I just saw it)
very well put I would say

https://www.laconiadailysun.com/opin...111a26b75.html

[Chris Johnson]

Just wanted to say my articles in the Daily Sun/ Meredith News are only meant to oppose the petition warrant article to close access to the Center Harbor beach. I have no position on the actual approval of the Koss project. That is to be determined by Moultonboro officials.

Thanks for your positive comments on my articles.

Chris Johnson

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Chris Johnson

Just wanted to say my articles in the Daily Sun/ Meredith News are only meant to oppose the petition warrant article to close access to the Center Harbor beach. I have no position on the actual approval of the Koss project. That is to be determined by Moultonboro officials.

Thanks for your positive comments on my articles.

Chris Johnson

Hey, Chris, welcome to the forum!

As a seasonal property owner in Moultonborough, I appreciate your sentiments both because my family likes to eat at the CH pavilion a few times a summer and, more importantly, because, well, it's just a refreshing tone to hear at a time where so much public dialogue is critical and exclusionary.

Bravo, and thanks!

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