Beavers and the Shoreline Protection Act

[HUH]

I have to laugh when people cry about clear cutting a house lot.. Do you realize that a hundred or so years ago the entire area was clear cut, including the islands for timber.
The Biggest problem with the quality of the lakes is acidity ! Mostly from acid rain created by coal burning power plants in the Midwest and Ohio valley...

[JL Girl]

Interestingly in the announcement of the repeal and reenactment of the CSPA to July 1, 2008, it says the legislature may pass additional amendments and to see the DES site. There doesn't seem to be anything there in the form of amendments, but does anyone know if there has been any further changes to the CSPA?

[tis]

Here is what I have been told are the latest changes.


http://www.des.nh.gov/Rulemaking/pro...interim_ip.pdf

[SteveA]

me thinks Beavers have been a problem for a long long time..

[Lakesrider]

If that ark stays under 45 MPH it will be fine.

[SIKSUKR]

Here's WMUR's story on tomorrows new law.

Shore Building Restrictions To Take Effect
New Houses Can't Be Built Within 50 Feet Of Shore

POSTED: 10:40 am EDT June 30, 2008


CONCORD, N.H. -- New rules taking effect in New Hampshire on Tuesday mean no more houses can be built within 50 feet of the shore.

Property owners will also be required to have permits for excavation, filling and construction within 250 feet of the shore unless requirements are met to maintain some of the lot's natural qualities.

Property rights advocate Tom Thomson, of Orford, N.H., said many property owners and officials still don't understand the rules and they should be delayed for a year.

"It's creating chaos," Thomson said. "The majority don't have a clue of what is happening July 1, and when they do, they will go wild."

State Sen. Joe Kenney, a Wakefield Republican candidate for governor, said he tried to delay the changes until the fall to help property owners. The rules were scheduled to go into effect in April, but a compromise pushed implementation to July 1.

Kenney believes future legislation will retool or repeal the new system.

Darlene Forst, the shoreland program supervisor at the state's Department of Environmental Services, said many people are reacting out of fear. She believes property owners will find the new rules less restrictive once they understand them.

The department is offering informational sessions in town halls around the state to explain the new system.

Jared Teutsch, president of the New Hampshire Lakes Association, said the group's membership is generally supportive of the measure.

Teutsch also said the state's sessions have been helpful.

"While change is difficult, this teaches them what they can do themselves to protect their asset," Teutsch said.

Some towns, like Franklin and Northwood, had allowed buildings to go up within 20 feet of the shore.

[Mee-n-Mac]

I get the idea (from reading this, XXIV-a) that pruning of tree limbs on trees within the protected zone is no longer permissable ? What's the truth ? What's the deal when my tree grows limbs that go over onto my neighbors property ?

[Misha888]

Originally Posted by Mee-n-Mac

I get the idea (from reading this, XXIV-a) that pruning of tree limbs on trees within the protected zone is no longer permissable ? What's the truth ? What's the deal when my tree grows limbs that go over onto my neighbors property ?

I haven't read all the rules myself, but I know that my boyfriend has. If I recall correctly, you can cut certain things, but only to a certain height. There are ratios that pertain to each 50 sq. ft. of space. i.e. If you take down one tree, you need to put another bush or something equivalent as a replacement. Here's a link to the summary of the changes, but there a larger document than the link that was previously posted on this page outlining all the rules and regs.

http://www.des.state.nh.us/cspa/pdf/...rdsSummary.pdf

With regards to the Beavers, you can call the state, but the trappers won't trap for free in the summer time because the pelts are worthless. If you wait until the early spring, you won't have to pay for a thing as the trappers presumably will trap for the pelt alone. I know they're a little annoying, but when they chomp down a tree, they're clearing the view and this year, I have two uniquely carved walking sticks all compliments of Mr. Beaver and crew.

If all else fails, call the pros who are having to regulate it.

Good luck!

[Orion]

Someone with a trained beaver for hire could make a lot of money around the Lake.

[Onshore]

The requirement to leave certain areas in an "unaltered state" is found in RSA 483-B:9, V, (b) (this is found on page 9 of the document Mee-n-Mac linked to.). This requirement does not apply to the entire protected shoreline. It applies to a certain percentage of that area of the lot that falls between 50 and 150 ft away from the reference line.

For starters, in those areas within 50 ft of the water (reference line). You are suposed to leave the ground cover in place with the exception of clearing for a 6 ft wide path and for any structures with a Wetlands permit. You can trim or prune the ground cover down to 3 ft in height and if the area was already open or landscaped you can continue to maintain those conditions.

You are supposed to maintain a minimum of 50 points worth of trees and saplings in each 50 ft x 50 ft section along the water. If you don't have enough trees and saplings in a section that does not mean you need to go out and plant something. It only means that you cannot remove any trees and saplings from that area at this time. Whether you have the minimum number of points or not, you are still allowed to limb the lower half of the trees to maintain a view and you are always allowed to remove limbs and trees that are dead diseased or that pose a safety hazard. Over time as trees grow they will gain in point value and you also have the option of planting trees or saplings and then later using those points in your count to cut something else. Just note that what you are planting for the purpose of counting should be a native species and you should give it a little time to make sure it is going to live before you cut anything else down.

In the area between 50 ft and 150 ft from the water there are 2 different buffer standards. The first is used for lots that have a half acre or less within 150 ft of the water. If your lot falls into this category, then 25% of the area between 50 and 150 ft from the water is supposed to be left in an "unaltered state". To put this in practical terms, if you have 100 ft of frontage on the water then you have approximately 15,000 sq ft of land within 150 ft of the water. You have approximately 10,000 sq ft between 50 ft and 150 ft the water. 7,500 sq ft can be cleared and developed, 2,500 should remain in an "unaltered state". If your town has a 10 property line setback then there is 1,000 sq ft up each property line that you couldn't build on anyway that would make practical sense to leave as unaltered, after that I think I'd start looking for wet areas that I couldn't build on anyways to cover the other 500 sq ft of unaltered area.

If your lot is already developed and there isn't 25% left in an unaltered state, then you are not required to let parts of it revert. You can maintain it as it is for as long as you want. Also the provision to remove dead diseased or hazardous trees and limbs still applies here (see provision C on page 9).

If your lot has more than a 1/2 acre within 150 ft of the water then the requirement is that you take the total area between 50 and 150 ft from the water and subtract the area of impervious surfaces located within this same portion of the buffer. Half of this remaining area is supposed to remain unaltered.

Once you get beyond 150 ft from the water there are no cutting restrictions.