By CHARLENE LOVETT
In New Hampshire, all fresh water bodies that are located entirely within the state with an area of 10 acres or more are state-owned public waters and are held in trust by the state for public use. RSA 233-A, passed by the legislature in 1992, protects the public’s right to free boat access to these bodies of water. This right is expanded to 24/7 access if federal dollars are used to create the boat launch. Unlike other large lakes, a public boat access site, as defined by state statute, doesn’t exist on Lake Sunapee. There are municipally owned sites, and one site for smaller craft at the state beach. However, all have limitations that negatively impact the public’s right to boat access.
For years, the Wild Goose property, owned by the state, was considered by many to be the best solution. However, it has also been the subject of much opposition by communities and organizations in the lake’s vicinity. Despite the issuance of all applicable state permits for site development and overturned appeals against development, the site continues to be the subject of much debate.
In response to the continued opposition, Gov. Sununu issued Executive Order 2017-06, establishing the Lake Sunapee Public Boat Access Development Commission (LSPBADC) in September 2017. The governor ordered the commission to “research and evaluate both potential alternative opportunities for development of the Wild Goose Property and potential alternative opportunities for expansion of public boat access at Lake Sunapee.” He also mandated that the commission prepare a report detailing its recommendations by March 1, soliciting and reviewing input from all relevant public and private stakeholders.
By executive order, the governor specified the composition of the 15-member commission. The commission included one resident from New London, Newbury and Sunapee, each appointed by the local governing body. In addition, the governor appointed three public members who were either residents of these towns or who own property on the lake shore. It did not include a resident from Claremont or Newport, though residents from both communities frequent Lake Sunapee. The commission also did not include a representative from the Department of Transportation, even though road safety was often cited as a concern in developing Wild Goose as a boat access site.
On February 28 the LSPBADC submitted their report to the governor. The report was the culmination of discussion and public input over the course of six meetings. It contained four recommendations: remove the Wild Goose site from consideration as a Fish and Game boat launch and transfer the site to the Division of State Parks; find an alternative site and, in the interim, expand parking at existing launches; make the Fish and Game Department whole for expenditures relating to the Wild Goose site; and encourage the state to approve funding for increased trailered boat parking should the Division of State Parks seek such funds. These recommendations were supported by nine of the 15-member commission. Three members voted in opposition, and three abstained.
Because the commission recommended the transfer of the Wild Goose site to the Division of State Parks, the public was invited to comment on the commission’s report during the July 12 meeting of the Council of Resource and Development (CORD). The meeting was well attended by members of the public who spoke both in favor of and against the commission’s recommendations. Some of the comments pertained to omissions in the report.
The commission’s report did not cite the fact that governing bodies, such as the Sullivan County Commissioners, the Claremont City Council and the Newport Town Selectboard, all submitted resolutions in favor of the Wild Goose Site. When recommending the state beach as an interim solution for expanded boat access, the commission did not include in the report all of the safety, environmental and legal concerns shared by members of the public. Fortunately, the CORD meeting on July 12 provided the opportunity to do so.
The next step in the process will be the CORD meeting on September 13, during which the council will hear testimony from state agencies regarding the Wild Goose Property. It will be interesting to hear the agencies’ perspectives on the commission’s recommendation to transfer the Wild Goose Property from Fish and Game to the Division of State Parks. In the meantime, public boat access to Lake Sunapee still remains an issue and the future of Wild Goose is still in question. For more information on the LSPBADC, please go www.nhstateparks.org/about-us/division/reports.aspx
Charlene Lovett is the Mayor of Claremont and welcomes your feedback. Please email questions, comments or concerns to her at [email protected].
As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.