By Ry Rivard
Lake George is one of the most pristine lakes of its kind in the country.
Still, it’s showing signs of wear and tear, thanks to its popularity. Last fall, a first-of-its-kind algal bloom in the lake shook already anxious watchdogs to push for further regulations of lakeside property owners.
It’s taken several years for the lake’s main regulator, the Lake George Park Commission, to update regulations to curb pollution that flows off roads, roofs and lots when rain falls or snow melts. Now, the Park Commission is facing — but so far resisting — growing pressure to order the inspection of leaking shoreline septics systems.
But one kind of pollution can help draw a quick response, even it might not be the biggest problem facing the lake. On Tuesday, commissioners got an earful about a different source of sewage and decided to delay a lakeside dock project. A group of Lake George homeowners said they’re worried about people who are drawn to the lake so much they don’t leave when another kind of nature calls.
The group is opposed to a proposed series of docks with boathouses and sundecks on Cotton Point, a community in the Town of Bolton on busy Basin Bay.
The new docks could moor over two dozen more boats and accompany a four-lot subdivision proposed by Michael Caruso.
The Town of Bolton and the Adirondack Park Agency already approved construction of new homes, but the Park Commission has special jurisdiction over dock construction.
One of the commissioners, Joe Stanek, said the number of docks seemed too large for a project that was supposed to be residential.
Since no car parking is allowed right by the lake in this part of Cotton Point, there also isn’t a good way to get down to the docks, which would be up to a third of a mile away from the new homes. Current residents worried about their would-be neighbors: After a few beers, would they all really make the trek back to their houses?
“People are going to be peeing in the lake, peeing in the woods,” said John Caffry, a Glens Falls attorney who represents one of the other homeowners on Cotton Point.
Turnout for a Zoom meeting made for the Park Commission’s biggest audience since the pandemic began. Before the meeting Tuesday morning, the commission had also received about 70 comments opposed to the dock project. By contrast, the latest version of the park commission’s years-long overhaul of stormwater regulations for the whole lake received about 20 public comments.
At least a handful of commenters wrote about their bathroom worries:
- “Where will these people go to the bathroom?”
- “Will they really walk the 1/4 – 1/2 mile to their homes? The more likely case is that they will use the lake and the wetlands as their bathroom. (We can’t imagine asking our 4 and 6 year old grandchildren to walk 10 – 15 minutes to use a bathroom!)”
- “With no house nearby and no bathrooms at the docks, it would be inevitable that people would sit on the docks and drink and eat. With no bathrooms, they would urinate in the lake.”
- “There are no public or private bathroom facilities available for the people who would be using these docks, unless they were to install Portable Toilets on the docks or on the Sundecks.”
- “Boaters using the shallow sandy bottom of Basin Bay are already coming ashore to find a bush.”
Caruso’s attorney, Robert Gregor, argued the concerns were misplaced, in part because people are already misusing the lake and his client’s project hasn’t been built yet.
The new homes and docks will create more “socially responsible” activity in the area, he argued.
“It will protect the lake more than what we have right now,” Gregor said.
In the end, the Park Commission will decide the docks’ fate another day. After Vice Chairman Ken Parker called the issue one of the “most interesting, complicated” development applications the agency has dealt with in years, commissioners voted to table the application until later.
Parker said he missed being in the same room with everybody and being able to easily see their reactions.
“What I really miss is the rolling of the eyes from the audience,” he said.
Their “concerns are misplaced because people are already misusing the lake.”
Wait, what?
No restrooms is just one issue when it comes to the proposed dock construction in Basin Bay.
If we keep building along Lake George’s shorelines the pristine waters will be no more.
I grew up on the lake and see a tremendous decline in the water and its surrounding shores over the years manly due to overpopulation and construction.
I can only hope the LGPC will see this project doesn’t fit this scenic byway…Cotton Point Rd.
Cotton Point Road, a designated scenic corridor, hosts beautiful unobstructed views of the lake that are a true rarity. If these docks are allowed, the character of Cotton Point Road will be lost forever.
Over 85 letters/emails were filed with the LGPC opposing these new docks. While the lack of bathrooms is an important concern, there are other serious visual, health, safety and environmental issues that will negatively impact our community if the proposed docks are built. Hopefully the LGPC will find a solution that keeps our unique shoreline scenic, safe, healthy and clean for generations to come.
There is no electricity to provide for lighting and or bubblers. The frontage is surrounded by wetlands so access to proposed commercial boat houses is impossible . This is really about revenues for 4 home owners nothing more. In 2015 the LGPC determined that their was already over use of Basin Bay. To establish boat houses with 30+ boats will only add to the problem that the LGPC recognized as an issue 5 years ago.
The boat houses will be on a road with no side walks for pedestrian safety. No bathroom facilities so rather than walk 0.4 miles home they will simply use the wet lands as their bathroom facilities. The 21 acres of wetlands are the home to mink, otter, osprey, fox, and deer. This must be protected.
In addition to the serious environmental concerns mentioned by more than 80 people, the added boat congestion to Basin Bay would be a recipe for disaster. The LGPC noted in 2015 that the bay was already overcrowded. As someone who frequently swims, kayaks and paddle boards in the bay, the docks would pose additional water safety threats to the numerous people who use the water. Cotton Point Rd. can not handle additional traffic, again putting lives at risk. I hope the LGPC takes into account all the negative impacts the proposed docks would have on the area.
The proposed building of docks and boat hoses along Cotton Point Road is NOT A GOOD IDEA. There are no bathroom facilities, no parking facilities, and road safety for other cars and pedestrians would be severely compromised. Also it would disturb the wetlands along the road. Ice could be a problem in the winter also. Its bad enough that boaters have found Basin Bay and lash their boats together five or six at a time.
This article, while appreciated, tends to trivialize the multitude of valid objections that have been made regarding the dock/boathouse project. Cotton Point Road is a very narrow, windy passageway situated in an area which houses several residential associations and communities. It is a family-oriented place with many children. Even now, great care must be taken as one drives along the roadway, and the added traffic generated by this project, both vehicular and pedestrian, would be critically hazardous. With respect to boat traffic, Basin Bay has already been identified as overused — during the summer numerous boats are allowed to enter the bay, anchor and tie up together. Some of them stay overnight or longer, generating legitimate complaints from the residents of the area. Contrary to the applicant’s claim, there is no evidence that this project will in any manner “reduce” the tremendous problem that already exists. It will only add exponentially to the existing dangers for swimmers, kayakers and other residents who simply want to enjoy some non-motorboat oriented activities in a safe manner (as they are entitled to do). Basin Bay is one of the most aesthetically beautiful bays on the lake, but the presence of dock/boathouses of this nature will significantly and negatively impact that beauty. The project as presently presented (7 large dock/boathouses for 4 distant “residential” lots?), certainly has the aura of a commercial project, or at least the potential for hazardous over-expansion. It is unrealistic to believe, given the scope of this project, that the dock/boathouses will be used exclusively by the 4 lot owners solely in a residential capacity, or that these non-adjacent lot owners will have the same vested interest in maintaining the lakefront that adjacent residential owners have. The project will only attract more non-residential vehicular, pedestrian and boat traffic in an area that simply cannot bear that capacity.
This is about Lake Stewardship.
Is this decision in the best interest of the lake?
Based on the current reports on invasive species, poor sewage systems out of date, wetlands not being protected, is enough of a reason to table this until statistics show better responsibility.
Bathroom Etiquette is a side note and is a question we must all ask ourselves? What do I teach in my home?
Please be reminded that this is the Queen of American lakes.
She deserves an eagle eye.
It seems like the commission is going to give in and not really take in to what is going on. The shoreline along Cotton Point is already has erosion going on building permanent docks will not help in stopping this but will make it happen more. Public bathrooms will only make more of a mess for boaters anchoring in the bay will just leave their garbage and misuse the bathrooms ( who will be cleaning these) I could go on and on with reasons for not letting this happen but I believe that the commission will not listen.
What happen to forever wild ???
Also take those big crude ships OFF the lake .plus regulate the use of fossil fuel vehicles of any kind from being in the waters of ALL lakes and ponds in the ADKS !!!
The proposed docks raise serious environmental and public safety issues, in addition to the lack of bathrooms cited in the article. Cotton Point Road has been designated a Scenic Travel Corridor and new docks along this portion of the road would eliminate one of the few remaining stretches of undeveloped shoreline in the Southern Basin. Increased traffic to and from the docks would also increase the risk of accidents on Cotton Point Road and in Basin Bay, both of which are already overcrowded.
Apparently the same letter writing campaign that hit the LGPC also targeted the comment section of this article.
When did Cotton point Road become a “Scenic Byway”? Its a dead end residential road. Who designated it? The Town of Bolton?? Certainly not NYSDOT. Where is the signage denoting this designation to the public? This particular argument of traffic congestion is way beyond red herring territory and firmly in the comically obtuse zone. If you are concerned about dangers from traffic to pedestrians, you dont promote driving as an activity on a narrow, dead end, residential road. Making the argument that people who own vacant land and wish to develop it will add to traffic risks only illustrates the selfishness of those who already own developed property in the neighborhood and don’t count themselves among the causes of increased traffic. Its a classic do as I say not as I do situation.
The bathroom argument is also entirely laughable. Do these people seriously want us to believe that when they are using their own boathouse or their own boat that every, child, grandchild, niece, nephew, guest, and other person is running back to the house every time they need to pee? Absolutely none of them are peeing behind a bush by the dock or letting it go while having a swim? So these new folks who want to build and enjoy what the NIMBYs already own for themselves will just pee all over the place like a bunch of wild animals on a rampage? Sounds like quite the privileged assessment of what others might behave like when in fact there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever that those doing the complaining are any better stewards for the lake than those they are trying to thwart.
A much better way to use the resources of the LGPC would be not having them referee an argument between the ultra privileged and their perceived enemies. What would be terrific is if they could start comprehensive testing of the septic systems at lake front homes. Any home found to be leaking sewage into the lake would have 30 days to submit a plan for remediation and another 90 days after that to commence repairs with a sunset of 6 months to have them finished or face extremely heavy fines. Those who refuse to participate or make remediation to deficient systems should have their homes condemned. Maybe Cotton Point would make a good place to start with this program. We have already heard a lot about the high density of use that exists in that area from its residents. I hope they would welcome such a program and recognize how it goes hand in hand with the types of environmental concerns that they already expressed in their letters about the proposed development.
Well sir your facts are a bit jaded for your own selfish desires. If you truly were concerned you would form an association have one boat house and a dock easily housing 8 boats for four homes. This is about an already overcrowded bay with 30+ more boats with future considerations, pedestrian safety while upwards to 60 people stagger up and down are road with no side walks. A bay that was noted by the LGPC to be overcrowded in 2015. And no parking for the possibility of upwards to 30 vehicles coming down Cotton Point Road and stopping to disembark
Your group seems to be driven by greed and profit. I don’t believe in good conscience you cannot say that it is not a for profit development. If you really did care about the lake that I have lived on for 60 years you would simply request a modest boat house and dock so that you and the other families family could enjoy the lake. By the way there is no parking on my property of that of hemlock point. Do we really believe you are going to walk a 3rd of a mile with all your boating supplies for a day of boating? As Joe Biden would say “Come on Man”
As unpleasant, disgusting, and real as the bathroom issue is – it is hardly the driving concern.Property all around Basin Bay and adjacent areas are almost exclusively residential. The relatively recent “discovery” of Basin Bay by day use boaters has created an overcrowded and unsafe environment for the residents of the bay.
To add 30+ dock spaces to the shoreline along Cotton Pt Rd could only add to the congestion. I can’t imagine how 30+ dock spaces is necessary for 4 residences. Seems like full plans for the property are not being disclosed.
This bay has been enjoyed by families for generations and we would be more inclined to welcome new neighbors if some decency, respect and common sense was applied vs brash entitlement and commercial greed.
Mr Rivers offers a very reasonable suggestion of a single boat house.
Speaking to Mr Heller’s question: yes, Cotton Point Rd is a Designated Scenic Travel Corridor as stipulated in the Town of Bolton code (200-20)