The Three Lakes Council sometimes takes advocacy positions in support of our stewardship mission.
One of the roles of the Three Lakes Council is to help educate property owners about how their actions can affect the lakes. Sometimes we see a building or development proposal that concerns us. The Council’s first step is usually to contact the property owner and ask that they consider the the potential effects of their projects on the lakes, and perhaps consider some modifications that would reduce the impact.
In a few cases, however, even after interaction with the property owner, and in the opinion of the board of the Three Lakes Council, the development is felt to jeopardize the lake environment. In those cases, the Three Lakes Council may express our position to the Planning Board, Zoning Board, or Town Board, and communicate to make the community more aware of the situation.
The Three Lakes Council has taken this step in six cases since the mid-1990’s.
One prominent situation was the proposed development of Mr. Petruccelli’s property on Oscaleta Road. Read more here.
In addition, the Three Lakes Council has occasionally expressed support for or concern with proposed legislation at the local, county, state, or federal level if we feel it affects our watershed.
For example, the council submitted comments on proposed NY aquatic invasive species regulations. 3LC also submitted comments on a NY proposal for a general permit for aquatic invasive species control actions. 3LC expressed the reasons for our concerns with the EPA proposal to change the 2015 Clean Water rule on Waters of the United States (WOTUS). We also expressed our concerns with Lewisboro’s proposed wetland code changes.
Update on the proposed new Town Wetland Code
Lewisboro proposed a new wetland code in November 2016. If approved, this code would dramatically weaken protection of Town lakes and wetlands, including our Three Lakes. Three Lakes Council and many residents submitted comments. See more on the wetland code page.