The heads of Freedom’s Planning Board and Conservation Commission have issued joint letters to Ossipee and DES officials opposing the proposed expansion of the campground as a “significant” risk to the water quality of the lake and bays. This week’s Ossipee Planning Board meeting to consider the town-commissioned independent engineering report on the expansion plan has been postponed for two weeks.
Alliance Report
Alliance Asks Ossipee to Require More Flood Data Before Ruling on Westward Shores
The lake organization says inconsistent and inaccurate statements by the owner have clouded the flooding issue. It wants town officials to publicly establish the level at which flooding occurs at the campground, marina and peninsula, and require an accounting of how often the business has been evacuated in past years due to high water.
Freedom Conservation Commission Concerned About Westward Shores Expansion
Citing the need to protect surface water and the area’s aquifer, the Commission says the scope of the campground proposal makes it a regional issue, not just a matter for Ossipee planners. Meanwhile, questions continue about claims made to town officials by the campground’s engineering consultants.
High Stakes as Lake Community Seeks Natural Area Answers
The results of a May meeting will signal whether DRED can keep its coalition of state and local stakeholders working together as state funds dwindle and trespassing and vandalism increase at Ossipee Lake Natural Area.
The Smart Report: Over The Top, May 2016
Signs of spring: black flies. Signs of summer: the lake level has stabilized.