MEETING NOTES
from the April 12th special meeting of the
Lake Kanasatka Watershed Association (LKWA) and Kilnwood Association (KWA)

    1. Increase the size of their dock from the current space for 14 motorboats at present to 16 boats. This would involve adding two more 24’ fingers to the west end of their existing pipe dock. The court agreement permits 16 motorboats in a three finger configuration. Thus the expansion would add additional fingers but allow the same number of boats originally permitted.
    2. Allow property owners to launch boats from the grassy area off the beach rather than trailer them to the public launch on Route 25. Kilnwood maintains a system of dock rotation since not all boat owners can access a slip at any given time. Launching from the beach would permit those residents who are currently assigned a slip to launch their boat and the person whose slip is being vacated could remove their boat from the water at the same time via the Kilnwood beach. This would not involve daily or weekly launching or take-out from the beach. Currently there is a locked chain in place to prevent unauthorized use. Only KWA residents are supposed to have keys.
    3. Have the opportunity to purchase adjacent land should it become available for non-construction uses such as a natural buffer or additional well sites.
Each of the above activities was prohibited under the 1973 court stipulation/agreement. KWA believes that assent from LKWA is desirable to “legitimize” their plans.


Questions from the group to Mark Whary, current president of KWA, included:
          1. Q. Exactly how many boats are currently docked and how many slips are proposed in the expansion? A. 14 current boats, add space for 2 more. [The plan submitted seems to indicate 4 additional boats may be docked under the proposal.] Q. Follow-up: Is it worth the trouble to change the agreement in order to get two more slips? A. Kilnwood plans to make changes to their waterfront over the coming years and wants to follow the correct processes. Q. Follow-up: Two more fingers appear to have been added beyond the original three. A. They were added in 1999 under a DES permit. Ted Hilton agreed.
          2. Q. What is the status of the application to DES for a dock expansion permit? A. Unclear. Mark believed it had been filed; others have searched for it online but have not found it. Mark will contact the KWA consultant doing the work. LKWA would like to have a copy of the application.
          3. Q. Have all avenues to attempt to dock two more boats at the current dock been exhausted? A. Not clear. Mark will work with others to continue to explore options.
          4. Q. Has Ted Hilton been informed of the request to modify the agreement? A. KWA (Walker Spring and Mark Whary) believe they have informed Ted Hilton of the proposal and that Hilton is in agreement with it. [Jane Fairchild had a recent phone conversation with Ted Hilton who did not seem aware of the KWA proposal and expressed his opposition to it when it was described. He states he did not agree to any expansion in 1999. Ted and his son Ted, Jr, have recently e-mailed several people from LKWA expressing their opposition to the proposal] It was strongly suggested that KWA should speak directly with the Hiltons and Bibblers, abutters on both sides. A. Suggestion noted.
          5. Q. Concerns were expressed that since the agreement has been in place for 35 years, perhaps it is not a matter of changing the agreement but rather enforcing it to KWA members and considering other ways of meeting the needs of members. A. Suggestion noted.
          6. Q. The docks now have a water circulation system in place over the winter since it is difficult to remove all the dock sections every fall. Since the permit application is for a “seasonal dock” (defined as removed during the winter months), Kilnwood should check on whether this system is allowed for their type of dock. [The final rules may not have been promulgated yet]. A. Will investigate.
          7. Q. Would there be safety issues for campers and swimmers by the launching of boats from the beach area? [ A new camp has recently been established at Deer Hill] A. KWA states boats travel at a very slow speed in the cove as it is shallow and rocky and would not present safety concerns.
          8. Q. To what extent does KWA foresee that the nesting loons near the rocks in Kilnwood would be disturbed by either additional boat traffic or launching of boats from the beach? A. The loon raft is not currently maintained. Mark Whary has spoken to the LPC about placing the raft in a more suitable location this summer. KWA also believes the slow speed of boats in and around the cove/dock would not present a problem to the loons. [A biologist from the LPC will comment on the KWA proposal as part of the dock alteration permit process].
          9. Q. Why does Kilnwood want the ability to purchase more land? A. Only in the event land becomes available perhaps for additional well sites or as a buffer. In no event would further building be contemplated. Follow up Q. Is there currently property under consideration? A. No.

Jane E Fairchild, LKWA Secretary, Notes of KWA Meeting
April 15, 2008

Attendees: Laurie & Doug Whitley, Jane & Peter Fairchild, Antonia vonGottberg, Marjory Ramage, Barbara Lauterwasser, Bill Smith from LKWA. Mark Whary, Walker Spring & Allen Rapp from KWA and LKWA.