Those looking for coveted dock space on Ballston Lake will need to paddle into Ballston Town Hall this month to check out new local laws that went into effect Friday, June 1.
The new town ordinances place restrictions on docks, moorings, boathouses and marinas on the lake. Members of the Ballston Lake Improvement Association culled the listing available now at the town clerk’s office from neighboring waters, including Lake George. The association’s work crafting the right rules took about three years.
`We realized we didn’t have anything on the books; we didn’t think we’d ever need them,` said Peter Herman, the association’s president. `Then there was a developer planning to put in housing units at the Cappiello property, and we had the sudden vision of a marina or a bunch of docks lined up available for rental.`
The eight-page list of restricted uses was drawn up to minimize the impact to the shoreline environment and its natural character by minimizing structures and maintaining conforming construction standards.
There are 261 properties lining the quiet, picturesque lake, known for its great fishing. Most have docks built of weather-worn wood, with Adirondack chairs and a canoe or kayaks tethered or pulled onto the shore. All of the existing docks are grandfathered in, and don’t have restrictions unless the owners decide to rebuild.
`As of June 1, anyone wanting to change their dock needs to go to the building department for a permit,` said Herman. `It becomes just like any other construction project in town.`
The permit comes with a modest fee of $50, since the laws weren’t launched as an income generator for the town. Some specifics include restrictions on dock configurations, a minimum of 15-feet setback from the adjacent property line, no access to other docks, no docks interfering with flowing water or wave washes, and no covered docks with permanent roofing. Variances are up to the town zoning board to grant or turn down.
Moorings, including floats, boats or seaplanes tied by rope or cable, cannot be any closer than 20-feet to the property line extended into the water. Each waterfront lot is limited to one mooring, and cables must be clearly marked or sunk to the lake bottom to prevent navigational hazards.
Boathouses are allowed on lake property only when used to store boats and related equipment. That means no eating, sleeping, or bathroom facilities. There are new regulations for sizes of boathouses, and floating versions are not allowed. Marinas are completely banned from the lake, and for those who wish to rent out fishing boats, they must be small vessels with a limit of five boats per dock. Any public boat launches must conform to the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the Army Corps of Engineer regulations.
Ballston Lake is classified a New York State Navigable body of water, and that means the town doesn’t need to regulate speed, but the state does. Speed limits are 5 miles per hour within 100 feet of shore, a rule Herman said most boaters adhere to.
Motorized boats are permitted, but Herman said the character of the lake doesn’t attract water thrill-seekers.
`We don’t have crazy incidents here; it’s just not large enough for big boats,` said Herman. `Sure, there are the hot Sunday afternoons when there are lots of boats out, and you probably don’t want to take out the kayak, but that’s about as active as it gets.`
Ann and David Pierce have lived on the lake for several years, and as a member of the improvement association, Ann Pierce said she is relieved to see the new rules in place.
`We need to be pro-active,` said Pierce. `The lake is long and narrow, and there are things we worry about, like the docks and now the weeds. I’ve gone to a conference on lake ecology to learn what more we can do.`
Pierce said she and her husband regularly drive around the lake to check out what their neighbors are doing with their homes and docks.
`Nothing really horrid is out there. Most are appropriate to the landscape and appropriate,` said Pierce. `There is a big plastic shed on one dock and someone has a walkway into the wetlands, which we’ll have to look into.`
Pierce said she understands the need for homeowners to extend their docks into the water to reach deep enough waters to safely cannonball into the lake.
`There are more shallow weedy areas where you need a longer dock, but no one has abused it,` said Pierce. `But as camps are torn down, there are larger houses being built, and that’s not the best thing for the ecology of the lake.`
While the association continues to gauge the characteristics of Ballston Lake, those who live there respect the gentle waters and want to ensure their future.
`It’s a safe family lake, a great place to fish, tube and water ski,` said Herman. `I’ve been in the water for 50 years, and watch the lake every day, and luckily, it hasn’t changed very much. We just want to keep it that way.`
Photo caption: Dylan Beman, Miles Eglantine and Corey Kieru of Scotia cast thier lines at the public fishing pier on Ballston Lake Tuesday. (Cari Scribner/Spotlight)
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