Saturday April 3, 2021

To whom it may concern,

March 27th it was proposed on our community Facebook page and on Nextdoor that we purchase the empty land at 16 Lighthouse Lane.  The idea is for the community to purchase and maintain open land that can be used by the public and have joint access to each of our lakes. It was suggested to absorb the costs into our annual assessments lasting 10 or more years.  Unfortunately, the proposal, from the former owner and neighbor of 14 Lighthouse Lane, publicly advocated this idea without full input or consent from those of us that live in the cul de sac, adjacent to the property.  After speaking with our neighbors, we have a list of specific concerns and questions that are also important to take into account when reviewing the idea.

Below is a list of our concerns:

·      The idea was presented, in part, as a raised boardwalk with seating, a dual beach with lake access to both sides and a possible picnic area. As you can see in the image below there are cattails that line the shore on the Third Lake side. They grow up to 12ft tall making open views of the lake challenging. These cannot be removed as they provide natural and sustainable protection from erosion to the land here and were placed there for that purpose by the village.  Therefore, a long pier (as you see the adjacent properties) would be needed for lake access, which already exists at two different nearby locations (Druce Lake Beach; Third Lake Boat Launch).  A pier, boardwalks or beaches, along with their maintenance and repairs will create an ongoing expense.

·      The purchase price of vacant land would not be the only expense. 

o   Significant resources would be required to bring the lot to code with surveys and extensive excavating to elevate the lot to control existing flooding.

o   Clearing the vast number of trees and brush

o   Lawn Maintenance, garbage, and sanitation

o   Expense for a beach and piers along with its maintenance and upkeep

·      The land and the residence zoning would be a permanent loss of tax revenue for our schools

·      The ongoing expenses would most likely require a permanent increase to association dues. This can also impact the sales of homes in our area.

·      The loss of privacy and the quiet of our cul de sac – one of the reasons attracting buyers to this street and the neighborhood – is a potential negative to property values.  Other open land and parks that exist in Mariner’s Cove are strategically placed on thru streets and not cul de sacs. The increased traffic would make the street less safe for the families with young children.

·      The street and property access to this space is zoned for private property with a single-family home.  A change in the zoning could bring additional noise, traffic, and garbage.  Parking, which is already problematic in our cul de sac, will be a disturbing factor for our street and the wildlife in this space.

·      The increase in activity to our small lakes can cause more water and pollution issues from the garbage, sanitation, and dog waste.

·      Sizable investments to existing lake access have recently been made for our community (Druce Lake Beach; Third Lake boat launch)

·      It also seems there are other priorities for our community such as

o    Water quality of the lakes,

o   Updating existing parks and open spaces

o   Curbs, potholes, sidewalks

o   Sick and dead trees

o   Broken and dated streetlights

o   Deteriorated and problematic cable/internet lines

o   Access to the Savanna

Ideas for open spaces for all to enjoy sound like good ideas on their face.  However, there are a myriad of issues this zoning change would encounter adding to the expense of the project, the ongoing cost to the neighborhood and potentially a lower quality of life and enjoyment for those us that live on Lighthouse Lane.  The entirety of our street bought our homes understanding 16 Lighthouse Lane was zoned for a single residence where an owner could take pride and care of this property which preserves and/or raises home values and maintains the peace and quiet of a cul de sac.  

RESPECTFULLY,