FAIRLEE — The Fairlee Selectboard is set to host a public meeting Monday night regarding a possible extension of the building moratorium currently in place along the shores of Lake Morey.
The moratorium, which prevents residents from building new subdivisions, buildings or projects that would require a conditional use permit, was initially put in place last fall to halt construction as the state continued to examine the causes of the cyanobacteria blooms that have plagued the lake in recent summers.
Faulty or overloaded septic systems along the shoreline could be contributing to the rising nutrient levels detected in recent years that feed cyanobacteria — a toxic blue-green algae-like substance that gathers at the surface of the lake.
But development is putting other pressures on the lake apart from the cyanobacteria issue, according to Fairlee Zoning Administrator Chris Brimmer. “The two things are intertwined deeply, but they are in fact two separate issues,” Brimmer said.
Independent of the cyanobacteria issue, pressure has been put on the lake from increased tourism to the area through weeklong rentals and more yearlong occupation in homes that had once been seasonal.
“Use patterns have changed,” Brimmer said. “And let’s face it. When you have people renting for one week, the dedication to that lakeside community diminishes. Lots of the impacts we’re dealing with here are not just about water quality.”
The construction moratorium extension would sunset when there’s an approved set of bylaws to address the issues the town has jurisdiction over, which include zoning and development regulations by the shoreline. The Fairlee Planning Commission is scheduled to propose bylaw amendments by January.
“I don’t expect it to be a contentious hearing,” Brimmer said. “I think there’s pretty broad consensus that we need to start tackling some of these things. We need to start taking the approach that Lake Morey is an urban lakefront.”
The hearing on Monday will be at 6:30 p.m. in the Grange Room of the Fairlee Town Hall. It will also be hosted on Zoom at the following link: https://tinyurl.com/2asr2das.
Frances Mize is a Report for America corps member. She can be reached at fmize@vnews.com or 603-727-3242.