Archive for category: News

On schedule and under budget!  Munson, the construction company working for the Fire District #1, will finish this week connecting all the Winnemere camps to the new water line.  The yellow temporary water lines will then disappear.  Munson will then repave those edges of Breezy Avenue and Wilson St. where they had to dig up to put in the new main. 

After the paving, Munson will put in the 1600 feet of pipe going out the south side of Breezy Ave. to the new fire station site at the Four Corners. The schedule then calls for installing pipe along Country Club Road and putting down new pipe out Black’s Point.  Redoing the roof of the reservoir and erecting a separate control building for the new well #4 will probably get done next spring.  The Town of Greensboro will pay for the spur out to the fire station site; all else is paid for by the water users under a 40 year loan agreement with the USDA.

The Greensboro Planning Commission is working on proposed changes to the Greensboro Zoning Bylaw which governs the Caspian Lakeshore district.  The Commission plans to present the new zoning rules at Town Meeting in March 2014, and if voted in they will become effective as of that meeting.

An excellent comparison of the proposed zoning to the current Lakeshore zoning is found here.

The Greensboro Association has submitted comments to the Planning Committee about the draft proposal and has specifically questioned some of the provisions included in Article 8:  Lake Shoreland Protection District Bylaw, which starts on page 56.  The Greensboro Association urges Lakeshore property owners and potential owners to read Article 8 in particular, which contains further requirements regarding rebuilding, renovating or managing trees within the Lakeshore district.  Property owners can also submit comments to the Planning commission at [email protected].

In brief, the Greensboro Association has questioned provisions calling for time consuming obligations on property owners who wish to cut trees on their property, on limitations to rebuild damaged existing cottages on their existing footprint, and on the need for stronger zoning in general given the continuing health of Caspian Lake.

The changes are a response to State legislation H.526 which being considered by the State Senate to provide a state regulation of all Vermont waters, including Caspian Lake.  H. 526 has already been passed by the State House of Representatives.

Copies of the proposed changes are available at the Town Hall and here:  Zoning Bylaw – 2013 Working DRAFT  .

The GA Annual Meeting was held on Friday, August 9 at the UCC.  We were delighted to celebrate Helen Dimick, this years Greensboro Award winner. Helen was introduced by Warren Hill, chair of the Greensboro Selectboard, who joined speakers from the Greensboro Association as well as Robbie Hurst from Willey’s and Ed LeClair of Circus Smirkus. We appreciate all the information shared.

The members voted to accept the amended GA Bylaws and Articles of Association, and to approve the GA Board’s intention to apply for 501(c)3 status for the Greensboro Association. Reports were given by the Lake Committee (Andy Dales), the Grants Committee (Clay Simpson), the Nominations committee (Don Jenkins) and the Treasurer (Rick Lovett). John Stone shared the Presidents report as well. All reports are available here.

One special thanks was extended to Anne Harbison, who is retiring this year from her over 10 year commitment to the Memorial Garden. Many thanks, Anne! We all appreciate your hard work, and the beautiful result.

2013 marks the 68^th season of Lake Concerts on Sundays in the on Caspian Lake.   Recently I remarked that I had been up to the concert in my canoe the night before and how lovely it had
been.   One of the other woman remarked that she would love to go, but didn’t really know where the concert was or how to get there.  SOOOO, for all of you who might want to experience this wonderful Greensboro tradition for the first time, here are some pointers.

• Concerts occur Sundays in July and August – 8pm start in July, and 7:30pm start in August.
• The program for the concert is usually found on the front door of Willey’s Store the prior week.
  
• The concerts occur at the Landon Lake House, which is located at 163 Pleasants Street on the south end of the lake.
  
• Concert goers are welcome by non-power boat via lake, or by car to sit on the iconic veranda of this large and wonderful cottage.  If you come by boat, do bring a light to use on your way back to your dock.
• Everyone using the lake during the concerts is encouraged to be quiet during the concerts.

Lisa and John Hewett have been in charge of these concerts for many decades – we all thank them for the tremendous effort and for such lovely evenings on the Lake.

Summer is in full swing in Greensboro.   Please check the Green Sheet for listings of various activities and dates/times during July and August.  There is something for everyone.

Theater    
2013 season of the Greensboro Arts Alliance and Residency

Music
Caspian Monday Music
Summer Music from Greensboro
The Craftsbury Chamber Players
The Sky Blue Boys

Children’s   Activities
The Greensboro Free Library
The Art House
4 Seasons of Early Learning
Wonder and Wisdom
Circus Smirkus

Book  Groups  
The Greensboro Free Library
The United Church of Christ

Greensboro  Association
Caspian Challenge Run Walk – SIGN UP NOW!
Caspian Lake Sail Days

Fitness 
Yoga with Sophia Barsalow
Zumba
Tai Chi
Pilates
Swim the Kingdom – Caspian Lake

Lecture   Series
The Greensboro Historical Society
GUCC Summer Lecture Series

And many other events on our GREEN SHEET .   Check back to www.greensboroassociation.org for more information as the summer rolls on!

Please email [email protected] if you would like us to include your events in our green sheet and mailings.

ALSO…..2013 Directories are available for purchase at Willey’s Store.

Haven’t paid your dues for 2013?   Dues payment and donation information here.

Is there someone you know who would like to be added to our mailing list?   Please send the email to [email protected] with their name and email address.

The Vermont State Legislature has passed a bill in the final days of its 2013 calendar which exempts the Caspian Lake Public Beach from state taxes.   This bill, which is a piece of legislation targeted at miscellaneous technical changes to the tax code, amended property tax law to include an exemption for parcels of land which “provide public access to public waters….and which are owned by the Town of Hardwick, and which are located in Greensboro Vermont.”

This bill appears to solve recent questions between Greensboro and Hardwick regarding taxation of the Public Beach.

In 2013, the State of Vermont ruled that the Public Beach, which has been owned by Hardwick sine 1927, be added to the Greensboro tax roll . The Town of Hardwick was assessed for the first time a tax of  over $10,000 on this 2.4 acre parcel, which includes 325 of shoreline. Both Hardwick and Greensboro residents have been unhappy with the state’s position, and have been seeking a number of ways to mitigate Hardwick’s tax bill while maintaining the current full and free use of the property for area residents.

Various possible solutions to the tax problem had been proposed, including sale of the property to a private owner; sale to the Vermont State Fish and Wildlife Department; sale or donation of the property to Greensboro with rights for Hardwick residents to use the beach in perpetuity; and a court case asking for a summary judgment saying that the property is not taxable under state law.

There is still a question of whether taxes are owed for the current year since the bill is effective January 1, 2014.

Thanks to Senators John Rodgers, Jane Kitchell, Robert Starr and Joe Benning, and Representative Kristina Michelsen for their help in this matter.

Click here to read the 2013 Spring Newsletter! Lots of news and information about upcoming  events in Greensboro.  Thank you to Niall Kirkwood, our Newsletter Editor.

5K Run  5K Walk  6.8 mile loop…something for everyone!

Join us on July 27 for a morning of community support for Greensboro’s natural treasure: Caspian Lake! Proceeds from the run this year will go toward the Greensboro Association’s Lake Protection Fund in 2013. The primary aim of the fund is to provide milfoil and other invasive species prevention, as well as to monitor overall water quality in Caspian Lake.

Runners and walkers are all welcome!

Details and registration information are available here.