A note from the shores of 63 Ridge Top Way

Greetings all!

Following is a letter I am submitting to the Town Manager and the Select Board.

It was prompted by a colleague's notification there are cows meandering upstream  in the Lamoille River.  We have many challenges to water quality.  Each one, however seemingly small, have an impact.  None are too small to overlook.

Best to all,

pkl

OK, so we a added a potted palm tree and a few friends

Colchester has diligently pursed through policy and practice protection of 27 miles of Lake Champlain shoreline within her municipal boundaries.  We are a leader in shoreline regulation and, as such, the State of Vermont, in recognition of Colchester's rigorous standards,   granted Colchester  delegation after the passage of the 2014 Shoreland Protection Act.     Our Director of Planning and Zoning, Sarah Hadd, and her staff have worked tirelessly to ensure we are in compliance with Federal Floodplain Regulations.  We are an MS4 community and, under the direction of our Public Works Director, Bryan Osborne, we continue to meet and indeed exceed the requirements for that program.  Colchester is a leader in addressing water quality issues and we recently completed an exhaustive Integrated Water Research Management study.  

I have been involved as a citizen volunteer on the Conservation Commission and the Planning Commission as well as a shoreline owner and concerned Colchester resident with the water quality of Lake Champlain.  Over the years, the most consistent complaint I hear from my neighbors and the public at large has been the  perceived unfair onus placed upon shoreline communities while exempting the upstream agricultural contribution.  

As an attendee this past summer at the Champlain Valley Farmer's Coalition in Charlotte, I was encouraged by the measures in place and proposed to address the Total Maximum Daily Load through Best Management Practices for farmers.

The following is an excerpt from the  Lake Champlain Action Plan as prepared by the United Sates Department of Agriculture:

"The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is under revision, with an expectation of increased regulations and inspections on all farms, and will likely include the following

·       Require 25' buffers on all perennial streams

·       Limit soil erosion to "T" on all fields

·       Require gully stabilization

·       Exclude livestock from eroding stream banks (my bold emphasis added)

·       Require nutrient management plans for all livestock farms

·       Require small farm certification of compliance with state regulations

In February, 2014, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, in cooperation with Natural Resource Conservation Service in Vermont, directed all producers to NRCS to seek funding for agronomic practices (previously, producers were supported through the state for these practices)."

As a steward of the land and lake, I personally appeal to my Milton neighbor,  Owner of property located on West Milton Road on the North side of the Lamoille River, downstream from the bridge on Bear Trap Road  to reconsider his farming practices and seek a solution to remedy his livestock wading in the Lamoille River,  a direct tributary  to Lake Champlain.

As member of a wider community concerned  with Lake Champlain water quality,  I appeal to the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, the Natural Resource Conservation Service in Vermont,  the United States Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency to intercede on our behalf to resolve this issue.

I am requesting the Select Board and Town Manager to take my concerns into consideration and proceed with the appropriate Agencies as they deem fit.

Find the Good

Dear Friends,

Rolling up our sleeves to move forward on the Bay

Had I won the Legislative seat, it was always my intention to continue to serve on the Planning Commission and hand the reins over to a new Chair.  As it so happens, that is not a decision I must execute and instead I shall remain at the helm as the Planning Commission moves diligently and thoughtfully forward to address the West Lakeshore Drive corridor.  Sarah Hadd, with Select Board approval,  has secured a Municipal Planning Grant which will aid us in this very important endeavor.

As many of you know, this area has been a challenge to many Commissions and Committees.   Among our community, there is a wealth of information and talent I hope to tap as we judiciously examine the opportunities offered in this unique area. 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

For Immediate Release

DATE: November 25, 2014

CONTACT: Sarah Hadd (802)-264-5602

Colchester, VT – The Department of Economic, Housing and Community Development (DEHCD) awarded $16,300 to Colchester in state Municipal Planning Grant funds to the Malletts Bay Village Project.   Colchester successfully competed against 58 communities and was one of 44 funded. 

Annually the Municipal Planning Grant program supports a range of locally identified initiatives to improve the quality of life and promote efficient growth and economic development in Vermont.

Colchester has long envisioned transforming the West Lakeshore Drive neighborhood into a community center with a recreation and tourism oriented focus. The Malletts Bay Village Project will create a holistic land use plan for the West Lakeshore Drive area of Malletts Bay that both recognizes the constraints of the area, such as traffic in the absence of the Circumferential Highway, and the opportunities for redevelopment as Colchester Fire District #2 evaluates serving the area with municipal sewer.  Design standards for new development will be evaluated as will standards for flood resiliency and green infrastructure. 

Previous studies call for action on implementing land use plans for Bay. The Town of Colchester has also  secured services from the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission to determine the capacity of the West Lakeshore Drive corridor and the impacts of connector roads in the absence of the Circ. 

Noelle MacKay, Commissioner of the Department of Housing and Community Development said, “Jobs, businesses, transportation options, and affordable places to live are dependent on proactive, community driven local plans and land use polices.  The MPG program helps communities develop the necessary planning and implementation tools – and makes it easier for families, communities and entire regions to thrive.”  

No regrets

And Baxter in spirit always at my side

Count where man's glory begins and ends
And say my glory was I had such friends

William Butler Yeats  1938

May I once more state,  I am honored and humbled to have had the loyalty and support of such treasured allies.   The battle was well fought and my troops most valiant.  Friends new and old, family, colleagues, and  neighbors have been the wind at my back.  You are the true great measure of a challenge well met.  And I have been blessed.  Thank you everyone!

Blessed Be,
pkl

Campaign Signs

Signs for November 4

Thanks to everyone who hosted a sign.  If it disappears between today and tomorrow, it is hopefully because someone on my Team grabbed it for Laker Lane  tomorrow.  Granted some of the signs have been reapportioned by folks not on Team Pam but that is not the case today.  If you have a lawn sign and are voting tomorrow please bring it with you.

Thank you for all help along the way, let's stay positive but regardless of the outcome I could not be with a greater group of people.

Best to All!

Pam

Bring Your Leaves and Say Hello!

Another busy day at Airport Park for the annual leaf drop. I will be here again on Sunday, November 2. Bring your leaves and say hello. We'll have hot coffee and goodies!!

Save the Date!

Annual Leaf Drop    

Pam reviews the spoils of the day

This weekend,  November 1st and 2nd, the Conservation Commission will be hosting the Annual Leaf Drop,  Years ago the Select Board discontinued the 4 weekends for burning which were two in the Fall and two in the Spring.   I thought if the Town was going to ban leaf burning, an alternative should be offered to the residents for leaf disposal.  The idea for Leaf Drop was born and I manned the first drop off site along with a couple volunteers.  The first year we had two sites, one at Airport Park and another at Bayside.  The Bayside location did not attract much traffic and the Town cut back the Drop Off to Airport Park only the following year.  The Conservation Commission hopped on board and the rest is history.  We sell baked goods to warm your tummy and fill our piggy bank with some funds for our annual Colchester Blooms effort.  Stop by, bring your leaves, some spare change for treats and take a moment if you chose to visit with the candidate, that would be me,  for the House of Representatives in The Bay.

Saturday and Sunday 8AM - 4PM........we are waiting for you and your leaves.

Colchester Voters I need your Endorsement

Republican Booth at the Champlain valley Fair

Please Endorse Pam

I am in the midst of a very challenging race for the House of Representatives. My opponent has "the old guard' support but I have something far more valuable...friends and neighbors who believe, as do I, we are at a critical crossroads in Vermont to right our Ship of State. This is serious business requiring hard work and the fortitude to make hard decisions. Joining on as one of the super majority, my opponent will not get the job done.....it requires someone like myself who is willing to stand up and articulate stridently common sense solutions to the morass of problems we have created and inherited. Please consider approving the following message to be published in my last ad before the election in The Sun. I would be honored to include your name. I would like to get as many folks as possible to make a bold statement that grassroots folks like ourselves are alive, well and will not be silenced. Anyone else you know who would be willing to be included in the endorsement, please advise and either you or I could contact them. I need each person's permission by Monday to submit my text.. Thank you for your support...it is immeasurable.
You may call me at 846-7313 or send me an email.

Thank you for your continued support!

On November 4, we the undersigned will be voting for Pam Loranger to represent the Bay District in the House of Representatives. Pam has proven herself to be a true Public Steward through 16 years of service in Colchester. We know she will deliver a strong message to Montpelier on behalf of all Colchester residents.