Category: The Environment

The Lake George Land Conservancy is accepting applications for one summer stewardship assistant position. This person will be part of a team of two, working to keep LGLC trails safe, monitor conservation easements, lead hikes and help out with other organizational projects as needed. For a full job description click here.

A picture of Lake George taken this past President’s Day weekend.

Dr. John Buhac, Charles M. Cumming, Debbie Hoffman, (left to right, top row) JD DeSantis, and Daniel J. Ryterband (left to right, bottom row).

The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) is pleased to announce the appointment of five new members to its board of directors: Dr. John Buhac, Charles M. Cumming, JD DeSantis, Debbie Hoffman, and Daniel J. Ryterband.

“The very heart of volunteerism is giving time, energy and expertise to the mission of an organization,” said LGLC Executive Director Nancy Williams. “Our Directors demonstrate their commitment to the lake by joining LGLC which gives us the benefit of their experience and passion for the lake.”

Dr. Buhac is a gastroenterologist who has been in private practice in the Albany area since 1998. He is a graduate of Cornell University and received his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine. Dr. Buhac grew up in the Albany area and has been exploring the Adirondacks, New England and the Lake George area since childhood. The family purchased their camp in Gull Bay in 2009, and enjoy it year round. Winter is a favorite time, as the focus turns from the Lake centered activities of summer, to hikes and ski or snowshoe visits to the Gull Bay preserve. Dr. Buhac has two children and is married to Dr. Jean Buhac, a dermatologist practicing in Saratoga Springs, NY. They spend all their free time sailing, kayaking, hiking, skiing, and just reading by the lake or puttering in their log cabin.

Mr. Cumming received a B.A. degree in psychology from Dartmouth College and an M.B.A. from the University of Connecticut. He served as a Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Army from 1965 to 1967. For the majority of his career, Mr. Cumming was a management consultant specializing in employee and executive compensation programs. He frequently consulted to Board of Directors of many large corporations and non-profits. He retired from consulting in 2001 and spends his time enjoying his home on Lake George and engaging in various volunteer activities.

Ms. Hoffman is the CFO of the Northway 8 Golf Shop and Driving Range in Clifton Park, which she opened in 1974 with her husband, Bill. Having first visited Lake George in 1968 on their first date, they continued to take every opportunity to cruise the lake and hoped that someday they would have a place on the lake. After Mr. Hoffman’s retirement in 2004, they realized their dream and bought a home on the historic Apperson Lane in Bolton Landing. Since purchasing the camp, Ms. Hoffman began volunteering in the area, serving as the president of the Lake George Community Garden Club from 2009-2011, and helping the Lake George Land Conservancy with mailings and event preparations. As a member of the Board she has also taken on an active role on the finance and development committees and on the events sub-committee.

Mr. DeSantis is a graduate of Dartmouth College with a major in environmental studies and he received his law degree from the New York University School of Law. He is currently a partner at Shearman & Sterling LLP where he specializes in representing investment banks and corporations in leveraged buyouts, issuances of high yield bonds and leveraged loan transactions. JD spent much of his childhood in Lake George, sailing in the summers and skiing in the winters. JD and his wife Leah continue to spend summers in Lake George and look forward to being able to introduce their children Felix, George and Roxy to all of the activities that make Lake George so special.

Mr. Ryterband is the president of Frederic W. Cook & Co., a consulting firm providing services to corporate Board Compensation Committees. He received his B.S. in environmental and business economics from Rutgers University, and is M.B.A. in finance and management from New York University’s Stern School of Business. He has 23 years of experiences as a consultant, including the last six serving as president of F.W. Cook. He and his wife, Dianne, have three children and own a vacation home in Diamond Point. Mr. Ryterband enjoys hiking and snowshoeing, all types of fishing, and all things Adirondack, and is an avid stamp collector and postal historian.

The Lake George Land Conservancy has been offered a challenge by a generous landowner: if the LGLC can find a buyer for one of their three subdivided house lots, the owner will agree to protect the remaining two from development with a conservation easement. That’s over 200 feet of protected shoreline and over 5 acres of land that will remain protected.

The LGLC is pleased to offer this incredible opportunity for a buyer to purchase one of the few remaining large shoreline properties on Lake George. Enjoy the stunning views of Anthonys Nose from your very private property! The buyer will purchase 8.08 +- acres of land and over 350 feet of shoreline on a beautiful private cove on Lake George. This property is located in Putnam, New York just southeast of the community of Glenburnie on Lake George. This nature lovers dream parcel is offered for $494,990.

Situated on the north side of Warrick Road the property is within walking distance of nearly 900 acres of preserved land including LGLC’s Anthonys Nose, the Last Great Shoreline, and Gull Bay Preserve. Over ninety-nine species of birds inhabit this land with Bald Eagles and Peregrine Falcons nesting on the cliffs of Record Hill.

Working with the buyer, a mutually agreed upon plan will be developed that permits one house site, ancillary uses (such as garage, driveway, dock) and viewshed clearing. The remaining land will be protected under a perpetual conservation easement. The easement will prohibit further subdivision but permit sustainable forestry. This beautiful forested parcel could supply plenty of wood for your fireplace. Three moorings and docks are permitted under the regulations of Lake George Park Commission; however, one mooring-right will be retained by the current land owners. The property has over 380 feet of road frontage on Warrick Road, a shared driveway, power available within the property and an approved septic area. The Town of Putnam maintains the graveled road and plows during the winter. There are recorded protective covenants and a driveway maintenance agreement. The tree and shrub canopy will be permitted to be kept open for unsurpassed views of the Lake and Anthonys Nose and Record Hill. The LGLC is not taking a commission for this sale.

For more information contact Nancy Williams at the LGLC.

A rendering of what the West Brook Conservation Initiative in Lake George village will look like when completed. The “south parcel” stormwater complex is located on the bottom of the drawing, West Brook runs horizontally through the center, and the public festival space in located on the “north parcel” on top. The southern end of Lake George can be seen in the upper right hand corner.

Facing north from the “south parcel” of the West Brook Conservation Initiative. West Brook is beyond the railing in the background. The large pond in the foreground can be seen in blue on the drawing that appears at the top of this post.

The water in Lake George flows from the south to the north. So if the water from the south is cleaner, then the water in the north should be cleaner also.

That is the hope of those building the West Brook Conservation Initiative in Lake George village. The entire site can be thought of as two areas; respectively called the south and north parcels, with West Brook flowing between the two. The north parcel, once home to the “Cavalcade of Cars” and the “Opera House,” will include public festival space, a children’s adventure play area, and a skateboard park. The south parcel will include the stormwater treatment complex with interpretive educational trails throughout.

Construction of the south parcel stormwater treatment complex is now officially complete. All of the partners and supporters in the West Brook Conservation Initiative have something to celebrate. While the stormwater treatment system will not be technically “turned on” until the plants take root, it is expected that by the spring of 2013, the stormwater runoff from the Route 9 corridor and adjoining properties will be directed into the treatment basin.

Facing east from the “south parcel” of the West Brook Conservation Initiative. The new stormwater complex nears completion. Many people will remember that “Gaslight Village” and “Charlie’s Saloon” once occupied the south parcel.

Over 20,000 native plants, shrubs, and trees were installed in October, marking the final phase of construction on the stormwater complex.

The system will filter many of the pollutants that currently enter the south end of the Lake via West Brook. Engineers estimate that 90% of the sediment now flowing into the Lake will be treated by this system and over one-half of the pollutants will be removed. Millions of gallons of untreated stormwater now flow untreated into the south basin of Lake George.

The next phase of the project includes finishing the interpretive trails throughout the south parcel and constructing the public festival space on the north parcel.

Funding is in place for most of the construction needed for the north parcel: the park building (housing the restrooms), the children’s adventure play area, the skateboard park (90% funded), the walkways and interpretative signage, and an at-grade crossing over West Brook. Funding is also in place for the walkways and interpretative signage on the south parcel (through the storm water treatment train).

In approximately three weeks, word is expected on grants that could complete the funding needed for several park elements. Elements to be potentially funded through these grants are:

a. the final 10% of the skateboard park;
b. walkways;
c. park entrance at Beach Road; and
d. signage as well as sidewalks along West Brook Rd.

The project partners are continuing to look for funding sources for the elevated walkway and bridge over West Brook, connected to a fire tower, the Rt. 9 entrance, and the water feature.

Finally, the construction documents for funded elements are presently being completed. Once the grant award announcements are made, the park management committee will decide which additional construction documents will be needed, and those will be completed over the winter. Contractors will bid next summer, and construction will start shortly thereafter. Construction is slated for completion in the summer of 2015.