The Upper Saranac Lake Association Mailboat October 2019 Saranac Inn Childhood Summer Memories, 1940s–1950s Larry Altemus Boathouse 1918. Also known as Casino. ooking back and remembering the summers of my childhood “How much longer?” Mother would respond, “Say another rosary.” in Saranac Inn from June through Labor Day, I consider that Needless to say, everyone was very happy when we finally arrived part of my life a privilege. My entire family, parents, six sib- at our summer home, Lady Tree, in Saranac Inn. Llings, and a dog would travel in two cars from Washington, DC to The Hotel Building Saranac Inn. All the boys were in the car with Daddy and the girls Going to the Inn, I would run on a wooden walkway from with Mother in another car. The trip would begin at 5 am and take our house to the front door of the Inn where I was greeted by the 15 hours. According to my sister, Dorothy, if any of the girls asked, Continued on page 4 The USLA Mailboat October 2019 UPPER SARANAC LAKE ASSOCIATION, INC. P.O. Box 872 President’s Letter Saranac Lake, NY 12983 www.uppersaranac.com Susan Hearn The USLA Mailboat Lynne Perry, Editor Autumn in the Adirondacks Harry Wirtz, Layout/Design Autumn seems to have descended on the Adirondacks quickly. Leaves are quickly turn- ing, night time temperatures have descended into the low 40s and even (brrr…) the 30s! BOARD OF DIRECTORS Sunset seems to come 5 minutes earlier each day. Many of our seasonal members have returned home to their “real” lives. Those of us OFFICERS fortunate enough to either live here or be able to extend our stay into September or October President, Susan Hearn (518-359-8136) get to enjoy the Adirondack quiet, after everyone else has gone home. It’s a glorious place. Vice President, Larry Koch (518-891-2835) Weather permitting, we can still enjoy the hiking, paddling and — for the hardy among Secretary, Jeff Dickson (518-524-2731) us — swimming that we enjoy during the summer. Treasurer, Jay Kapolka (518-359-7298) For members of the USLA Board of Directors, the summer is our busiest time, but we continue to toil away during the other seasons. Government Affairs continues to COMMITTEE CHAIRS monitor local and state government and agency activities that may affect our members. Communications: Lynne Perry (518-359-2630) Cultural Affairs puts their thinking caps on to come up with creative ways to provide social Cultural: Sally Ward (518-359-7940) interaction and an appreciation of our environment and local history. The Environment Environmental: Larry Nashett (518-359-2198) Committee envisions ways to encourage further protection of our waterfront and ways to Government Affairs: Cindy Rosenwald (518-891-0818) measure the health of our waterways. The Safety Committee follows local and state laws Nominating: Dean Butts (518-891-8433) that will affect our members as they exercise their recreational enjoyment of the area. Membership: Dean Butts (518-891-8433) Communications…well, they communicate all this stuff to ensure that you know what’s Safety: Michelle Brown Garcia (518-891-3905) going on in the area. Our one man Membership Committee (Dean Butts) continues to find ways to make sure we maximize the number of folks who want to join our ranks and ZONE CHAIRS share our objectives to protect our watershed and maximize our appreciation and enjoy- Zone 1 Bob Tate (518-891-1269) ment here. And our Zone Chairs extend our reach by providing a neighborhood approach Zone 2 Mary Ann Randall (518-891-0430) to our membership. I can’t thank them all enough for the time and energy they give to our Zone 3 Larry Koch (518-891-2835) association and to our members. Zone 4 Cindy Rosenwald (518-891-0818) We continue to implement the objectives of our Strategic Plan. At the end of August, Zone 5 Jan Daly (914-826-7226) our board voted to accept a proposal to redesign our USLA web site to provide more func- Zone 6 Cheryl Joyce (518-891-4344) tionality and help us better communicate with our members. The project is on-going with Zone 7 Ellen Bonheim (518-891-8074) expected delivery in early 2020 (I can’t believe I just typed that year!). I know I’m excited to see what we can come up with. Zone 8 Nancy Cohen (518-359-8749) An initiative is underway to provide year-round residents with an opportunity for USLA Zone 9 Ruth Smith (518-359-8172) social interactions. You’re probably still recovering from the summer activities. Zone 10 Susan O’Brien (518-359-2069) We still seek year-round members who would be willing to contribute to our Zone 11 Bill Mansfield (518-359-2217) Government Affairs committee by attending meetings of the Town of Santa Clara Board Zone 12 Airlie Lennon (518-359-7417) and the Harrietstown Council (depending in which jurisdiction you live). If interested in MEMBER AT LARGE this or in serving our board in any other capacity, please let me know. Thanks to all of you I met this past summer. I enjoyed it. Tom Swayne (518-359-7679) Susan Hearn Mike Bonheim (518-891-8074) HONORARY DIRECTOR Help Wanted Bruce Holran (518-891-8447) Susan Hearn USLA SCHOLARSHIP FUND, INC. President, Ron Otten (518-359-7841) USLA seeks members to serve on its various committees. It’s a great way to meet people and make a small contribution to our lake association. While we have more committees DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR than listed here, we are recruiting for a few of them now. Won’t you join us? EBSITE DMINISTRATOR ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE: Want to help your USLA neighbors sustain a lighter W A environmental footprint around their property? The Environment Committee provides Sara Sheldon (518-637-4304) information and programs to help educate and support lake friendly living, recycling, dark [email protected] skies, tick awareness, fishery monitoring and reducing the use of plastics (among other Photo of the mailboat, “Saranac”, courtesy of the things). For more information, contact Larry Nashett ([email protected] ). Adirondack Collection, Saranac Lake Free Library GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE: Are you a year-round resident of the Town © 2019USLA of Santa Clara or Harrietstown? Want to learn more about local government? USLA is looking for members to attend the local town council meetings (monthly) to help monitor the proceedings for items of importance to our membership. Outreach to local govern- ment is important for our advocacy efforts. If interested, please contact Cindy Rosenwald ([email protected]). Like us on Facebook MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE: Help the USLA identify and reach out to potential www.facebook.com/UpperSaranac members. For more information, contact Dean Butts ([email protected]). Thanks for your consideration. 2 Visit www.uppersaranac.com The USLA Mailboat October 2019 Town Of Santa Clara Adopts Land Use Code Amendments Susan Hearn In August, the Town of Santa Clara Board adopted 10 amend- waterfront structures in relation to the waterfront. The previous ments to the land use code. These amendments covered the code allowed that, “for any waterfront lot, the dimension of any district map, setbacks, boathouses, docks, decks, and boundary wharf, dock or pier along the shoreline (commonly referred to as line adjustments. The amendments, as adopted, may be found at: the “width” of such wharf, dock or pier) shall not exceed 15% of http://www.townofsantaclara.com/augustpub82019.html the length of the shoreline of the lot measured along the mean high Of principal concern to shorefront property owners, the Board water line…” Also, “no dock, wharf or pier shall extend away from adopted revisions to the definitions of “Boathouse” and “Dock”. land more than 30 feet…” and “total surface area of any dock, wharf The definition of “Boathouse” was made to clarify that a boat- or pier shall not exceed 500 square feet.” The covered area within a house is “a covered structure, with direct access from inside the boathouse is not to exceed an area of 625 sq. ft., and the combined boathouse, to a navigable body of water, (1) which is used only areas of the wharf, docks, piers and boathouse should not exceed for the storage of boats and associated equipment and (2) which 875 sq. ft. on any lot does not contain any bathroom, kitchen facilities, living quarters, The new code now reads: “The maximum dimension of any indi- bedrooms, plumbing or heating.” This revised definition was to vidual boathouse, dock, deck, wharf or pier, or the total dimension clarify that a boathouse cannot be a storage shed with a solid floor of any combination of such structures, along the shoreline of the lot (i.e., without boat slips). (such dimension being commonly referred to as the “width” of such “Dock” was revised to include “any horizontal platform- boathouse, dock, deck, wharf or pier in relation to the shoreline) type structure (including but not limited to a wharf, pier or shall not exceed 15% of the width of the shoreline of the lot.” This similar structure), fixed or floating and/or removable, on the revision incorporates the boathouse width into the 15% width of shoreline, the principal but not necessarily exclusive, use of the shoreline allowable. The rationale was to preserve as much of which is the mooring of boats or other watercraft, for storing, the natural waterfront as possible. loading or unloading.” The rationale was to include shorefront Among other amendments included the classification of certain decks in the definition of “dock” to prevent proliferation of lots around Hickok’s Marina as “commercial” to be compatible with shorefront structures that do not conform to the land use code surrounding properties and consistent with the continued opera- restrictions for docks and to preserve as much of the natural tion of the marina and revision of the minimum front yard setback waterfront as possible.