Accountability posts
Drafts ready to share. Click to copy, then post. Conservation Commission · Sunapee · January 7, 2026.
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DES permitting bypassing local review on a protected shoreline
Sunapee Conservation Commission (1/7/26): A 24,361 sq ft disturbance permit on Mountain View Lake was approved by DES — with zero notification to the town or commission. Staff called the number 'shocking.' No formal action was t... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/sunapee/conservat...
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Off-agenda discussion of significant zoning change affecting property owners
At Sunapee's 1/7/26 Conservation Commission meeting, members advanced a plan to overhaul the town's wetlands ordinance — potentially restricting land use (including timber harvesting) near newly designated 'prime wetlands.' This... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/sunapee/conservat...
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Transparency failure: consequential topics discussed without public notice
Two high-significance topics at Sunapee's 1/7/26 Conservation Commission meeting — a broken DES permitting process and a wetlands ordinance overhaul — were not on the posted public agenda. Residents had no notice and no chance t... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/sunapee/conservat...
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Upcoming voter decision on conservation spending
Sunapee voters: A $6,950 warrant article for trail improvements at Wendell Marsh and Dewey Woods goes to town meeting vote on March 10th. Funded from existing town forest funds — no new tax impact. Approved by Conservation Commi... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/sunapee/conservat...
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🧵 Sunapee Conservation Commission met 1/7/26. The meeting had routine items on the agenda. What wasn't on the agenda is what residents need to know about. A thread. #MeetingWatch
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1/ A state agency approved a 24,361 sq ft land disturbance permit on Mountain View Lake — in the protected shoreline — and the town found out only AFTER approval. Staff said the number was 'shocking.' The online DES system provi...
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2/ This isn't a one-time glitch. Staff described a systemic problem: the town only gets notified when permits are already approved. No comment period. No local review. For a lakefront community, that's a serious gap in environme...
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3/ The commission expressed clear frustration — but took no formal action at this meeting. No letter to DES. No request for legislative remedy. The problem was flagged and left open. Residents who care about shoreline protection...
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4/ Also not on the public agenda: a proposal to overhaul Sunapee's wetlands ordinance. The current ordinance uses NRCS soil data that misses areas the town actually wants to protect. A working group will be formed with town staf...
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5/ Prime wetland designation — which is where this update could lead — comes with real consequences. One commissioner noted it 'prevents timber harvesting within 100ft' and called it 'pretty restrictive.' Property owners near we...
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6/ A working group was assigned as a concrete action item at this meeting. That means this process is moving forward. No public input was taken at this meeting — because the public had no notice it would be discussed.
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7/ On the agenda and approved unanimously: a $6,950 warrant article for trail improvements at Wendell Marsh and Dewey Woods, funded from the town forest fund. No new tax impact. Sunapee voters will decide at town meeting on Marc...
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8/ Bottom line: Two high-significance items — a broken state permitting process affecting your shoreline and a coming zoning overhaul affecting property near wetlands — were discussed and acted on at a public meeting the public... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/sunapee/conservation-commission/2026-01-07/ #SunapeeNH
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Longer-form draft.
SUNAPEE CONSERVATION COMMISSION — January 7, 2026 Two significant issues were discussed and acted on at last week's Conservation Commission meeting that were not listed on the public agenda — meaning residents had no advance notice and no opportunity to attend specifically for these items. First: A 24,361 square foot land disturbance permit on Mountain View Lake was approved by the NH Department of Environmental Services (DES) without any notification to the Town of Sunapee or its Conservation Commission. Staff described the scale as 'shocking' and explained that the online permitting system only notifies the town after a permit is already approved — no comment period, no local review. For a town with significant lakefront and protected shoreline, this is a serious oversight gap. The commission expressed frustration but did not vote on any formal response — no letter to DES, no request for a legislative fix. Residents who care about Mountain View Lake and shoreline protection should ask the commission and select board: what is the plan to address this? Second: The commission advanced a proposal to update Sunapee's wetlands zoning ordinance and identify 'prime wetlands' — a designation that carries significant land use restrictions, including limiting timber harvesting within 100 feet of designated areas. One commissioner described these rules as 'pretty restrictive.' A working group including town staff and a wetland soil scientist was assigned as a concrete next step. This process is now in motion. If you own property near wetland areas in Sunapee, this update could affect what you are allowed to do on your land. The public had no notice this would be on the table at this meeting. What was on the agenda and approved: a $6,950 warrant article for trail improvements at Wendell Marsh and Dewey Woods, funded entirely from the existing town forest fund with no new tax impact. Sunapee voters will have the final say at town meeting on March 10th. The next Conservation Commission meeting is February 4th. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/sunapee/conservation-commission/2026-01-07/ #MeetingWatch #SunapeeNH