Bad writing
 

I think it's the fault of the writer. If you put the last paragraph, which has nothing to do with the Farm, before the Ames Farm paragraph, it makes more sense (which is what I've done below).

I guess the question to be asked is: Without income from boat launching fees, does Ames Farm still have a viable business model?

And if not: what next?

Unintended consequences
 

So now one has to wonder what will happen. I can see the ads now ... "Beautiful waterfront condo's, choose from 100 units, nice sandy beach and private access for boats."

Then poor writing and editing aside, it still bodes the question with a reduction in accessability at Glendale and the loss of Ames Farm, who wins?

Well And Also Well....
 

Lets take the problem at hand out the equation. Political roads leave us at odds. Lets solve this problem. It is so easy to forget that there is a world out here, many people involved, that would like our guidance as well, a reminder again of the Global influence of Our times.
Lake Winnipesaukee Rocks, Please let us keep ahead of our times!!
Terry

Boy wouldn't the town LOVE that. I bet there wouldn't be any difficulties getting permits for that as the town will want the income from all the taxes.:)

Like everything else, it takes time, but generally speaking there are no winners when things like this are decided. You get a group that doesn't like bass boats and tournaments, then you lose the access. So if limited access was their goal, they win.

It used to be that many regulations were directly targeted at keeping the lake clean and safe. Most of the local and state attention the last decade has been targeted at making Winnipesaukee a more limited resource. None of this and none of that. I'm not sure who got the cat's ear that led to the "victory" over Ames launch status, but it would be interesting to see if they do anything on the lake at all.

There's a lot of very selfish people out there.

The Nuke....

I would love to see the Ames family sell out to some big name developer for millions, and have him put in 100-200 condos on both sides of the street... beach access & boat launch! and with that kind of waterfront you could probably get a few permanent docks in too!

Unintended consequences! Bass boat tournaments or a few hundred people 24-7 with jetski's & boats? You win a battle over bass boats but you lose the war! Your property value drops and you have to deal with LOTS of People, noise & traffic!

Retards!

Woodsy

Sometimes you get what you ask for.
 

Very well said Woodsy! I would love to see the samething happen! With regards to "Retards!" Couldn't have said it better my self! :)

Thanks,
GTAGRIP(NH vanity plate)

This may not be the end
 

The way the statement was worded by Dunn was that the ramp was not available to the public this summer because they found that the public ramp was not grandfathered.That does not mean that Ames can't apply for permission to use it legally in the future.We'll see.

Idly curious...

Does anyone know if this affects people renting the cabins too? Or is it just drive up users?

While part of me agrees and would LOVE to see 100+ condos (complete with docks, boats and associated noise!) go in at the Ames Farm property as revenge to the neighbor that started all this, I'd really rather see it remain the way it is and get the usage of the public launch ramps restored. In my opinion, it was the best public launch facility, hands down. If that access goes away permanently, I'll be very disappointed. :(



This is what I'm hoping for! Get the other permit problems taken care of, apply for a permit (or whatever) to return the launch ramps to public use and everyone will be happy! Well, maybe not the nasty neighbor that started this mess but I'LL BE HAPPY (and anyone else that used to use the Ames Farm ramps on a regular basis)! :)

Come to think of it, the nasty neighbor's probably hoping for ee a developer come in after all; then he can sell his piece of property to said developer for a hefty sum!! :rolleye1:

As far as I've heard, it's just the out-of-towners driving up to launch that are affected; renters at Ames Farm can still use the ramps while they are renting there.

And now for some creative thinking
 

Why not dedicate a cabin or two, and have a boat launch special. $20 for a 15 minute stay, just long enough to launch or load your boat? You would just have to formally rent the room (& pay the 9%) :laugh: :laugh:

Consider it done...
 

FLL is already there. :)

He's the one on the nearest porch—in the rocking chair—behind the metal cash box!
:D :D :D :laugh:

Singing "(boat) trailers for sale or rent. Rooms to let fifty cents . . ."

There is usually a way around most rules.

Why not sell memberships to your "exclusive" boat launch club for, say, $20.00?

That way the ramp is not open to the public it is a private facility, limited to members only.

The ski clubs in North Conway have been doing a similar thing for years. They have large open bar parties for all of the members of local ski clubs and the state told them that they couldn't charge a cover because they were then in the nightclub business and selling alcohol without a permit. Each club started selling "invitations" to a private party and got around the regulations. That was true in the 70's and 80's, I'm not sure it is true now.

Then again, it is nicer here with fewer boats!

I used to bass fish until I realized what a friuitless pursuit of enjoyment it was.. Foul hook a fish in the eyeball then put it back in the lake and hope it survives with one eye or a broken lip etc.. Try snokeling with them.. Stir up the bottom a little and they will follow you around, you get to see them up close in their natural environment without injuring or killing them for an ego boost..We realy enjoy the few bass that nest and live in front of our place please move on #1

It's been about 5 years since I posted on here and I have created a new "handle". Funny that it took about 5 minutes of reading to catch up with all the usual rants:)

After reading this thread, what stands out to me is how things are done in NC where major watersheds and bodies of waters have NO development of any kind. Search Falls Lake and Jordan Lake in NC. Perhaps NH should just claim emminent domain and in one swift move, all the belly aching will end. I am actually serious when I say that I don't think anyone should be allowed to own shoreline property on Winni. Disclosure: I have 2 friends who own lake property and have had this discussion.

The post above about invading someone's privacy by boating on the lake is simply ridiculus. I think a couple hundred boats anchored close to the abutters shoreline for a few weekends would drive him insane:D

If I were the Ames family I would be making sure his complaing abutters have dotted every "I" regarding their land use, septic locations, setbacks, tree clearing (you can get old and new aerial sureys for comparisons), etc.

Ames is 100% appropriate for the area. I am empathetic about the early morning noise if there are large number of boats leaving at the same time. I would think they could do staggered starts or later starts as a compromise. However, my reading of the articles leads me to believe that the Town grand poo-bahs had to claim religion when someone brought a violation to their attention. One would think Ames would have tried in parallel to be conforming since this first started as a back-up to his claim but there's no way to know what transpired. I don't fish but have launched my bowride there a few times before I started renting a slip and nothing I have ever seen would indicate they are any kind of nuisance.

As far as attorneys, for every winning side there is a losing side. Essentially means the law "profession" is capped at a 50% success rate ;)

One would think the town would work with an establishment like Ames to keep the access available to the public

from the Citizen
Too bad most of the folks using the launch are not able to vote in Gilford

Lawyers
 

Every time I see something like this I think of an old Chinese proverb:

In a town with one lawyer, the lawyer goes broke.

In a town with two lawyers, both prosper.

It's getting ridiculous!
 

Is it just me or does this sound like we're watching a P-ssing match? :mad:

What bothers me the most is Ames Farm will probably end up being closed to the public permanently and there goes the BEST public access to the big lake!! I'll bet those shorefront and island property owners that think their lake is already too crowded are getting excited at that possibility!! I've got news for them; it's not YOUR lake, I'm a NH native resident, I have rights too!! :fire:

I wonder if they could (or would even consider) selling the rights to the launch ramps to the state (like selling development rights to farm land to prevent development)? Could be interesting...............:eek:

Selling development rights to the State of NH would probably only get done if the Ames family were willing to sell for just one dollar.

In about 1930, the Wellington family of New York City sold their 100's acres Wellington State Park property on Newfound Lake, which has a 1600' long natural beach, to the state for one dollar.

And a similar deal occured when the state aquired Ellecoya State Beach from the Ellecoya. In exchange for 48 LL Bean wool blankets, two cases of Jenkins scotch whisky and ten scratch tickets, the state came back with the deed to beautifull Ellecoya State Beach.

Maybe the Lakes Region Conservation Trust can raise 20-million from bass boaters and then close off Ames Farm to all except for natural wood dugout canoes, paddled by granola eat'n paddlers, and carved from 100% organically grown trees on Timber Island?:laugh:

If Ames wants to really get the town Psst! off, they should have a "free" ramp day. I doubt the law prohibits openning private property as a good-will gesture to your fellow citizens!

this is ludicris!
 

This reminds me of the people who moved into new condos and homes in East Boston and Winthrop a few years back and actually had a petition to close down one of the runways at Logan. Someone needs to tell these folks that Ames Farm was letting people drop in long before many of these homeowners owned there. I agree with the earlier post, that says they will get what they deserve with about 2000 condos as neighbors with about 2000 full time boaters. oh and as the construction occurs on the condos over 5 years there will be many an early morning where the hammers and drills are running. But I'm sure they will sue over that as well.
As for the poster who mentioned that all of those folks aren't gilford taxpayers, they are correct, but they are all dropping money into gilford and the lakes region. I am sick and tired of we lakes region residents pushing away revenue when we need it most. As we keep out all of those folks who spend, our costs stay the same or increase as do our tax bills.
It is childish and all will lose in this battle except the attornies, as usual
Have fun!

Sorry, but I respectfully got to say that I truly believe that YOU ARE WRONG on this.

This isn't a "coming to the nuisance" case.

The family who beefed Ames has been there for a l-o-n-g time.

And what the heck, if Ames was running a legal and legit operation there'd be no problem.

They aren't, there is, and "That's that."

Well, the last complainant is a lawyer, so there you go.

Why would the town care? Gilford is not making any money from them other than property taxes. Taxes on the business ends up at the state or Fed level. Island owners are going to get there one way or the other, with or without Ames Farm.

I own a business in Dover. Dover sees nothing from me.

Codeman,

This is exactly why the town of Gilford should care. The increased boaters, Bass fissherman etc, will spend their money in town at Patrick's, having breakfast, buying fishing gear eating at waldo peppers just as an example. As for the comment about islanders getting their anyway. I can't imagine that many islanders use a drop in spot you need to pay each time. At least I don't know of any. Most islanders either keep their boat on a slip/mooring or have a designated drop-in spot with their island. regardless I get your point on the taxes going to the local area.
In any case, Increased boaters equals increased people coming to the area and spending their discresionary income.

Your business pay rent and your landlord pays property tax in Dover, right? How much property tax does an empty run down building pay versus one with a thriving business.

ames farm boat launch
 

I tried to launch at ames farm but the ramps are closed for the duration. Does anyone know of good alternative boat ramps in the area I tried one close by and it took over an hour to get going too long for my taste any help would be appreciated. Thanks

best Public Ramp
 

Unfortunately is on lake Winnisquam! :eek:

We did it to ourselves with all the rules and regulations of surounding towns and state legislature. Soon the lake will no longer be boater friendly. :confused:

In the past ten years, the state has built launch faciities on Newfound, Squam & Winnisquam. The facilities include parking for trailers attached to vehicle, double ramps, dock, and toilets. Lake Sunapee is on deck to be next.

Why not on Winnipesaukee? Because of all the town and marina ramps including Ames Farm Inn. Could be that Ames has been the most popular unofficial go-to spot which tipped the scale of decision against creating a Winnipesaukee state launch.

If the State of NH builds a new state launch on Lake Winnipesaukee, it would be nice to see it built in Laconia because Laconia is the only lake town without a town ramp. There's commercial property on Paugus Bay that has nothing to do with 'waterfront' but could be used as a boat launch. Thinking of the vacant Fitzgerald car building, across from McDonald's. Considering the size of the Winnisquam launch,which is very small, the Fitzgerald lot could be big enough for a state launch. A handy spot to daytrip the 32' Baja from your driveway to the lake! :D

I read somewhere
 

That the town of Laconia actually appropriated time and money to build a public ramp on Paugus Bay years ago. Of course politics intervene and the city lost out on a great opportunity. :(

So since Ames Farm Inn has settled with NH DES (link to Skip's thread; thank you Skip!), has anyone heard anything else regarding the status of Ames Farm and whether or not the ramps will be open to the public next year? As a trailer boater, I hate not knowing what's going on!! :confused:

New Fence
 

I drove by Ames Farm yesterday, and noticed a new (to me) fence up, located on the right side of the road as you drive down to the boat ramp from the main building. It is a rail fence and appears to be there to keep people from parking there, an indication that they may not be using that big field for anything soon.:(

Sorry.

Thanks for the update, upthesaukee. :)

I drive by Ames Farm whenever we go to West Alton Marina to launch and if it's an unfinished fence you saw, it sounds like the same fence that was there the past couple of years. I'm not sure why it went up but it was there before the whole fiasco began this year!

OK, so if Ames Farm was allowing boats to be launched for years, at say ten bucks a pop, and they never had permission / legal authority to do that: shouldn't the fees they collected over the years be recovered and redistributed somehow?

They seem to have profited by wrong-doing.

Sort of like putting a private toll booth up on rte. 11, except it's located on lakefront.

That just doesn't seem right.

What does the law say?

I like to think that the land is private and they can do what they want. I am not 100% sure of the legal technicalities in this case but this was a "business" as a farm and resort. The rub is they can not produce documentation stating that they were granted a license to specifically conduct business as a marina. Back in the good old days (before 35 million lawyers) the legal details were not as finite. The intent of the law was used and not so much the technicality of the law. (What is the meaning of "IS")
Private land used as a business can charge a reasonable rate for parking and use. Many are now locked out or have to go to other crowded locations.