Ames Farm Being Sued
 

Ames Farm Inn being Sued by Town of Gilford

See COMPLETE ARTICLE here.....

That's not good news, Ames is one of the few places that offers a good access point to the lake for the general public. I have been going to Ames for many years and I have not seen any major changes, some minor but for the town to sue seems strange.

One would think the town would work with an establishment like Ames to keep the access available to the public, places like that are pretty much non existant and would be a great loss to loose any of what they offer. Hopefully they can straighten it all out.

"...alleging that much of the expansion of the lakefront resort done over much of the past two decades occurred without necessary town permission."

So let me get this straight, the town alleges this has been happening, in plain sight from a major road under there noses, for the past two decades??

:confused:

I smell an agenda!

agenda
 

I'm one of those Bass fishing guys. There is definitly an agenda here. There has been a long standing beef with a few home owners in the general area of Ames farm concerning Bass Tournaments. Bass Tournamenst have been going out of Ames farm for as long as I remember (early 90's). One of those few home owners is an attorney. He found some abscure law that says you can't hold an event "open to the public". 1st off about 95% of those tournament are not "open to the public" You must be a member of the organization running the tournament to enter. Because Don Ames didn't buckle under this persons pressure, this guy is out to get Don Ames. At the end of this summer Don informed the bass fishing crowd that we could no longer hold events out of his property.
These people were met with a couple of years ago. To appease them, tournaments were started later and moved thier starting point out away from shore. Weigh ins were staggered so as to not have too many boats in one area. All for naught. These people still arn't satisfied.
All the other stuff is just more piling on by these individuals.
It's a shame. Don Ames has always been a great person. The property has been there forever.
Here is a tip. If you don't like boat traffic, don't buy lakefront property. geeze!!!:(

Agenda
 

There is a large difference between normal boat traffic and fishing derby boat traffic. For instance the noise these boats make and the speed with which they leave Ames Farm. The changes you mention i.e. starting later, fewer boats leaving at one time, etc., were welcome changes for most waterfront residents.

Prior to this change a large number of bass boats were leave Ames Farm wide open and race off to their favorite spot - the noise was extremely loud and offensive - all before 7 a.m. on a weekend.

If the reporting in the newspaper is correct Ames Farm did not obtain the proper permits for the changes they made. Everyone must apply for permits [before performing the work. Why does this make you feel that this is "more piling on" by the town?

Hopefully it will work out for all.

:laugh: :laugh: I only wish I had that problem:rolleye1:

If what you speak of is true, this quote and the one before about the guy that is a lawyer, and all this was going on before he moved there, then he has no gripe as he moved into the problem, again if this is the case.
I moved into my cottage on Paugus Bay and every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night I have to deal with Club OG and the bass ratling my bed, keeping me up to late because I cannot sleep from the noise, and the sreeching tires at 1:30/2 and the screaming. There is nothing I can do they were a nightclub there long before I moved in, but at the same time they are violating the noise ordinance for the towns of Gilford and Laconia when I speak to the towns about it they just tell me to call the police and have it documented and eventually something might happen. If you read the town ordinances they are in clear violation and the towns have let them be this way for years, there is nothing I can do about it I was told.
Maybe I should sue them :emb:

The point is not that someone dislikes Ames' operation; the point is that Ames is alleged to be in violation of the law, and has been for some time.

Is there some form of "grandfather law" applicable to shield him?

I doubt it.

What, just because he's ignored land use restrictions for twenty years, that makes it alright?

Maybe we should all blow off the law and do what we please.

Yeah, let's put a brothel at the Weirs, a casino in Lake Shore Park, a gravel mine and cement factory on Diamond Island, and oil wells everywhere.

Absurd?

Certainly.

People pay a lot of money to buy and keep their little slice of lakefront heaven, and they don't appreciate it when people diminish their enjoyment so that they can make a profit via nonconforming commercial activity.

It's just plain wrong.

Laws are meant to be obeyed.

The fact that an aggrieved complainant happens to be an attorney is irrelevant.

Let the judge decide who is right, and who is wrong.

This matter will not be resolved in the court of public opinion.

When people buy lakeshore property that is adjacent to a public park (makes no difference if that park consists of grass or water), they should go into the purchase with the realization that the public is going to want to use their park (gasp!). Some of the public will even play music and make some noise (what a surprise). If you buy a home adjacent to a park with a ball field, you shouldn't complain when the kids hit the ball into your yard. Nor should you be able to sneak in a petition (because no one knew about it) to close that area of the park from any ball playing.

When people put a dock into a public water park, they should not be surprised when bass anglers fish the public water that their dock is in.

The lake belongs to everyone . . . equally. I pick up the impression that you do not like bass boats or bass tournaments. Do you think we should restrict them in some way . . . e.g., don't let them take off to go fishing until after 9:00 AM -- after most lakeshore property owners have had their first cup of coffee? Do you think that they are doing something illegal or inappropriate in their water park?

If people do not want any portion of the public to be around them, they should not live right next to a park . . . They should live far out in the country.

don't forget the cell phone towers...

Say what?
 

Boy, all these years in law enforcement makes me a jaded individual.

Somehow I just don't get a warm & fuzzy feeling when I imagine one lawyer sitting in judgement of another! :rolleye2:

You are not apples to apples. It sounds like the business has expanded it's operated ILLEGALLY, so yes that make it illegal.

Dick:

There is a difference between folks using a park and a hundred or so Bass Boats taking off at full throttle at the crack of dawn. I think folks need to compromise and maybe getting rid of the Bass tournaments is a good place to start.

You are kidding . . . right?
 

You want to ban bass tournaments? You are kidding . . . right? . . . right? :D

The vast majority of bass tournaments are bass clubs. The average size club in NH is 14 members which means there are 7 boats involved. There are only a few tournaments that have as many as 79 boats . . . none that I know of with 100 boats.

Would you ban bass tournaments of any size . . . or with 14 boats . . . or ? How about other fishing derbies . . . should we try to get rid of them too?

What else would you like to ban? How about boats with big displacment hulls? Of course there is already a plan afoot to get rid of the big performance boats and drive them into the ocean.

Something tells me that in two years time the Ames property will all be owned by a developer who will divide it all up into 1/2 acre lots for owners who can afford to build 11rm-3bth-3crgarg- wf w/dock, vacation homes.

Attorney fees, town penalties, and huge local property taxes will just be too much.


And then someone on this forum will reply that replacing the Ames Farm with a new homes subdivision is the 'highest & best use.' Funny how 'highest and best' can turn out to be' highest and worst use.'

Wow!!
 

The town is alleging for the past 20 years or so Ames Farm has been operating somehwat illegally...

20 years later the town has a gripe? Who is kidding who?

The Ames family has been very generous to the town of Gilford. They pay an exorbitant amount of taxes, they have donated property etc.. Who cares if he stores boats on his property and hosts fishing tournaments? If thats what it takes to keep the property un developed and as nice as it is, then so be it!

I think the powers that be should tread very carefully... eventually the fight just isn't worth it... If I were Mr. Ames given all this crap, I would sell the property off (both sides) to some big name condo developer, pocket my multi-millions as I drive off laughing into the sunset while flipping my neighbors the finger... and let them wonder what 300+ condos will do to the neighborhood...

In all seriousness, tread lightly and be careful what you wish for. I think the weekend Bass tourney and some noisy boats beats a 300+ condo development hands down. The town should grandfather the existing operation as it is, and just make him get the req'd permits and variances.

Woodsy

I've been watching a similar battle in Hollis for the last few years. People built around a shooting club. The club has been there for 40 years but the new neighbors don't like the noise. The neighbors get a lawyer, do some digging. They find that the club might have cut some corners on some permits many years ago. Lo and behold the club is shutdown. Lots of lawyers and courts, it's open again. More lawyers and court and it's closed. Looks like the club is out of money so it will probably stay closed.

I'm oversimplifying this to make a point:

The people with the deeper pockets always win.

Battle in Hudson
 

I remember a battle in Hudson, NH many years ago. A housing development went up next to the Hudson Speedway. The new neighbors wanted to shut down the speedway because of noise, air pollution, traffic. You name it. The judge ruled that the speedway was there first and that the new neighbors knew that the place exists. So they cannot shut down the speedway as it was there first.

Hows about banning people from moving "here" because they like it "here" and then trying to change "here"? I wonder if that would pass?

Looks like we've got another classic case of some of us thinking that THEIR lake should be used for quiet picnic's and sail boats, and that anything above a whisper is an inconvenience to THEM.

Ames Farm
 

I don't see any big changes in Ames Farm for more than 45 years. I guess you could say that he has more boat storage on his property then he used to have. So I don't see any big or even small problem with that. Now as to the noise that them fishermen make. I have a suggestion, put some oil or grease on them fishing reels and the noise will not bother some people. Stay within the law with your boats recall the headway speed and 150' rule. Should not be a problem.

On the other hand would you like to be a fish and eating them poor worms that were doing nobody any harm? Spare the rod and saave the fish!:emb:
I think you could have a nut on both ends of the rod and have a Bud.:yawn:

Question????
 

Did the Town of Gilford try and work with the Ames Family to get the proper permits, review with them the improper changes and violations. Did the town, in good faith, attempt to work things out before taking legal action????? That does not seem to be addressed here. I wonder what happened before the legal action took place.

"First things First the if they did not comply and laws, ordinances etc. were violated take appropriate action but always try and work with the property owner."

I do not have any problem with what I have seen going on at Ames Farm. I also have not used Ames Farm and its facilities. I have only been there one time a few years ago and my visit was very pleasant. I found Mr. Ames and his staff very friendly and accomodating.

It is refreshing that there is still a large privately owned parcel on this side of the lake that is not over crowded and so dense with condos or other development that the view from the water and road are lost.

To those who cry baby about the Ames's uses of their property I say you are the ones who would probably complain about your neighbors even in your home away from the lake. Seen it before and this rings of that type of situation to me. JMHO!!!!:D

It depends on your definition of big
 

It depends on your definition of big.

Oh the horror!!!:eek:

Did I say it was horrible?
 

Just making the point that there have been many changes over the years, not all for the better. It hasn't been a static entity. Perhaps if it were part of your personal history, you'd give a hoot. :mad:

There are a lot of misconceptions and misinformation in this thread, one of them being that the Ames branch of the family that owns The Farm purchased the building for the Thompson-Ames Society...they didn't.

Noise and "The Bum's-Rush"
 

The word "noise" appears thirteen times in this thread so far. It's remarkable how little empathy comes from abusive traffic to those awakened by it.

And then they all wonder why they get "the bum's rush" off the lake. :confused:

Noise
 

Like I said in my original post. ALL of the bass fishing organizations and Don Ames worked with this group of people. We started our tournaments later and out further (by the 2 black markers).
Like someone else said 98% of bass tournaments have less then 15 boats. There are probably a handfull (5) "big" tournaments a year. None over 80 boats. These events are especially aware of the situation and take extra care to be considerate.
The start of a bass tournament with 15 boats typically lasts less then 5 minutes. Numbers are drawn and boats leave the area in order of the number drawn. A boat cannot take off till the boat infront of them is on plane and a safe distance away. Like I said, it takes about 5 minutes to do, then we are gone and not to return till later in the afternoon.
Not sure if NH has a "quiet ordanance" but where I live, people can start working outdoors at 7 am. I.E running a lawn mower, chain saw or do construction (constant noise that does not go away in 5,10, 15 minutes).
As far as parking goes at Ames, what is the difference if 50 pleasure craft of all types show up there and park or 50 Bass boats do? I fished my 1st bass tournament out of Ames farm in 1992. They were going out of there long before then.
Who is to say what and when noise is unacceptable. I could argue that all boat traffic must stop at lunch and dinner times as to not disturb my family while we dine at our picnic table.
Whats next? Outlawing birds ? Don't you just hate those chirping birds outside your window at the crack of dawn?

I'm with you Woodsy. Ames also owns somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 acres on the south side of Rt. 11. I think he should do exactly as you said - flip off the neighbors and the town, and sell this to some big hotel chain/developer that will put a condo development on the water and up the entire hillside on the 100 acres. Then he can sit back and laugh while watching the outrage of the neighbors and granola crowd who are now angry that yet another lakeside hill has been developed. Gilford claims that this has been going on 20 years, but they sure knew where to send the assessor and the tax bill for the last 20 years. This is truely pathetic.

Do you seriously think he hasn't considered doing so?

FWIW, it could be that all this will blow over and a "win-win" situation might result if he responds reasonably to the suit, hires a good lawyer, and agrees to some form of legal compromise.

Maybe.

Had Ames Farm bothered to "do the right thing" in the beginning and attempted to go through the permitting process, none of this drama would be happening.

Then again, perhaps he/they knew that the chosen actions would not be allowed but the decision was made to go ahead anyway: should such chutzpah be permitted?

The fact that Ames Farm has been around a long time does not, in and of itself, give the current operator(s) a license to run the operation free from government intrusion and regulation.

After all, government is no more than "We, the People" taking collective action in a representative capacity.

Whoa Nelly!
 

Wow!

Hey folks...but what if...we all take a breather and before we speculate any further we let the Ames family follow the right to file a response to allegations that may or may not be true?:confused:

Wow
 

I assume that both sides of the argument have merit. No doubt the town felt they had a strong enough case to bring it court.

My point was be careful what you wish for... you just might get it!

Woodsy

Just a reminder that the neighbor/abutter to the Ames Farm is himself an attorney. Opposing an attorney in this type of an argument is very challenging because they have unlimited time, motivation, and intellectual resources to research and pursue their goal with no $200./hour legal bills. For the neighboring attorney abutter, it can become sort of a hobby as they sharpen and practice their legal skils in their own self-effort.

Lake Winnipesaukee has been a happy bass tournament and happy speed boat venue for years, so some type of compromise needs to be worked out by all sides. When you litigate, the lawyers become the 'reel' winner so it's better to work out a solution through a compromise..

Thanks, Woodsy.....This is my point as well.

ok people i have been reading all of your posts from day 1
i am a direct abutter to this place and for the record i have lived there for over 17 years and what i have seen in that time is a man out of control doing what ever he wants to do inspist of the law. i feel the town has all the right to make him come into compliance just like any one else and please lets not just harp on the bass guys that is just the tip of the ice burg here.


and i am not an lawyer either

Joe,
Whats the rest of the iceberg?

a typo on the years lived there 13 years sorry

i think the town has hit the nail on the head with the issue they have raised.
i feel that the ames family with the exception of don are very nice. but don can not continue the way he is going with the blatten disrespect for the town rules and regs.

How would you feel, Joe, with five hundred condo units spread over the three hundred acres and a quarter mile of shorefront of what is currently referenced as Ames?

http://www.amesfarminn.com/ames_cabins.jpg