Quote:
Originally Posted by FlyingScot
A very interesting post--one side with a troubled reputation floods the thread with things we know to be half true at best, the other side is quiet here but has an excellent reputation. You then conclude that they both must be wrong? (sadly, we see this in national politics every day...)
If you can find some reason independent of Owens's posts for us to question the basic honesty/decency of Camp Belknap, please share. Until then...
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wUJesUik5A
I have attached a link that I would like you to listen to, featuring Harry Markopolos. Harry went to the Securities and Exchange Commission five separate times reporting Bernie Madoff as a fraud. At the time, the fraud was around $10 billion. Had the SEC listened, it would never have grown to roughly $50 billion and ruined the lives of many more people. In his words, he could not pierce the good patina surrounding Bernie Madoff.
Likewise, I believe you are focusing on the good patina of Camp Belknap. I do not deny that Camp Belknap has done good things in the past and may well do good things again. However, within that institution there has been a bad actor. That bad actor repeatedly risked human life and attempted to move forward with unsafe and unpermitted construction. I stopped that.
This entire investigation arose from Camp Belknap exploiting New Hampshire construction and environmental laws. Because of my efforts, those violations appear to have been addressed and curbed.
What remains, however, is the continued issue of zoning compliance. The State of New Hampshire is clear that a nonconforming use may remain a nonconforming use, but it cannot become more nonconforming. That is where I continue to see a problem.
I have been around Camp Belknap my entire life. I was born in 1959 and began spending time around the camp when I was about ten years old, often near Russ Witten’s. Since those days, Camp Belknap has expanded significantly within what is designated low-density residential use. In my view, that expansion has at times made it a difficult neighbor.
That said, my objective is not to oppose the camp itself. I would prefer alignment and coexistence — but with appropriate containment of illegal expansion and adherence to the law.
Specifically, Farm Island is zoned low-density residential. I would ask Camp Belknap to recognize and respect that designation by removing loud, high-impact commercial activities that affect my property and the surrounding neighborhood. Doing so would benefit not only my property but all property owners within the low-density residential zone.