At the March 9 town election, Deering residents will be asked to approve a new Watershed Protection Ordinance that aims to protect Deering Lake from the effects of point and non-point source pollution or sedimentation. A close examination of the proposed ordinance leads us to conclude that significant protections that were included in the current ordinance have been removed from the revised ordinance that Deering residents are asked to approve. If adopted this watershed ordinance will potentially increase pollution in Deering Lake. We urge you to vote ‘no’ to this warrant article.

1. Septic tank guidelines and noncompliance regulations have been removed from the proposed watershed ordinance. These were spelled out in detail in the current ordinance. Faulty or neglected home septic systems pose a severe threat to our lake.

2. The current watershed ordinance requires a hydrologic study and an erosion control plan for new construction on the lake. These requirements were removed from the revised ordinance. New construction involves considerable disruption of the soil and may also introduce significant impermeable surface (e.g., driveways, roofs). The result is erosion and pollutant bearing runoff running directly into the lake. Runoff control and watershed protection measures for the site must be developed for all new construction. The rate of surface water runoff from the site must not exceed pre-development conditions and the quality of any runoff must not be less than predevelopment conditions.

3. The requirement that no more than 10% of the land for a house or development be converted to lawn is removed from the revised ordinance. A lawn is not a natural part of the ecosystem of Deering Lake. A lawn will increase water flow into the lake, and lawn care with fertilizers and pesticides are especially dangerous for the health of our lake. This requirement must be included in a revised watershed ordinance.

4. How requirements for development in Deering Lake’s watershed are to be monitored, and penalties for non-compliance are not indicated in the proposed ordinance. There is no indication which town officer is responsible for monitoring observance of buffers (50 feet from lake edge, 75 feet from streams feeding into the lake) and other conditions. This must be made clear, as must penalties for failing to observe buffers and other conditions.

Deering residents have consistently voiced strong support for the many natural features in our town. Protection of those features requires diligence. While the intention of the proposed watershed ordinance is good in the new requirement for builders and others to obtain a Conditional Use Permit from the Planning Board, this revision seems to have been hastily developed. It lacks significant safeguards for our prized lake.

We urge rejection of Warrant Article 2, Zoning Ordinance Amendment when you vote on Tuesday, March 9.

(Gary J.  Samuels and Mike Thomas live in Deering.)