In this Issue:

Advocacy Alert

Lakes Area Development Watch

Many Thanks: Volunteer Workday

Save the Date

Upcoming Events

Many Thanks : Ben Homan

Volunteer Opportunitites

Many Thanks: Golf Scramble

Eco Kayak Tours on offer

Hit the Trail

Rain Garden Watch

Advocacy Alert: North Shore Condominium
On Monday, August 30, the Village of Fontana Plan Commissioners recommended denial of a proposed condominium project that would allow for the transfer of riparian rights to existing residential lots located off-the-lake and on the opposite side of North Lake Shore Drive. The intent, as stated previously by the applicant, is to provide the off-lake properties the right of access to Geneva Lake and the right to moor a boat on a shared association-type pier.

The Conservancy commends village officials for taking a hard stand and working to protect the lake from another real estate technique designed solely to increase the already intense pressure on Geneva Lake.

While this is certainly encouraging news, and is due in large part, I'm sure, to a village boardroom that was packed with residents and citizens of the Geneva Lake area, it is not over yet.

The proposal must still be acted upon by the Village Trustees this coming Tuesday, September 7, at 6:00 PM.

Considering the Village was unanimous in its decision to rewrite the zoning and land division ordinances, in response to public pressure back in June, only to have village officials reverse themselves just over a month later, this issue certainly needs your continued support.
Please join us again at the upcoming Village Board meeting on Tuesday, September 07, 2010 at 6:00 PM.

If you are unable to attend, please call the Village at (262) 275-6136, and ask that they relay your concerns to the Village Trustees.

Early last month, the Town of Delavan Plan Commission reviewed a list of items that would need to be addressed before the Town would even consider issuing the requested CUP (Conditional Use Permit) for the recently proposed "Shores of Delavan Lake." Starting with a list of 15 items, the Plan Commissioners made numerous requests for information and asked for several guarantees from Sho-Deen's representative, Mr. David Patzelt, who was present in the audience.

In addition to items ranging from traffic impact to public services, the applicant was asked to commit to limiting the development to no more than the 623 units, as has been proposed. Also, the applicant was asked to provide a Ground Water and Water Supply Study, detailing the effect that private and/or municipal wells in the area would have on existing private wells and the aquifer.

While the Conservancy questions the appropriateness of development of this scale in a relatively rural area, we commend the Town Officials for being such excellent stewards of the groundwater resources in the area, and we look forward to seeing the information that is eventually provided by the applicant.

The Town of Delavan Plan Commission meets next on Tuesday, at 7 PM, and will be discussing the "Shores of Delavan Lake" further.

~Joseph A. McHugh
GLC Executive Director

The Geneva Lake Conservancy had a volunteer work day, Friday, August 27th to clean up the gardens around their office, at the historic Mill House in Fontana. With the rain and warm weather of the summer, the gardens got a little out of control. A huge thanks goes out to our volunteers who worked for three hours to help us get the gardens back to where they need to be. Check out the before and after photos:

The Conservancy offers a special thank you to those who helped: Sharna Ahern, Al Hermansen, Ben Homan, Mary King, Bridget Six and Mac Six

Interested in being a volunteer? Call the Conservancy at 262-275-5700.

Upcoming Events

Sept. 4: Fontana's Pig in the Park. Visit the Village of Fontana's website for more information.

Sept. 18: Tete-a-Tete at Twilight, at the Driehaus Estate, to benefit the GLC. Please email or call the Conservancy for more details (262) 275-5700.

Sept. 24 - 26: Geneva Lake Environmental Agency Classic Car Rally. See some great cars and enjoy the start of autumn on the lake. For more information, visit their Web site.

While you're checking out the classic cars, don't forget the concurrently running Geneva Lakes Antique and Classic Boat Show

October 2: GLC Lake Walk For Conservation. Join the Conservancy for the 20.6-mile Geneva Lake shore path walk/run! Please email or call the Conservancy for more information.

Ben Homan, our summer intern, has gone back to his studies at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, but we wanted to give him a round of applause for the tremendous boon he was to the Conservancy.

Ben greeted every day (and every one) with a smile, and was a joy to be around. He helped organize our fundraising and land protection files, folded and stuffed nearly 3,000 envelopes, and did whatever other task we could think of with only a desire to do good work and to help.

Ben, thank you again, for all your help. Please come visit us, and consider us again next summer!

~Katie Sullivan, on behalf of the Board and staff of the GLC.

To learn more about volunteering with the Conservancy, contact the office at (262) 275-5700 or email.

Volunteer Opportunitites

We're looking for a few fun folks to join our 2010 Lake Walk Committee. If you're interested in volunteering and want to know more, contact Katie at (262) 275-5700 or email.

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The Board and staff of the Geneva Lake Conservancy offer up a huge thank you to everyone who made the Conservancy's 1st Annual Golf Scramble a spectacular event. To those that braved the wind to join us on a beautiful Sunday morning, the volunteers that put everything together, the donors that provided the great prizes, and the wonderful folks over at Hawks View Golf Club: Thanks for making it happen. It would not have come together without your support. Plans are already in the works to make the 2nd Annual even more exciting, so stay tuned!

Eco Kayak Tours on offer

The Fontana Paddle Company is offering a new Eco-Tour of Geneva Lake by Kayak, using a script provided by the Conservancy. As a thank you for the "free" use of the script, they are going to be donating a portion of their proceeds back to the Geneva Lake Conservancy. For more information on the tours, please visit their website.

Hit the Trail!

Whether it's the Geneva Lake path, the White River Trail, or the Ice Age Trail, the Conservancy has your gear. Any Conservancy member is welcome to stop by the Mill House (398 Mill St., Fontana) during regular business hours to grab up to four backpacks loaded with great stuff to teach and entertain as you meander the beautiful natural areas and paths of our Geneva lakes area. Included in the backpacks are:

o Walk, Talk & Gawk
o Trees of Wisconsin Field Guide
o Birds of Wisconsin Field Guide
o Fontana Fen brochure

Rain Garden Watch
The GLC's rain garden is in full bloom! Check out our Facebook page for the progression of our Lake Geneva Garden Club-sponsored Demonstration Rain Garden. Or, stop by the Mill House and see the garden in person! Want to know more about rain gardens? Check out this pamphlet from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. We also have copies of this pamphlet available at the Mill House.