Herbicide applications will take place Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, weather-permitting. The villages of Lakewood and Celoron and towns of Ellicott and Ellery will have 100 percent of their permitted acreage treated with herbicides this week.

Lakewood Deputy Mayor Ted McCague gave a presentation on the upcoming applications at a Village Board meeting Monday. He showed residents how herbicides will be used in three major areas: the waters along Crystal Avenue, which are east of the Lakewood Rod & Gun Club stretching east to the Celoron village line in Burtis Bay.

Also included is the waters north of Olive Avenue and parallel with Summit Street and Terrace Avenue; and the waters between Bentley Avenue and Shadyside Avenue.

Starting today, town and village officials around the lake will be posting notices of use restrictions at public access points. Everyone should refrain from swimming during the treatment and 24 hours proceeding its completion. Lake water should not be used for irrigation until 21 days after the treatment is completed. Water is also not considered potable unless it has less than 50 parts per billion of either Aquathol K or Navigate. There are no restrictions on fishing or eating caught fish. Signs will be removed when water restrictions are lifted.

Lakewood Deputy Mayor Ted McCague makes a presentation on the herbicide applications that are scheduled to be made in Lakewood and four other municipalities around Chautauqua Lake on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. P-J photo by Eric Zavinski

Herbicides will be applied from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. starting Wednesday. If inclement weather interferes with SOLitude Lake Management’s application schedule, herbicides can be applied Monday through May 22.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation determined Aquathol K and Navigate will be safe to use in the permitted areas. Any questions can be directed to the DEC at 851-7201.

“I’m really glad we’re reaching the end of this,” McCague said, echoing other town and village officials.

Lakewood officials will be posting 20 notice signs at seven different locations today.

Not all of what was applied for ended up being permitted by the DEC. Waters toward the Shermans Bay area were not permitted for herbicide treatment. A resident from that area reported more debris than usual piling up at the end of Division Street. Talks revealed that either the Lakewood Department of Public Works or the Chautauqua Lake Association would likely take care of the shoreline cleanup needed in the village.

In other news, McCague said the amendment to the village’s local zoning law to enforce regulations on excessive and unreasonable noises is now approved by the Chautauqua County Planning Board and officially set in stone.

The board of trustees also decided it will conduct a public hearing on the Site Plan Review for the incoming Taco Bell restaurant on Fairmount Avenue between Ruby Tuesday and Olive Garden. It will take place at 6:40 p.m. during the board’s next regular meeting Tuesday, May 28. There will be no meeting on the Memorial Day holiday.

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