Looking out from the public boat launch at Lakewood Community Park to Burtis Bay on Chautauqua Lake. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

A new organization to protect the interests of property owners around Chautauqua Lake is in service.

To avoid limitations on its actions, The Chautauqua Lake Property Owners Association, Inc., a non-profit organization, has been formed. The CLPOA is independent of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State government, and Chautauqua County government, said Jim Wehrfritz, a longtime lake advocate who has expressed concerns about how new state wetlands regulations could affect the lake.

Wehrfritz said he is also trying to raise awareness about the draft regulations.

“There’s still a vast majority of people around the lake that don’t know about this,” he said about the regulations. “And so we’re trying to get more information out and then also, though, create a structure that can deal with it most effectively.”

While the non-profit is still in the beginning stages, Wehrfritz said the CLPOA will have a board of directors, a president, and will look for representation from areas around the lake.

In 2022, according to the DEC, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed into law historic revisions to New York’s Freshwater Wetlands Act. New York’s original Freshwater Wetlands Act was enacted in 1975 to regulate activities near larger wetlands, greater than 12.4 acres, and smaller wetlands considered to be of unusual local importance. The new wetlands law eliminates the use of the old, inaccurate wetland maps and clarifies that all wetland areas greater than 12.4 acres are subject to Article 24 regulations. Freshwater wetlands are lands and submerged lands – commonly called marshes, swamps, sloughs, bogs, and flats – that support aquatic or semi-aquatic vegetation.

Wehrfritz said that the CLPOA is seeking tax-deductible contributions.

“We are seeking confidential non-binding pledges at this time to build a legal defense fund which could be called upon if and when we decide to take actions necessary to protect property- and business-owner interests,” Wehrfritz said. “Our initial target for total pledges is $100,000. Pledgers will be contacted seeking fulfillment of their pledges when a specific plan has been developed. Donations can also be made to cover CLPOA expenses.”

He said pledges already have been submitted in the amounts of $500 to $10,000.

Also the CLPOA will be made up of volunteers, and the organization will not be doing any lake maintenance.

“We won’t be looking for funding from the state or the county. We won’t be looking for permits from the DEC. We can just focus on protecting the interests of property owners and businesses,” Wehrfritz noted.