The Chautauqua Lake Property Owners Association will host its 12th public meeting on the state’s Freshwater Wetlands Regulation changes on Monday, Sept. 1.

It’s the 14th meeting the organization has held this year, as association officials try to bring further attention toward ongoing discussions and lawsuits surrounding the DEC’s wetlands regulations that took effect Jan. 1.

CLPOA officials said they received a large number of complaints from recent Fourth of July celebrations, citing complaints from Burtis Bay, Sherman Bay, Ellicott and Fluvanna, to name a few. Complaints are largely centered around the large amount of nuisance weeds which have been blossoming within the lake. Chautauqua Lake Association weed harvesting got a late start this year, though CLA crews have been working to make up for lost time. Herbicide treatments organized by the Chautauqua Lake Partnership took place earlier this year, though the CLP detailed in legal documents filed in its lawsuit against the DEC’s new freshwater regulations that it took about a month for a second round of permit applications to be approved when it became apparent additional treatment was needed.

CLPOA board members said the weed growth has taken a toll on local residents’ use of the lake, as many areas of the lake are said to be unusable by property owners as a result of weed growth. CLA officials told The Post-Journal recently that one of the weed species, elodea, a native plant also known as western waterweed.

The CLPOA is attempting to push more effective means of protecting the lake, measures which are more specifically designed for our local area. That includes support for a lake management plan created by North Carolina State University that has yet to be approved by local organizations involved with lake management.

The group also proposes creation of a Centralized Lake Authority, a group that would be a collective of local governmental figures from lake-side communities. Such a board, CLPOA officials say, would give much needed insight to local lake-side areas that would allow for better protections and regulations.

Kathy O’Brien, a CLPOA board member, said the CLPOA is asking for the local community’s support at Monday’s meeting, asking people to “stand behind the ongoing and future litigation against these new wetlands regulations – not just with words, but with real support.” The organization hopes Monday’s meeting will attract attention from seasonal residents, hoping it will aid in supporting them further before the end of the summer season.

The organization also wishes to see a greater effort to protect the lake by local governments as a result. The CLPOA also notes that many of the organizations leading the fight against the regulations are “small, volunteer-run nonprofits, powered by donations,” something which has posed an extra layer of challenge when it comes to implementing change, as resources for the cause are so limited. Because of this it is crucial, the organization argues, to continue to reach local residents who are also passionate about keeping the lake clean and functioning.

Monday’s meeting will be held from 9:30 to 11 a.m.