Shep Browns proposed expansion
 

I am curious to hear people's thoughts and input on Shep Browns proposed expansion plans.

Have not heard of this. Where can I find the details?

I don't see a link to the documents on the town website

This is not a Shep Brown's expansion. This is Meredith refurbishing the Lovejoy Sands public portion of the facility. New docks, bath house, etc.

Ugly, ugly, ugly is what describes the town parking lot that co-exists within the Shep Brown marina business but this is usually the way it is with a marina. You got all these stored boats, racks, storage, fork-lifts, and parking all crammed in close to the water access. Is just the way it usually is .... one big yucky, ugly boat marina business sprawled out mess.

With the town owning the parking lot that's surrounded by the marina, the new re-do plan shows about eight to ten new trees planted, new green grass areas, and a new picnic table which are very welcome landscape additions and should help to green up that parking lot area. New healthy trees and green grass space can go a long way to improve a dismal ugly parking lot area and yucky boat yard that co-exists with the town parking lot.

With all the asphalt paved parking lot and road, all the boats and cars and pickup trucks, adding a green grass entrance with trees will be a good Town of Meredith upgrade and a welcome improvement. Once it's done people will say "Isn't this new green grass - trees area a totally fantastic and wonderful improvement and a hugely welcome addition."

Here's suggesting they go with either linden trees or maple trees with maybe one or two evergreen pine trees.

I included the wrong link and hopefully deleted my last post. I am not sure how to upload the plans they are proposing. Hopefully one of the other forum members can and will do so.

Sorry for any confusion. Basically, Browns is looking to relocate its forklift well, rental boat slips and gas dock to the other end of the marina, at the end of what is now a gravel road. They want to build two new buildings with parking and create an access road for the forklift where there is currently a large stand of tall pines. In addition, they want to build a new showroom closer to the water - as near as I can tell where the existing gravel road is.

There have been some hearings about it with more to come. Some see the expansion as good as it will increase Browns private parking (for rental, sales, and slip customers) and move the busy forklift away from the current public lot and ramp. Others see this as a major expansion that greatly alters the shorefront and goes against established zoning. In addition the increased asphalt either adds to contaminants getting into the lake or decreases it, depending on who you listen to.

Hopefully I have captured the gist of the plan.

More pavement, properly installed, may be better than a gravel surface that tends to wash away. The new MP headquarters in Glendale, added "pervious" surfaces as opposed to the old impervious parking and gravel areas. The whole redevelopment is VERY environmentally conscious. No reason Shep's can't do the same.

Pervious pavement is an excellent alternative, it provides ample drainage like a gravel pavement but also does not wash away, additionally it is not a petroleum based product like asphalt so the water drainage will be relatively free of pollutants. The only negative it is tends to be most costly that gravel and asphalt

Agree. And understood, but what's the cost of going back and de-contaminating the water? Or periodically replacing gravel that washes away?
There's always a trade-off.

Thursday, May 19, 2022; so, what's happening, if anything, with the town design construction, grass and tree improvements at Lovejoy Sands/Shep Brown public parking lot and public town docks and boat launch ramp?

Is anything happening ........ waz-up with the discussed public town improvements down the public parking lot on Lovejoy Sands Rd?

Saturday, May 21; went down there, yesterday, and nothing is happening? Assume the ongoing DPW large building construction just below the transfer station is what's happening for this year, and maybe this proposed Lovejoy Sands green-up design will be happening, next year?