Great Hosmer Pond has been a significant part of the Craftsbury, VT community since the mid 40’s when lakefront cabin development began. This serene hideaway allowed residents to enjoy the lake all summer on their boats as well as along the shoreline.   

Fast forward to 1976 when Russell Spring founded the Craftsbury Outdoor Center – primarily focused on sculling (a.k.a. rowing). The outdoor center thrives simply due to the fact that Great Hosmer Pond is “the greatest place on Earth to scull, end of story” according to managing director Troy Howell.

However, as of late, there’s been some resistance to the COC. Motorboats and scullers simply cannot coexist on a lake as narrow as Hosmer. There isn’t enough room. The lake is only 160 feet wide at its broadest part, which would typically mean motor boats were prohibited on the body of water. However, since the lakefront properties date back to the 40’s and 50’s the use of motorboats has been grandfathered in.

Managing director Troy Howell again explains, “If there are 40 to 50 scullers on the lake, it’s virtually impossible for anyone to water-ski.” “By the same token, if there are even three motorboats on the lake functioning at high speeds, it’s virtually impossible to scull.”

The conflict in Craftsbury is at a breaking point, and if a solution isn’t found soon it might boil over.

Shared access to public facilities hasn’t been particularly troublesome in Vermont up until this point due to our low population density. However, as more and more patrons begin to summer in Vermont and use our lakes it’s a problem we could see arise more frequently.   

For any of your real estate questions or concerns contact Steve Lipkin and the LipVT team at Steve@LipVT.com or 802-846-9575.

Picture: The president of Vermont Rail Systems, David Wulfson, speaks on behalf of the company’s new facility to a group of people at the Shelburne Community School.

The Town of Shelburne has filed a lawsuit against Vermont Railways earlier this year in dispute of a transfer and storage facility in which preparation is already under way. The facility is being prepared in close proximity to the LaPlatte River and Shelburne Village, causing the town to have become wary of nearby wetlands as well as traffic flow. Environmental advocates have harshly objected to the railroad’s developing facility as it obliterates a now standing crucial buffer zone to the river. The company has already cleared 18 acres in preparation for the structure, but it can’t proceed with actual construction until the next round of hearings in late April.

To read the full article: http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/2016/03/11/shelburne-salt-shed-case-advances-court/81488204/

Please contact Steve Lipkin and the LipVT team for any and all of your real estate needs!

An interesting business opportunity has slid on to the plate of Burlington multifamily property owners.

Photo: Building performance specialist Jeremy King inspects a Burlington multifamily property for heat fluctuation using an infrared camera.

There's been a long time tug-of-war between Burlington landlords and tenants. Why would a Burlington landlord fret over a tenant's high heating bill? On the contrary, why would a tenant give thought to maximizing a landlord's long-term investment in their property?

The simple answer: neither does. And that's exactly why numerous Burlington multifamily properties have been neglected as far as improvements go in the past years. 

Energy Champ, a program developed by Vermont Gas Systems and Burlington Electric Department, is a possible solution to the predicament. The program is split into two stages. Stage one for a landlord is having energy auditors conduct a walkthrough of the entire building. The auditors use tools such as infrared cameras to determine how well the structure retains heat, and calculate the investment a landlord would need to make to achieve total heat efficiency. Stage two of the program for the landlord is making the improvements suggested by the auditors.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, Vermont Gas Systems and the Burlington Electric Department will cover up to 75% of the total improvement cost the landlords incurr. 

This has created an awesome opportunity for Queen City landlords. Not only can they do their part in making our planet energy efficient, but they can keep tenants in their properties longer as tenants tend to stay in an apartment longer the lower the heating bill is. They also have a darn good chance at increasing the resale value of their property more so than what they invested in Energy Champ. 

To read the full article: https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/life/green-mountain/2016/02/21/landlords-burlington-leap-energy-upgrades/80397658/