LakeSmart

Welcome to the LakeSmart Committee page of the Clary Lake Association. 2023 is the first year we’ve been actively participating in the LakeSmart program on Clary Lake. The goal of LakeSmart is to promote environmentally sound living around Maine lakes thereby protecting them from soil erosion and sedimentation. This is done by evaluating and “scoring” shorefront properties on how well runoff is managed and by recommending best management practices to minimize soil erosion and sedimentation.

A word about scoring: A LakeSmart evaluation consists of scoring a property on 5 sections: Section 1, Driveway and Parking Areas, Section 2 Outdoor Structures, Section 3 Outdoor Living Areas, Section 4 Shoreline, and Section 5 Shoreline Buffer:

A LakeSmart evaluator uses a LakeSmart Property Evaluation Form to evaluate a property. There can have one of 3 results. The property either qualifies for an Award (yay!), it qualifies for a Certificate of Merit (still yay!), or it receives neither which simply means that the score for the property did not meet the minimum requirements for LakeSmart recognition. In other words, the property failed to meet one or more criteria on which properties are scored. The fact of the matter is, MOST properties will not qualify for a LakeSmart Award or Certificate of Merit simply because the LakeSmart criteria on which properties are scored are quite stringent. A common “problem” is that many camps were built too close to the water, prior to setback requirements and this often prevents the property owner from maintaining a sufficient buffer. Without a “passing score” on the buffer evaluation, your property is not going to pass even if it scored perfectly on the other areas. If you own a property that failed to meet the minimum requirements for recognition, there are still things you can do to reduce the environmental impact of your property on Clary Lake. Failing to receive either an Award or a Certificate of Merit is nothing to be ashamed of and homeowners who choose to participate are always advised as to steps they can take to alleviate runoff. LakeSmart is primarily an educational program and awards are secondary.

If you’d like to have a LakeSmart Evaluation done of your property, simply download the LakeSmart Homeowner Questionnaire, fill it out, and send it to lakesmart@clarylake.org and we’ll contact you and arrange a time to meet.

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