Conservancy history
The Twin Lakes Conservancy
A History as of June 2006 Submitted by Tom Hoff
with 2015 update
At the June 1986 meeting of the TLPOA a group of members (Roy Perper, Dave Bruton, Ed Nikles, Fred Lackland and Tom Hoff) petitioned the Association to approve a resolution authorizing the President to nominate five persons to serve as members and trustees of a nonprofit corporation to be known as the Twin Lakes Conservancy, Inc.
Subsequently the TLPOA Bylaws were amended to include Section 3 as follows:
“A corporation known as the Twin Lakes Conservancy Inc. shall be authorized to acquire, own and dispose of real estate in the Twin Lakes area in a manner that will help preserve and protect the natural beauty and tranquility of Twin Lakes. The President’s nominees shall be voted upon by the Association. The member-trustees shall nominate their successors and may nominate additional member trustees subject to approval of the Association.”
“A majority of the member-trustees shall be members of the Association or members of a organization that is a member of the Association. The Conservancy shall be required to submit an annual operating and financial statement to the Association.”
Roy Perper with the help of Dave Bruton drew upon his experience in setting up the Twin lakes Preserve and crafted incorporation papers and bylaws and thereby gave life to the TLC as a Pennsylvania not-for-profit corporation on September 14, 1987.
On December 2, 1987 the new Conservancy made a formal written offer to Miss Georgiana Coursen to purchase the approximately one acre shorefront parcel she owned on the southeast side of the inlet brook on the Big Lake. Miss Coursen graciously accepted the offer and the Georgiana Coursen Preserve came into existence on May 12, 1988.
The TLC’s acquisition set in place specific restrictions to assure that the land would forever be used for the benefit of all TLPOA members and prohibited its use as lake access or beach and it prohibited any form of building. This parcel is to be used solely as a “park” in perpetuity, which was the wish of Miss Coursen.
Thus was began a new era in the TLPOA’s long-term effort to maintain the character of Twin Lakes. In the years proceeding it had become proactive through the efforts of the Deed and Map registrar to monitor and enforce preexisting deed restrictions and through the its continuing efforts to encourage the inclusion of the Lake Access Restriction Agreements (LARAs) as part of the deed of every lakefront lot.
It is instructive to note a couple of passages from the original sales brochure for Twin Lakes Park circa 1915.
“A warranty Deed with the usual restriction to keep the place attractive is furnished to each property owner.” And, “ All we ask is that you make yourself agreeable, keep the place respectable, preserve the natural beauty and join in the festivities.”
The TLPOA and the TLC together support the filing of a LARA whenever properties change hands. It is one of the most effective long-term tools we have to protect the character of Twin Lakes. It helps assure reasonable lake use while it bolsters property valuation.
The officers of both groups stand ready to help a seller or buyer undertake this very easy task and the TLPOA will assume the rather nominal fee for its proper execution and filing.
The financing of the Miss Coursen waterfront lot demonstrates the exceptional conservation spirit and interest within the Twin Lakes community. Fifteen members were phoned by Tom Hoff and all were asked to write and send a check for $1000 towards the purchase. Every single contact resulted in a positive response and within a few days the TLC had the necessary funds on deposit. More importantly each contributor did so understanding that they would receive no interest and that a mechanism for repayment over the next 5 to 15 years was yet to be proposed, let alone approved, by the TLPOA. In other words they went at risk because they believed this was a good thing in the long run for Twin Lakes and, of course, their investment in it. Ultimately all re- covered their funds.
The message of all this is clear. Property owners at Twin Lakes care and they are willing to put assets on the table to help make good things happen.
Over the next few years the TLC worked to keep alive its dialog with Miss Coursen concerning opportunities to protect and conserve her lands for the future. Upon her death that dialog quickly expanded to include her heirs. They responded affirmatively and the Trust rushed to put together a proposal that it hoped would represent a win for the estate, a win for the residents of Twin Lakes and a win for Shohola which would become involved in a complex subdivision project should the 200 acres be sold for development. “A warranty Deed with the usual restriction to keep the place attractive is furnished to each property owner.” And, “All we ask is that you make yourself agreeable, keep the place respectable, preserve the natural beauty and join in the festivities.”
The TLPOA and the TLC together support the filing of a LARA whenever properties change hands. It is one of the most effective long-term tools we have to protect the character of Twin
The proposal seemed to be on target and after several amicable negotiating sessions a deal was struck leading to the TLC acquiring the 189 acres of the Coursen Conservancy and the delineation and the transfer of four large building lots and a family lake access to the heirs. In addition ten east shore residents purchased one to three acre parcels, which the township permanently conjoined to their existing lakefront lots. All the lands so distributed carry important conservation easements and restrictions to guarantee for all time that the lands held in stewardship for so many generations by Miss Coursen and her family will remain much as they knew and loved them.
The TLC again appealed to the TLPOA members for rapid financial support. In a matter of weeks over 85 of the roughly 100 members pledged $1000 to in excess of $2000 each toward the purchase of the Conservancy. The quid pro quo was a license allowing them and their guests to hike and cross-country ski the property. It also provided a measure of satisfaction and assurance that they were making a tangible contribution to the conservation and quality of life at Twin Lakes. The TLC also acquired a quit claim to secure 89 lake bottom acres adjoining the original Coursen lands.
In the fall of 1997 the Coursen Conservancy officially opened with signage, a small parking area and plans to label native fauna and expand the trails the following spring. Since then over ten new Twin Lakes residents have purchased licenses and enjoy the benefits of nature walks through the Conservancy.
On November 12, 1997 the TLC received a truly marvelous addition to its holdings as the result of a conservation easement placed with the Delaware Highlands Conservancy by Barbara and Richard Brown of Twin lakes. The TLC now owns the 153 acres on which Delaware Highlands holds and enforces the conservation easement developed with the Browns.
To have a better understanding of this wonderful gift the following is quoted from the “Highlands Journal” of Nov. - Dec. 1999
“In 1901 Jacob Weber and five sons purchased 450 acres of land surrounding Twin Lakes. One of those sons, Frank Pinchot Weber, traveled each summer with his family by train from Jersey City with canned and dried foods, flour, sugar and salt enough to last the season. When the train arrived at Parkers Glen they would load the family, luggage and sacks of food onto a mule drawn wagon and head up to Twin Lakes. The Weber’s were among the first families on the lake. “
“Last week Frank Pinchot Weber’s granddaughter, Barbara Brown, donated the last untouched portion of Jacob Weber’s original holdings to Delaware Highlands Conservancy. We will preserve it in perpetuity using the tool of a conservation easement.”
“A conservation easement is a legal contract that spells out how a tract of land can be used, and what cannot be done with the property. In this case, the conservation easement prohibits any residential or commercial uses of the land. This will insure that the ‘Frank Pinchot Weber Tract’, as it is now called will remain forever wild.”
The TLC purchased this land and is subject to the easement’s restrictions, which are monitored by Delaware Highlands. The TLC has been trading limited hunting rights for annual posting of the tract and is obligated to assure that nothing but Mother Nature’s changes occur. TLPOA members are free to visit this wild and rugged parcel but by agreement no trails will be built. The land, in addition to being a part of the Twin Lakes Watershed also contains the headwaters of the Raymondskill Creek.
In the fall of 2001 former residents Sy and Mary Ann Bonarti offered to gift to us a three-acre parcel that they held across from Mrs. Clark on the Coursen Road. They donated their parcel to the Delaware Highlands Conservancy where a conservation easement similar to the one developed for the Weber tract was put in place. The TLC then purchased the parcel at a substantial dis- count from Delaware Highlands and filed a deed under TLC ownership in May 2002. This is a strategically important and quite beautiful lot with wonderful old growth trees that make this section of the walk out the Coursen Road to the old Cos-Mid / Whip-O-Whil a cool deep forest type experience.
In 2010 a small piece of lakefront property on the Little Lake was acquired by the Conservancy from property owner Bob Watson. This lakefront piece would now be protected from use as deeded lake access in perpetuity.
The Twin Lakes Conservancy is now 29 years old and holds 435 acres for the benefit of Twin Lakes property owners. In addition to holding a scheduled spring clean up of the Coursen Conservancy, it meets annually to develop strategies to identify, prioritize and acquire other parcels of significance to the preservation and conservation of the “natural beauty and tranquility of Twin lakes. It remains highly committed to working with any area landowner to develop yet another win-win partnership or acquisition.
The TLC encourages all members of the TLPOA to purchase a license if they don’t have one. It’s a great investment in preserving the character of Twin Lakes and its a valuable asset which can be transferred to heirs or new owners. The cost is $1000 and the funds help the TLC maintain the properties and explore the acquisition and conservation of other important parcels. If a lake front owner doesn’t yet have a LARA or similar covenant to limit off lake access they are urged to speak with an officer of the TLPOA or the TLC.
As a nation we all decry the loss of natural beauty. Here an opportunity to do some- thing really local- our own backyard.
In January 2015 Twin Lakes lost Tom Hoff, a friend and a life long steward of our lakes. He was fondly known to many of us as Mr. Twin Lakes or the Mayor of Twin Lakes for his many contributions to our community and for his unfailing efforts to preserve and maintain the character of Twin Lakes. To be sure, Tom will be greatly missed.
Among Tom’s many contributions, the most notable is the establishment of the Twin Lakes Conservancy. To honor Tom and to celebrate his efforts as well as the lake and community he so loved, it seems fitting to reprint a 2006 Twin Sails article written by Tom about our beloved Conservancy.
Tom Hoff, the founder of the Conservancy, was forever vigilant about maintaining and preserving the character of Twin Lakes. In fact, just days before his death he was researching a Conservancy matter. We all owe it to Tom to carry on in his spirit and tradition to protect and cherish our lakes, their environs and our community.
