Concord, NH, USA
“A judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed against the state of New Hampshire by the owners of Mount Sunapee Resort, who had lobbied for years to expand and develop condominiums. Judge Diane Nicolosi made her ruling late Friday, several weeks after canceling a trial between Tim and Diane Mueller and the state.” Read more via Judge dismisses Mt. Sunapee lawsuit.
“This is a major victory in our efforts to protect Mount Sunapee State Park,” said conservationist and public land advocate Tom Elliott.
Elliott is also an organizer for Friends of Mount Sunapee, a watch-guard group that steadfastly opposed the Mueller’s leasehold expansion plan.
Article: Courtesy of Sunapeenews.com
Editor’s Note: I’m a founding board member of Friends of Mount Sunapee, and although not as active while abroad, am warmed, not only by this decision but by the thought of how far we’ve come with with a shift in land preservation awareness in Sullivan County, NH. When we first considered raising our hands in opposition to what clearly seemed like backroom whispers of condo development using State Park lands from which to benefit, the common reaction in the community was, “Why bother, it’s a done deal, you won’t get anywhere, big business rules.” This had been the history of Sullivan County activism since I could remember.
When we actually decided to step up and say our piece, we evenutully found support. It was as if people started saying..”You know, maybe this isn’t a done deal after all.” Help me in expressing gratitude to those on the Friends of Mount Sunapee board of directors, who continue to work hard to protect our Park lands for future generations. Board members Joylon Johnson, Catherine Bushueff, Tom Elliot, Brenda Shapiro, Linda Dennis, Bea Gillette, Bardy Flanders, Suzanne Levine have worked endless hours, Please join me in thanking them. Of course it doesn’t stop with them. So many other people took the time to get involved and, mostly with a level head and calm heart, said “no” to the developers.
We were told at the beginning, by the owners of Mt. Sunapee Resort they were only “Snow Farmers” and had no interest in real estate. They stated this at public informational meetings more than once when they first came to town. FOMS, Governor Lynch, SPNHF, and countless others have had the courage to say no with compassion. It’s a good sign when green space can be preserved for just a bit longer. It reminds me of the Early Winters victory in Mazama years ago. Thanks to those guys for the inspiration.
Check out FOMS’s website, and maybe even get involved or make a donation.
Tags: adventure travel, Dexter R. Richards, Early Winters, ecospiritual psychology, Experiential Education, FOMS, Friends of Mount Sunapee, Holistic Living, Land Conservation Successes, Mazama, Mountain Spirit, Mountaineering, mtnspirit.org, New Hampshire, Peru, Randy Richards, Spiritual, SPNHF, Sunapee, Sustainability, The Power of Place, Tim and Diane Mueller
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