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Kingston officials move to enforce cease-and-desist at Lone Tree Summer Camp
Summary
After planning-board reviewers say Lone Tree Summer Camp has expanded uses without approval, the Select Board authorized counsel contact to pursue fines and shutdown options under a June 18, 2024 notice and RSA 676:17.
The Kingston Select Board voted unanimously to authorize town counsel to pursue enforcement steps after the planning board reported that Lone Tree Summer Camp LLC had expanded uses of the property without site-plan approval.
The planning board chair, Lynn Merrill, told the Select Board the camp was approved originally as a children’s camp and for a small trades-education program but later added unpermitted features, including concerts, short‑term cabin rentals and day visitors. Merrill said the planning board repeatedly asked the owner to file a formal site‑plan application and received only an “existing conditions” plan that did not document changes of use. “We want you to do this, could you please just do a site plan so that we can have the discussion,” Merrill said of the board’s outreach.
Town planner Glenn Greenwood, who accompanied Merrill, said the property provided an existing‑conditions plan but no site‑plan application and no documentation of any change of use from the previously approved children’s camp. “We did receive a plan. However, we did not have, we had an as‑is plan, the buildings were labeled, but not labeled with any use,” Greenwood said.
Merrill and Greenwood told the Select Board that the town issued a cease‑and‑desist/notice of action on 06/18/2024 and later gave the property owner until Feb. 28 to submit a site‑plan review application. The notice also set a July 9, 2024 deadline to abate specific unpermitted activities and cited RSA 676:17 for potential daily fines if violations continue beyond the date of notice.
Board members expressed concern about public‑safety and code issues observed during prior inspections. The Select Board chair asked that counsel outline enforceable steps, including reissuing the cease‑and‑desist, assessing fines per town and state authority, and if necessary seeking court orders. The board voted to authorize a town official to contact counsel and proceed as advised. Motion by Ellie Alessio; second by Ellen Faulconer. The motion passed unanimously.
The board also discussed whether health, fire and building inspectors should do follow‑up inspections to document specific code violations that would support enforcement. Greenwood and Merrill emphasized the planning board’s view that the owner has had repeated opportunities to come into compliance through site‑plan review and said the current filings do not show the additional uses the owner is operating.
Select Board members said they would ask counsel to prepare enforceable next steps and report back to the board; the chair said he would contact counsel “tomorrow or sooner.” The board did not immediately impose fines at the meeting; it authorized counsel contact and potential enforcement actions based on counsel’s recommendations.
