loren valliere

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I've commented on shoreline issues before. As a lakefront property owner and a wildlife biologist, I put a lot of energy into educating others about the importance of protecting our shoreline from multiple perspectives. How much pressure are we willing to put on our valuable water resources, and thus water ecosystems? We are not making new ponds, lakes, or wetlands. We have what we have, and it's our duty to protect these sensitive areas. Think about what truly happens in that shoreline buffer: turtle nesting (four of NH's seven native turtle species are already listed as threatened, endangered, or of special concern), frog habitat (all are extremely vulnerable but there are three that are of conservation concern), snake habitat (five of eleven native snake species are listed as threatened, endangered, or of special concern), countless bird activity for courtship and nesting, hunting grounds for larger birds and mammals. Please consider passing this practical bill. It doesn't force anyone to act - just gives the option. Can we at least have that?! If passed, this restores a municipality’s ability to decide whether detached ADUs are appropriate near the water, helping communities balance housing flexibility with the shoreline protections our lakes depend on.