Bunny Run Country News & Announcements

Lake Wide Weed Treatment For Long Lake

The Long Lake Property Owners Association (LLPOA) has entered into discussions with the Charter Township Of Orion to establish a Special Assessment District (SAD) for the Long Lake Lake Front Homeowners for ongoing lake weed management.

For a number of years now the Long Lake Property Owners Association (LLPOA) has obtained a permit for individual home owners to apply chemicals for aquatic weed control.  Though many lake front home onwers have participated in this weed control program, the results have been limited due to the restrictions the DEQ places on the types of chemicals the participating home owners can use, when these chemicals can be applied and the reluctance of home owners willing to apply the chemicals.  Last year the DEQ instituted a new requirement which required prior approval before we could apply for a permit.  During the canvassing of home owners it was found that nearly 100% of home owners contacted were open to some sort of weed control.

LLPOA had a guest speaker form Lake Orion Property Owners Association at the annual meeting last year to talk with us about the Special Assessment District (S.A.D.) they established for collecting funds from all lakefront homeowners for the purpose lake wide aquatic weed and algae control by a qualified and licensed company.  In our conversations with the DEQ last year they indicated they would prefer that we use a licensed qualified company for weed control of Long Lake.

PLM Land & Lake Management Corporation (PLM) was contacted and they toured the lake last summer for the purpose of identifying both invasive and non-invasive weed types in Long Lake.  This is the same company that Lake Orion is currently using.  It was found that Long Lake has an increasing amount of invasive Eurasian Watermilfoil, Curleyleaf Pondweed and heavy beds of Chara present which can choke out native weeds and harm fish beds.  If not treated, these weeds will continue to spread harming our otherwise healthy lake.  PLM provided an estimated costs for the 2020 season of $12,000 to $13,900. In order to accomplish a lake wide approach the LLPOA has started the process with Orion Township for the purpose of establishing a S.A.D.  In order for a S.A.D. to be established it is required that property owners representing at least 51% of the total land area must sign the petition.  If passed, all lake front property owners will participate in the weed control efforts.

The first year costs would include the costs for PLM applied weed control as well as a onetime Township set up fee estimated to be in the $1,500 range. These costs would be divided on a “benefit basis based on lake frontage” (not a per foot fee) which will be determined by Orion Township.  It is estimated that each Lake front parcel will pay an annual fee of between $90 and $150 based on parcel size.  The Township will establish a per lot assessment.  The S.A.D. would be for a period of 5 to 10 years depending on the contract period with PLM

Over the next several weeks, representatives from LLPOA will be going door to door to collect signatures.  If you are a Lake Front homeowner and have not already signed the petition or have questions about the program, please contact:

• Ken Svoboda at ken@emsix.com
• or Paul DeMeritt at pdemerrit@sbcglobal.net

Please include your address and contact info in the email.

Below are two documents that will help explain the SAD process and the proposed Treatment Plan from PLM:

• Long Lake SAD FAQs
• Long Lake Proposed PLM treatement plan