LOCL organization forms to respond to AEP

By WILLIAM PAINE

Patriot Publishing

The Landowners of Claytor Lake (LOCL) held their first meeting Thursday, Oct. 9, at the Pulaski County Innovation Center with the goal of forming a coalition to represent the interests of property owners on Claytor Lake.

The need to form LOCL stems from a series of what have been described as “threatening letters” sent by Appalachian Power to property owners regarding perceived violations of the company’s Shoreline Management Plan (SMP).

“This all started because of a call about a letter,” said Greg Henderson, who organized this initial meeting of LOCL. “Basically, anyone on Peak Creek has gotten some type of letter, whether it’s a picture of their dock saying it can’t be changed and can never be altered … It says, I can rebuild. You rebuild and you get fined or you get a letter. Just like a scare tactic. Like, you know, we’re watching you.”

Henderson was told by Appalachian Power/AEP representatives that his dock was out of compliance and that he must shorten it or remove the dock entirely. Henderson claims a rock formation under his dock makes shortening it impossible. He is currently appealing the decision through legal means.

Several of those attending the meeting described negative encounters with officials from AEP in relation to repairs or improvements on their docks. Two individuals attending the meeting made repairs to their docks and were subsequently warned by AEP officials that these repairs were not in line with AEP’s Shoreline Management Plan. In both instances, property owners were told to tear out all repairs they’d made after Hurricane Helene or face serious legal consequences.

Both of these individuals have hired lawyers and are currently in the midst of legal tussles with American Electric Power and for this reason, did not want their names to be published.

“In the last few months there has been a marked increase of homeowners’ questions regarding notification of violations of the Shoreline Management Plan,” said Cheri Strenz. “Most report the repairs necessary after Hurricane Helene seem to be at issue.”

Strenz is the Vice President of Friends of Claytor Lake (FOCL) but was speaking as a homeowner and not as a representative of FOCL.

Jackson Beamer, President of the Friends of Claytor Lake, was in attendance at the meeting but also made it clear that he was speaking for himself and not as a representative of FOCL.

“I don’t know what AEP’s end game is,” said Beamer. “The stupidity of some of their stuff … it’s just asinine stupidity. As a customer of AEP, I don’t appreciate them wasting money like hiring people to fly drones around and look at my dock.”

According to Beamer, he was told by an AEP official that in order to make any improvements to his dock, he’d have to tear half

of it down before any work could happen.

Several of those in attendance mentioned negative encounters with Appalachian Power Company Real Estate Manager Lisa Hammock.

“There’s a world of difference between Lisa Hammock and Wayne Alexander,” said Beamer.

Alexander, who was well regarded by most everyone in attendance at the meeting, held the position of Appalachian Power Company Real Estate Manager before Hammock became AEP’s Real Estate Manager.

“Appalachian has designated these last few months of the year as the time where they’re going to catch people out of compliance,” said one of those in attendance.

There are approximately 1,500 property owners around Claytor Lake. Appalachian Power owns the lake and up to the 1850-foot elevation on the shoreline. It is for this reason that AEP/Appalachian Power claims the right to regulate the building and any significant repairs made on docks.

Strenz emphasized that changes to the Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) were possible citing a change made increasing allowable dock sizes after years of lobbying AEP by the Friends of Claytor Lake.

“I have heard of more letters in the last couple of months than I have seen in the in the last 10 years that I’ve been doing dock surveys,” said Ron Fink, a licensed surveyor who attended the meeting

“I’m the guy who comes out and does dock surveys and locates the 1850 elevation contour and locates the water elevation level as the basis for your permits. I’ll try to find you guys common ground to where you can get most of what you want and AEP gets most of what they want. We’ll find a way inside the Shoreline Management Guide to get you what you want.”

Fink admits that some of AEP’s regulations can be difficult to apply, especially AEP’s new regulation for the construction of seawalls, which may result in significant loss of landowner real estate.

An updated Shore Management Plan is due out in 2027 and according to most of those in attendance, this is the driving force behind increased enforcement and warning letters sent by AEP to property owners.

“We’re forming LOCL to have a direct voice in the Shore Management Plan for the protection of the landowner,” said Henderson. “Our goal is to have a clear voice into what’s going on and what we can do on the shore.”

Henderson wants to reach out to other property owners around the lake to build a coalition that gives them a stronger voice against what many consider unfair treatment by AEP.

“We just want to help clean up the policy of the shore management plan for all 1,500 landowners,” said Henerson. “The only way we’re going to win and beat this is going to be strength in numbers.”

Anyone wanting to inquire about or join LOCL can contact Greg Henderson by calling 540-449-2452 or emailing him at Greg.henderson@mac.com.