Local Artists, Farmers, Crafters and Retailers Contribute a Wealth of Items to Benefit the Continued Legal Defense of Summit Lake in Philmont

A bucolic getaway at a Columbia County bed and breakfast. A new stone wall. A set of hand-felted dolls made of natural fibers, crafted by an esteemed Harlem Valley textile artist. A fish dinner. A cord of wood. An iconic New York City subway photograph. These are some of the items available in "A Silent Auction for Summit lake."

Summit Lake Conservation Group, which has won two consecutive lawsuits against Clover Reach partners LLC and the Village of Philmont—thereby halting an unpopular 22-acre high end housing development on fragile, wooded land above Summit Lake—is hosting the auction to raise funds for its continued legal defense of Summit Lake's cherished habitats, which have been enjoyed by Philmont residents and visitors for generations.

Summit Lake, "the heart of Philmont," was targeted for development by Clover Reach (aka Claverack Design + Build) in the fall of 2021. Their goal was to build 16 houses on the steep forested terrain above the lake, which is home to hundreds of native species of birds, fish, trees, insects and wildflowers. Hundreds of trees would have been cut down, disrupting wildlife—including threatened and endangered species—and potentially impacting recreational activities including fishing and kayaking. The village approved the development without any environmental review.

SLCG formed in 2022 with a mission to raise awareness of the risks of the development and loss of community character, and highlight the importance of the lake to this tight-knit community of less than 1000 people.

The group won its first lawsuit in January 2023, but the developer submitted a nearly identical proposal a month later, which the Village approved in April. A second lawsuit was filed in May of 2023. Columbia County Supreme Court justice Richard Mott threw out the second approval in October.

With the silent action, the group aims to close its fundraising gap. More than $25,000 has been raised so far, entirely through small donations, yard sign sales, and community outreach efforts. "A Benefit for Summit Lake," held last November at the Avalon Lounge in Catskill and headlined by world-class jazz pianist John Medeski, raised nearly $3000.

The items and services offered for online bidding reflect the astonishing and diverse talents in and around Philmont. Local authors, painters, crafters, masons, teachers and wellness practitioners are donating time and services: yard work, art and dance classes, a tarot reading. Neighboring farms including Miller's Crossing and MX Morningstar have contributed high-quality produce. Beloved retail outlets like the Hawthorne Valley Farm Store and Spotty Dog Books & Ale have contributed gift certificates. Other donations have come from farther afield: British sound and visual artist Peter Taylor has donated fine art prints of an acrylic painting of Summit Lake’s viewshed based on a photograph by SLCG member Karen Schoemer.

The groundswell of support demonstrates not just the significance of Summit Lake to Philmonters, but the irreplaceable value of natural resources in upstate communities. Most villages are not lucky enough to have a lake just steps from Main Street. While housing access is a huge issue in Columbia County, development must not come at the expense of our vanishing open and unspoiled spaces.

The defense of Summit Lake comes in the context of a larger revival in Philmont, which has one of Columbia County's lowest average incomes. Last year a newly designated village historic district made the state and national historic registries. Under the auspices of a New York State Brownfield Opportunity Area designation, which Philmont earned in 20tk??, the architectural firm Rice + Lipka (known for its work on the art museum DIA Beacon) is producing ambitious designs for a new community center and historic plaza. Summit Mill, a gorgeous industrial behemoth next to Summit dam, dating from the late 19th century and the last of Philmont's original fabric mills, is slated for a multimillion-dollar redevelopment into an event space. And the Harlem Valley Rail Trail will soon connect Philmont with Chatham village, as a nine-mile stretch of the abandoned rail bed undergoes transformation into a recreational corridor.

Summit Lake is the “central catalyst” for Philmont’s revitalization. BOA activities are grouped under the title "Philmont Rising."

Painting by Nat Drake