No trespassing signs at Conway Lake go too far

CONWAY — A “No Trespassing” sign that has stood at the town beach on Conway Lake for decades is incorrect because of a little-known nuance in how land enrolled in New Hampshire’s current use program is taxed.

At their June 23 meeting, Conway selectmen Steve Porter (chair), Carl Thibodeau, Ryan Shepard, Peter Donohoe and Victoria Blake agreed to review the wording on the sign after hearing concerns from resident/fishing conservationist AJ Hunter, who argued that portions of it conflict with New Hampshire law and the state’s current-use program while also displaying outdated fishing regulations.

Current use is a program in which owners of land over 10 acres can enroll to reduce their property taxes. A 10-acre parcel in Conway may be taxed as little as $25. The catch is the land can’t be developed, and if it is, there is a penalty — a one-time tax equal to 10% of the full market value.

The taxes on current use land can be further reduced by 20%. But not only does that preclude landowners from posting their land, but they must open it to the public for certain recreational activities, like hiking.

And that is the rub. The no trespassing sign at Conway Lake includes all 11 islands, but eight of islands are in the 20% reduction program.

The selectmen directed Town Manager John Eastman and town staff to work with the Conway Lake Conservation Association, Hunter and others to develop revised language for consideration at a meeting scheduled for July 14.

The sign at the town’s Conway Lake boat launch was replaced when the town completed improvements to the launch using an $85,000 state grant.

“I replaced it as is,” Eastman said. “It’s a new sign, but I didn’t change any of the language. I don’t know how old the language on the sign is. It’s always been that way.”

Hunter, a Conway resident and lifetime member of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, emphasized that he was speaking as a conservationist rather than on behalf of the national organization.

He said he first noticed the sign while visiting Conway Lake last year. “The language just spoke weirdly to me,” Hunter told the board.

Hunter argued that the town lacks authority to post restrictions governing private land it neither owns nor controls.

He said New Hampshire’s legal tradition presumes access to unposted, unenclosed land unless landowners take affirmative steps to restrict access under state law.

“When a municipality posts a single sign on public property telling the public to stay off all surrounding private land, that is the first step in contributing to the erosion of that tradition,” Hunter said.

He also pointed to the state’s current-use program.

According to the town, Conway Lake contains 11 islands comprising 12 tax parcels. Nine of those parcels are enrolled in New Hampshire’s current-use program, with eight receiving a 20% recreational adjustment.

Hunter argued that a blanket statement telling people to stay off all islands contradicts rights associated with properties receiving that recreational benefit. “I don’t think we should be saying you can’t go on, especially when there are people who are receiving that tax benefit,” he said.

Representatives of the Conway Lake Conservation Association agreed that portions of the sign should likely be removed. But they urged the board not to overlook the challenges that are facing lakefront property owners.

Former association president Ric Blank, speaking alongside Conway Lake Association member Bobbi Jarvis, said volunteers spend countless hours cleaning trash from islands and responding to problems created by visitors. He cited Picnic Island, located in neighboring Eaton, as an example. There, association members have removed clothing, garbage and even human waste from the island while also dealing with illegal campfires and tree cutting.

“Our biggest concern is managing these islands,” Blank said.

Hunter also questioned the accuracy of fishing information that is displayed on the sign.

He said the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, not the town, establishes fishing regulations, which can change from year to year.

After comparing the sign with the state’s 2026 regulations, Hunter said several limits no longer match current law and some existing regulations are omitted altogether.

Rather than permanently displaying regulations that may become outdated, Hunter suggested installing a QR code linking directly to current Fish and Game regulations.

That approach, he said, would eliminate the need to continually replace signs while ensuring anglers receive accurate information.

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Several selectmen expressed support for removing much of the disputed language.

Selectman Thibodeau said the town should avoid regulating property it does not own.

“We have no business telling people to stay off other people’s land,” Thibodeau said.

He suggested leaving only a general reminder encouraging visitors to respect private landowners while removing the remainder of the paragraph.

Thibodeau also questioned why the town was posting fishing regulations at all. “They didn’t look like they were correct to me,” he said.

Board members acknowledged those concerns while distinguishing between encouraging responsible recreation and asserting authority over private property. Hunter repeatedly stressed that his goal was not to encourage unrestricted public use of private property. “I don’t want this to be a contentious thing,” he said.

He offered to volunteer his time helping property owners remove trash or perform conservation work.

Selectmen likewise emphasized that private landowners have every right to protect their property.

“I’m not advocating that the town is expecting private landowners to open their property to anybody that wants to use it,” Thibodeau said.

“My stance is that I don’t think the town has the authority to do what they’re doing.”

Association representatives supported retaining language that encourages visitors to respect private property while also considering educational messages promoting stewardship.

Suggestions included adding “Leave No Trace” or “carry in, carry out” reminders to encourage visitors to pack out their trash and minimize impacts on the lake.

Eastman recommended sending letters to affected island property owners summarizing the board’s discussion and informing them that the town is reviewing the sign.

He said he would work with Deputy Assessor Corie Hilton to prepare the correspondence.

The board also directed staff to work collaboratively with Hunter and the Conway Lake Conservation Association on revised language before bringing recommendations back for consideration at an upcoming meeting.

Several officials favored retaining a simple message asking visitors to respect private landowners while replacing outdated fishing regulations with a QR code linking to New Hampshire Fish and Game.

Eastman said the goal is to create signage that accurately reflects the town’s authority while promoting responsible recreation and protecting Conway Lake’s natural resources.

“I felt when (the sign) came to my attention that I could not argue the point,” Eastman said. “I could not answer definitively how it got there, why it got there or who made the decision.”

Rather than acting unilaterally, he said, any changes should receive approval from the selectmen after input from residents, conservation advocates and lakefront property owners.

The board expects to revisit proposed revisions at a future meeting after staff complete their review — probably its July 14 meeting.

For further information, call Conway Town Hall at 603-447-3811, ext. 2.

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