Lake Luzerne Uprising: Residents Battle to Protect Town’s Lifeblood from Massive Development Threat

Lake Luzerne Uprising: Residents Battle to Protect Town’s Lifeblood from Massive Development Threat

LAKE LUZERNE — In a stunning grassroots rebellion, longtime residents of Lake Luzerne have filed a lawsuit to stop what they describe as a catastrophic 33-acre subdivision that threatens to change the soul of their beloved Adirondack town forever.

Filed April 24 in Warren County Supreme Court, the lawsuit seeks to overturn the Planning Board’s approval of “Luzerne Woods,” a controversial 18-luxury-home development perched atop the town’s most vital aquifer — a natural resource locals call their "liquid gold." Residents warn that the project could poison drinking water, destroy natural habitats, devalue property, and shred the small-town fabric of Lake Luzerne as we know it.

"This isn’t just a legal filing — it’s a cry for survival,” said Kevin Boyd, one of the local plaintiffs, whose home lies just downhill from the proposed build. “They’re digging septic tanks barely above the aquifer that feeds our homes. If this goes wrong, it's not just bad planning — it's irreversible damage.”

Joining Boyd in the legal fight is Rosa Ortiz, as well as a growing coalition of furious locals, former planning board officials, and the Lake Luzerne Association. Their attorney, William Demarest III, said the development blatantly disregards local code: “They’re trying to build on steep, unstable slopes that should legally be marked as undevelopable. This isn't planning — it’s gambling with the town’s future.”

Critics also slammed the subdivision’s designation as a “conservation” project, calling it a joke. “They're carving up patches of land and calling it preserved — like sticking Band-Aids on a forest,” said former board member Howard Schaffer, who accuses the town engineer of rubber-stamping developer documents without performing a single independent analysis.

And the stakes are enormous. The 33-acre “Luzerne Woods” is the largest subdivision in recent town history — approved with minimal outside oversight, despite sitting within the Adirondack Park’s cherished Blue Line.

The Adirondack Park Agency declined to intervene, citing jurisdictional limits. Locals see this as abandonment. “This project slid through the cracks while we were all shouting from the rooftops,” said a Lake Luzerne Association spokesperson. “It threatens our environment, our property values, and our water. The town turned a blind eye, and we’re left to fight this alone.”

Developer Eric Moses, meanwhile, insists he’s doing the town a favor. He claims Luzerne Woods will breathe life into a dying community, filling classrooms and rescuing the school district. “I’m saving this town,” Moses said. “They want restaurants, thriving schools? You need people first. These are full-season homes for families.”

But residents aren't buying it. “He’s acting like this is charity,” scoffed Boyd. “But we’re the ones who have to live with the risk if our wells run dry or our beach is overrun. This isn’t charity — it’s exploitation.”

Tensions are high, legal filings are underway, and the future of Lake Luzerne may hang in the balance. The Lake Luzerne Association has already begun raising money for a legal war chest. Community meetings have turned into packed-town-hall showdowns. Signs are popping up across front yards.

This isn’t just about 18 houses.
This is about the heart of Lake Luzerne — and the people willing to stand up and fight for it.