04/24/02 WED 08:54     FAX 6163355459 LAKETOWN TOWNSHIP               001/003 Laketown Township Building Authority 4338 Beeline Road Holland, MI 49423 PH 616.335.3050 FX 616.335.5459 laketown @wmis.net April 22, 2002 Land Exchange Review Committee Michigan Department of Natural Resources Sixth Floor, Mason Building Lansing, MI VIA EMAIL AND HAND DELIVERY RE: Response to April 11, 2002 Letter
Dear Committee Members: In response to the April 11, 2002 letter of Mr. Rodney A. Stokes, Chief of the Parks and Recreation Bureau (PRB) to Mr. Robert J. Scanlan, Chair of the Laketown Township Building Authority (LTBA), we offer the following comments. The PRB cites four reasons why the LERC should deny our request for a land exchange. We feel we need to supply the PRB with more information to aid in their recommendation. Item One begins with a leader: "New Pump House Location Outside of Existing Easement." This is only partially correct. We offered two possible locations for the pump house. Both of these locations are at least partially within the existing easement that Laketown Township holds across the Saugatuck Dunes State Park ("the Park"). It is correct that the new pump house would be located in a critical dune area near an area designated as high risk erosion. On February 1, 2000 members of the LTBA walked proposed routes for a water intake with Ms. Michelle Hohn of the Land and Water Management Division of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Mr. Paul Yauk of the PRB was along that day. A possible route through the northern section of the Park was first explored. It was determined this route would be difficult for construction because of existing slopes and because of the generally pristine character of the area. Next a route following the existing easement was walked. Ms. Hohn generally felt this route would be much more desirable and could probably receive a critical dune permit. One area of the route (where the easement leaves the Township property and enters the State property) may have a slope of greater than 33%. The actual slope in this area would need to be determined and alternate construction techniques (such as boring) may be necessary. This was the route we requested in our proposed land exchange. If given the opportunity we are confident we can construct this project without any significant and permanent negative impacts. 04/24/02 WED 08:54     FAX 6163355459 LAKETOWN TOWNSHIP               002/003 Again, we are confident we can construct this project without any significant and permanent negative impacts. There will not be significant tree removal. We will not fragment the forest canopy. The existing topography is not steep. The rustic recreational experience would not be negatively impacted. The area we propose to use has an existing water system in place. It has an existing electrical system in place. It has an existing building in place. It has an existing road in place. The road has been used to access the shoreline since the 1920's. The photocopy of a portion of a 1928 USGS topography map attached to this letter shows the road. The High Risk Erosion and Critical Dune Map that was attached to the April 11, 2002 letter shows the road. This is not a pristine wilderness area. This is an area that has been used to access Lake Michigan for many, many years. Laketown Township no longer wishes to return the Felt Mansion to the State of Michigan. Work on the restoration of the Mansion has begun and the Mansion will be used within the constraints of the public use covenant. Laketown Township has absolutely no desire to enter into a land exchange that does not include a new easement across the Park for a water intake system. PRB has chosen to focus on only what it sees as the perceived negative aspects of this land exchange. There are many potential positives for the Park. Currently it is difficult or impossible for handicapped and elderly individuals to access the beach. Access to the beach could be improved in conjunction with this project. Currently there are no changing or restroom facilities near the beach. This could be included in the project. Currently there is no emergency communication available at the beach. Cellular phones usually do not work. Emergency 911 telephones could be installed with this project. Some may argue these amenities would take away from the rustic experience of the Park. This may be true for this one location within the Park, but not for the other two miles of shoreline. But, isn't the Park there for all people? Or is it there only for the able bodied? We understand the PRB's resource protection mission. Does it not have a people protection mission? We must also point out the scope of this project. We are attempting to bring a source of potable water to the 105,000 residents of Allegan County, a badly needed source of water. We have the unanimous support of the Allegan County Board of Commissioners on this project. We have the support of over half of the cities, villages and townships of the County. The complete project, water intake, pumping station, filtration plant and transmission/distribution system will have a construction budget of $50 to $100 million, depending on the eventual scope of the project. It will provide good paying, long term employment within the County. It will provide greatly improved fire protection within the County (which itself is an asset to the Park and the other State lands within the County). It will provide the economy within the County with the water necessary to grow. This project is much, much bigger than the Park and will affect many, many more residents than the Park. Laketown Township has a history of land stewardship. You may remember that we lobbied the MDNR to acquire the former prison property for inclusion into the Park. We argued the loudest that it should not be sold for private development. It was after 04/24/02 WED 08:54     FAX 6163355459 LAKETOWN TOWNSHIP               003/003 the MDNR refused that the residents of Laketown Township stood up to the plate and levied a millage upon themselves to pay for the acquisition of the land and the demolition of the prison. We do not want to harm the Park in any way. We consider the protection of parks and open space a high priority. Nonetheless, we have studied other locations within Allegan County, for a water intake. This location is, by far, the best, most environmentally sound and most feasible location. We ask the LERC table our land exchange proposal to allow more time for Laketown Township to supply more information to the PRB. We will begin work on preliminary design drawings that will prove we will be able to complete this project without significant and permanent negative impacts on the Park. We look forward to your support for the residents of Allegan County, State of Michigan. Sincerely, Robert J. Scanlan Chair
cc: Senator William Van Regenmorter
	Representative Patty Birkholz Allegan County Board of Commissioners Mr. Paul Yauk, PRB, MDNR Mr. Sorn Wolff, COH Mr. Tim Morawski, HBPW Laketown Township Board of Trustees Bldauth\LERCresponseLtr
Return to CCSDSP Water Treatment Plant Proposals page. www.SaugatuckDunes.org