Response to McClendon - Development of the Denison We appreciate Aubrey McClendon's response in last week's paper to our communities' concern over the proposed development of the Denison, one of the Great Lake's last best places. We also appreciate his attorney/developer's willingness to meet with area officials, Senator Birkholz, The Nature Conservancy, The West Michigan Land Conservancy, Paul Yauk of the DNR, Todd Warnick of Oxbow, Phil Miller, as well as me. However, Mr. McClendon does not specify how all those organizations feel about the proposed development of the Denison. As I'm sure Mr. Neumer detailed for Mr. McClendon, all of the above, without exception, have worked diligently and in some cases for many years to make sure the Denison is protected and held in public trust. It is disingenuous to imply otherwise. Elected and appointed officials in our tri-communities have worked for over ten years on a ‘Tri-Community Comprehensive Plan' which makes many references to protecting both the South and the North Denison. The Plan published in June of 2005 (well before the McClendon acquisition) states: Public acquisition of the Denison property on both sides of the Kalamazoo River is the top priority for the Tri-Communities. [pg 13-2] Sensitive dune ecosystems also occur in the dune areas on either side of the Kalamazoo River mouth at Lake Michigan. This area is planned for protection but details have yet to be finalized. [pg 8-6] A major attraction of both the Lake Michigan and Kalamazoo River waterfronts is their scenic, natural shorelines composed of forested sand dunes and large wetland areas. Should these natural areas be greatly damaged or destroyed through inappropriate development, then the ‘goose that laid the golden egg' will be dead.[pg 8-2] Senator Patty Birkholz, in her work twenty five years ago to permanently protect the Saugatuck Dunes, looked to the Denison as eventually joining the Park system. Early maps of the Saugatuck Dunes State Park include the Denison parcel, especially since the north side holds the buried ghost town of Singapore - on the National Historic Register since the 1940s. The Nature Conservancy includes the Denison as one of seventeen sites in Michigan on their ‘Priority Places' list. In the Conservancy's 2005 Special Report they write, "Saugatuck Dunes: Partnering with public and private officials to protect (the) last undeveloped river mouth along Lake Michigan." Paul Yauk, of the DNR, appeared at Saugatuck High School in May 1998 with then Representative Birkholz to present their vision for contiguous public land from Oval Beach to the northern boundary of the Saugatuck Dunes State Park. He talked about how the DNR was negotiating with Frank Denison so the citizenry of Michigan could enjoy the undeveloped shoreline in perpetuity. Paul Yauk, DNR Director Humphries, and the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund would still like to see the entire 420 acres - critical dunes, coastal marsh, interdunal wetlands - held in the public trust. Under the DNR's current Land Consolidation Strategy - their redesign of each of our 96 state parks' master plans -- the entire Denison is included in the boundaries of the Saugatuck Dunes State Park. This is a long-term mission of the Department of Natural Resources which has received wide community and state wide support. And Phil Miller: Phil Miller through Saugatuck SOS along with Julie Stoneman of the West Michigan Land Conservancy have worked as tirelessly as Genevieve Gillette. Ms. Gillette was the individual responsible for raising public support and funding for state parks at Ludington, Hartwick Pines, the Porcupine Mountains, and of course the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Saugatuck SOS was able to raise nearly $40 million in an effort to purchase the Denison and keep it in the public trust. The children of Gertrude and Frank Denison declined this substantial offer to keep the land as Frank had wished -- permanently protected and open to the public. For over twenty five years the people of our region have set forth a well documented vision for how to best proceed with conservation, preservation, and smart growth. We have not wavered from that vision, nor will we. We are asking Katie and Aubrey McClendon, Mr. Neumer, as well as those proposing the Flying J Truck Stop (and Lion's Den?), to better understand our community and what we've planned for, to set the bar higher - much higher, to allow those of us who live here to zone and plan for smart appropriate development. Anything less is a failure of the imagination. I know the McClendon's have charged Mr. Neumer with maximizing their investment. I hope maximizing their investment includes an option for the people of Michigan and Saugatuck as well as the conservancy groups to purchase this last best place. I trust these are the full details being conveyed back to Oklahoma City and the McClendon family. David Swan, Saugatuck/Douglas Commercial Record, 12-06-06 Return to Concerned Citizens for Saugatuck Dunes State Park Resources & Reference page. www.SaugatuckDunes.org