Great Lake Bulletin Spring 1997

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

IMAGE imgs/GLBsp9730.gif

Regional Projects

Benzie County
May Get
Spectacular
New Park

The 66-acre proposed park is on Crystal Lake, between Benzonia and Frankfort.

A broad-based coalition of conservationists and government officials is working in Benzie County to turn the last significant stretch of high bluff and forest along Crystal Lake into a public park and nature preserve.
The owners of the 66-acre parcel, known as Railroad Point, have agreed to sell it for $2.1 million, which is 25% below market value. The purchase plan was negotiated by the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy.
• In the first step, the Conservancy bought a two-year option for $375,000 to prevent the land from being sold for high-end residential development. Funds for the option are being raised from Conservancy members, property owners on Crystal Lake, and foundations.
• In the second step, Benzie County has applied to the state Natural Resources Trust Fund for $1.99 million to buy the property. The Trust Fund is made up of oil and gas royalties from state land. The Conservancy will raise $156,000 toward the purchase.
While there is no word yet on whether the Board of the Trust Fund will approve the application, local leaders are confident that it will go through.
"We think this is the type of project they are looking for," said Wally Edwards, the Conservancy Chairman. "It saves important lakeshore and scenic bluff for use by all citizens."
• As a final step, the Conservancy will work with Benzie County to manage Railroad Point as a natural area, and for swimming, picnicking and hiking. Most of the $375,000 raised to hold the option will go toward an endowment fund to maintain the park, and to a Benzie County Land Protection Fund.
The Institute has played an indirect role in this project by helping to restore millions of dollars annually to the Trust Fund.
In 1995, the Institute discovered a massive drain on the Fund caused by a "sweetheart deal" between state regulators and the oil and gas industry. The Institute employed investigative journalism and organized public support, so that the DNR reduced the subsidy to the industry by two-thirds. The added revenue is making it possible for the state to purchase more park land, such as Railroad Point.G

Glen Chown, Executive Director, Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, 624 Third Street, Traverse City, MI 49684, Tel. 616-929-7911; David Neiger, Planning Director, Benzie County Government Center, P.O. Box 387, Beulah, MI 49617, Tel. 616-882-9674.

New Land Use Plan for
Manistee County

IMAGE imgs/GLBsp9731.gif

Manistee County is nearing completion on a new Master Plan, which has been drafted by a Citizens' Advisory Committee to the Planning Commission.
According to several Committee members, the new plan reflects the growing influence of the property rights movement in Manistee County.
One of the plan's central goals is to increase the rate at which land is subdivided for residential development, even though sprawl is emerging in the County.
Manistee County's population increased 4% from 1978 to 1993. During the same period, however, the amount of land developed for residential use increased by 14%. "We're seeing sprawl occur without the accompanying population growth," said Kurt Schindler, the county planning director.
Despite this trend, the draft plan calls for reducing the number of acres of agricultural land.
In 1984, when Manistee County last rewrote its plan, the 557 square mile county was a leader in conservation. At that time, the Master Plan called for safeguarding 80 square miles of farmland and wetlands, and taking other measures to ensure the integrity of tens of thousands of acres of open countryside.
The new plan calls for reducing the area designated for protection to 67.1 square miles, a decrease of 17%. In effect, the 1997 plan more directly treats the county's land as a resource to be developed for short-term economic gain.
One bright spot in the plan is that the Committee called for the amendment of state law so that local governments can participate in decisions regarding oil and gas development. The Committee's goals and objectives also include:
• Requiring the state to automatically notify the county, villages, and townships of pending exploration and development.
• Updating township zoning so that local officials have the authority to regulate oil and gas processing facilities, secondary treatment plants, and other oil field installations.
• Establishing an emergency evacuation plan for each industrial facility that contains poisonous hydrogen sulfide.
• Adopting an official county policy statement to support changes in state law that end the practice of severing mineral rights from surface rights. G

Kurt Schindler, Manistee County Planning Director, Courthouse, 415 Third St., Manistee, MI 49660; Tel. 616-723-6041.




	Regional Projects Benzie County May Get Spectacular New Park
		The 66-acre proposed park is on Crystal Lake, between Benzonia and Frankfort.
A broad-based coalition of conservationists and government officials is working in Benzie County to turn the last significant stretch of high bluff and forest along Crystal Lake into a public park and nature preserve. The owners of the 66-acre parcel, known as Railroad Point, have agreed to sell it for $2.1 million, which is 25% below market value. The purchase plan was negotiated by the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy. • In the first step, the Conservancy bought a two-year option for $375,000 to prevent the land from being sold for high-end residential development. Funds for the option are being raised from Conservancy members, property owners on Crystal Lake, and foundations. • In the second step, Benzie County has applied to the state Natural Resources Trust Fund for $1.99 million to buy the property. The Trust Fund is made up of oil and gas royalties from state land. The Conservancy will raise $156,000 toward the purchase. While there is no word yet on whether the Board of the Trust Fund will approve the application, local leaders are confident that it will go through. "We think this is the type of project they are looking for," said Wally Edwards, the Conservancy Chairman. "It saves important lakeshore and scenic bluff for use by all citizens." • As a final step, the Conservancy will work with Benzie County to manage Railroad Point as a natural area, and for swimming, picnicking and hiking. Most of the $375,000 raised to hold the option will go toward an endowment fund to maintain the park, and to a Benzie County Land Protection Fund. The Institute has played an indirect role in this project by helping to restore millions of dollars annually to the Trust Fund. In 1995, the Institute discovered a massive drain on the Fund caused by a "sweetheart deal" between state regulators and the oil and gas industry. The Institute employed investigative journalism and organized public support, so that the DNR reduced the subsidy to the industry by two-thirds. The added revenue is making it possible for the state to purchase more park land, such as Railroad Point.G Glen Chown, Executive Director, Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, 624 Third Street, Traverse City, MI 49684, Tel. 616-929-7911; David Neiger, Planning Director, Benzie County Government Center, P.O. Box 387, Beulah, MI 49617, Tel. 616-882-9674.
	New Land Use Plan for Manistee County
	New Land Use Plan for Manistee County
Manistee County is nearing completion on a new Master Plan, which has been drafted by a Citizens' Advisory Committee to the Planning Commission. According to several Committee members, the new plan reflects the growing influence of the property rights movement in Manistee County. One of the plan's central goals is to increase the rate at which land is subdivided for residential development, even though sprawl is emerging in the County. Manistee County's population increased 4% from 1978 to 1993. During the same period, however, the amount of land developed for residential use increased by 14%. "We're seeing sprawl occur without the accompanying population growth," said Kurt Schindler, the county planning director. Despite this trend, the draft plan calls for reducing the number of acres of agricultural land. In 1984, when Manistee County last rewrote its plan, the 557 square mile county was a leader in conservation. At that time, the Master Plan called for safeguarding 80 square miles of farmland and wetlands, and taking other measures to ensure the integrity of tens of thousands of acres of open countryside. The new plan calls for reducing the area designated for protection to 67.1 square miles, a decrease of 17%. In effect, the 1997 plan more directly treats the county's land as a resource to be developed for short-term economic gain. One bright spot in the plan is that the Committee called for the amendment of state law so that local governments can participate in decisions regarding oil and gas development. The Committee's goals and objectives also include: • Requiring the state to automatically notify the county, villages, and townships of pending exploration and development. • Updating township zoning so that local officials have the authority to regulate oil and gas processing facilities, secondary treatment plants, and other oil field installations. • Establishing an emergency evacuation plan for each industrial facility that contains poisonous hydrogen sulfide. • Adopting an official county policy statement to support changes in state law that end the practice of severing mineral rights from surface rights. G Kurt Schindler, Manistee County Planning Director, Courthouse, 415 Third St., Manistee, MI 49660; Tel. 616-723-6041.