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(page revised 06/5/10)
Articles of Current Interest
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Walleye Stocking
From the DLA Newsletter
6/2010
For
several years your Duck Lake Association has provided funds
to stock Duck Lake with walleye fingerlings. These funds
included Association budgeted monies, donations from the
canisters at the two local stores (Duck’s Point and Duck
Lake General Store) and from donations earmarked for fish
stocking.
The minimum cost, two years ago, for the walleye fingerlings
was over $2000.00. Last year, your Association voted to
provide matching funds for the walleye stocking. We are
approaching the goal of providing those matching funds, but
need additional donations. Donations may be sent in with
your dues or provided to any Association board member with
an indication that the funds are for the walleye stocking.
Or, you can simply dump your change in the store canister.
Thank you for supporting the natural resources of our lake! |
| Turtle Cove Update-
04/16/2010 - No additional news on Turtle Cove. 09/27/09 Please follow the following link to an
article in the Battle Creek Inquirer Saturday 09/25/09 -
Duck Lake condo plan withdrawn |
The Duck Lake Association is opposed to any development of the area known as "Turtle
Cove". The
proposed development known as "North Shore Preserve" is within the Turtle
Cove
area.
This website attempts to
provide you with the very latest news about Turtle Cove development opposition
activities. Please go to the
Current Issues
page for greater background on this issue.
Donations - The DLA wishes to extend many
thanks to the people who have donated to the Turtle Cove fund.
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Good News from
Duck Lake Aquatic Plant Survey by Professional Lake
Management of Caledonia Mi (copies are
available from DLA)
From the
report: "Based on the July 22, 2009 survey of Duck Lake,
there is no immediate need for aquatic plant control.
The plants that are suspected to be a possible hybrid should
be evaluated on a yearly basis to
determine if it is acting
invasive. If these plants continue to expand or begin to
cause a nuisance, it may be an indication that it is indeed
a hybrid. At the current time, physical characteristics are
not an absolute
factor for hybrid determination. The only way to verify is
to have genetic testing done on the plants.
If these plants continue to expand,
consideration should be given to spot treatment using
systemic herbicides.
Systemic herbicides have the ability to control the root of
the plants and are selective for milfoil species only. This
option should be reviewed after the possible hybrid has been
re-evaluated in 2010."
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Note- These articles and
notes provide background to the Turtle Cove issue. (updated
03/09/10)
- At the Clarence Township Board
meetings throughout the fall of 2009, and up through the
March 8,2010 meeting, there has been no news about Turtle
Cove development.
- At
the Clarence Township Board meeting July 13, 2009, the Duck Lake Association
presented Supervisor Bob Fisher petitions containing 342 signatures opposing
development of Turtle Cove.
- At
their July 14, 2009 meeting, the Duck Lake Association voted to retain attorneys
to assure that all Turtle Cove development activity and approvals are strictly
legal.
- At
their July 14, 2009 meeting, the Duck Lake Association board heard from
concerned citizens who expressed a willingness to contribute toward attorney fees.
A pledge drive has been organized.
- The Duck Lake Association (DLA) has
hired Attorneys who are actively working on the Turtle Cove issue.
- On July 29,2009 DLA
Attorney Troy Langer met with
Clarence Township Supervisor, Bob Fisher and Zoning Administrator, Mike Morgan
to discuss the issues.
- On August 14, 2009 DLA
Attorney Troy Langer met with Mark Eidelson who is the Clarence Township Panning consultant, Larry Scott, Chair
of the Township Planning Commission, and Mike Morgan, Building
Inspector/Zoning Administrator. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss
the proposed "Turtle Cove" development and acquire additional information
about the development as well as the development process.
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Proposed Duck Lake project opposed
Saturday, June 20, 2009
By Heidi
Fenton
hfenton@citpat.com -- 768-4945
At
age 10, Thomas Dowling would travel in his family's boat to
the northwest corner of Duck Lake in Calhoun County. There,
in an area lake residents dub ``Turtle Cove,'' Dowling and
his friends challenged each other to a catch-and-release
game with sunbathing turtles. The memory remains fresh in
the mind of Dowling, now 16, and it fuels his concern over a
proposed development project in the area.
He
is not the only Duck Lake resident who is worried. More than
100 people attended a June 8 meeting of the Clarence
Township Board to voice concerns about development of land
adjacent to the cove. The township is just north of Albion.
``This is a turtle habitat,'' said Thomas' father, Richard
Dowling, president of the Duck Lake Association. ``People
who don't live on the lake are able to bring their boat over
here and are able to enjoy it.''
Last fall, three owners of Duck Gunn Development LLC.,
purchased the 6.5-acre plot for $870,000.
Mortgage stipulations required representatives from the
partnership to notify Union Bank -- which facilitated the
property sale -- within 15 days ``before any work is
commenced, any services are furnished or any materials are
supplied to the property.'' Duck Gunn agents provided
the notification less than a week after the purchase.
A
sign now stands on the property's back perimeter along
Monroe Drive indicating a proposed development called
``North Shore Preserve At Duck Lake.'' The developer,
Patrick Feldpausch, said five lakefront lots are part of the
plan, each of which is intended for a single-family
dwelling. The lots will sell for $150,000 each.
A
boardwalk linking each of the properties will lead to a
common dock, eliminating unnecessary clutter, Feldpausch
said. He does not have plans to create parks or other
additional features. ``That's why we call it a preserve,
because most of the natural beauty will be preserved because
it's just 6.5 acres,'' he said. Feldpausch requested a soil
test be done on the property before the sale to determine
whether it is part of a wetland and therefore under the
jurisdiction of the Michigan Department of Environmental
Quality. Two investigators from Voice Environmental Inc.
rendered an opinion in favor of wetland status based on
field tests of water table levels and observations of
vegetation.
In
a report filed with the DEQ and obtained by the Citizen
Patriot under a Freedom of Information Act request, the
investigators identified two wetland areas. In their joint
opinion, the wetlands are guided under the arm of the DEQ.
An additional upland area, farther back from the shoreline,
is not described as under the DEQ's control.
Feldpausch said construction of a condominium on each plot
will be in the upland portion, close to Monroe Drive.
Although the purchasers will design their own construction
plans, he said, the wetland will be marked clearly so they
cannot build in that area.
Bob
Fisher, supervisor of Clarence Township's Board, said the
planning board will review the development proposal and
consult the township's master plan. The current plan lists
Turtle Cove as a ``Resource Conservation Area'' and says the
preservation of such areas is of ``paramount importance'' to
both Clarence Township and the state of Michigan. Fisher
lives on Duck Lake and said he opposes the project. ``The
board's attitude is we'd like to stop it, but I'm not sure
if we can. We're gonna try,'' he said.
Several lake residents are concerned with how a development
would affect the area's sewer system. Feldpausch has
obtained a DEQ permit for underwater boring to lay sanitary
lines. The county road commission has given the go-ahead to
bore under the road, Fischer said.
Michelle DeLong, district representative for the DEQ's Land
and Water Management Division in Calhoun County, said an
additional permit would be needed for any further
construction on the wetlands, such as a boardwalk. Such a
permit would require a public notice in a newspaper, and the
public would be allowed to voice concerns in an open
hearing.
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Large Turnout for Clarence
Township Board Meeting June 8, 2009
One hundred
and seven people attending the Clarence Township Board
meeting held June 8, 2009 where the possible development of
land adjacent to "Turtle Cove" was discussed. Citizens are
very concerned that the wetlands surrounding Turtle Cove
will be harmed in the possible development of property along
Monroe Road.
The crowd
was very civil and polite while asking hard questions of
Township Supervisor Bob Fisher. Mr. Fisher did a good job of
allowing everyone an opportunity to speak and in chairing
the meeting. It was evident that there are many questions
with less than complete answers about the entire process.
Following are some of those questions with comments: Does
the Township Board have to allow the developer to attach to
the sewer? It appears that the Township Board believes they
do need to allow the hook up provided that the developer
pays all the cost.
Another
question is how much authority does the Township Planning
Commission have? One unofficial source indicates that the
planning commission has considerable authority and would
need to issue permits to allow any development along Monroe
Road.
A third
question is whether the land along Monroe Road is all
officially designated wetlands ,
or whether some portion of the land close to Monroe Road are
not wetlands. No one seems to know for certain. It is
interesting to note that the Township Master Plan designates
the Turtle Swamp area as a, "Resource Conservation Area".
According the Clarence Township Master Plan draft, a
resource conservation area is: "The Resource Conservation
Area is comprised nearly entirely of comparatively expansive
contiguous areas of wetlands, and hydric soils, and stream
corridors. The Resource Conservation Area includes some
parcels characterized entirely or nearly entirely by
wetlands." (The quotation
above is the first two sentences of the pertinent section of
the above noted draft master plan.)
Lastly, Bob
Fisher suggested during the meeting ,
that the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
has a great deal of authority over any development of
wetlands. Mr. Fisher seemed to indicate that the DEQ is the
primary venue to address our questions. Recent and
continuing cutbacks in State Government are a cause for
concern that the DEQ is understaffed and it may be difficult
to secure their assistance in helping citizens know for
certain what is legal and what is not legal with respect to
this parcel of land. There have been and are continuing to
be a number of ongoing efforts to contact the DEQ staff and
obtain their assistance.
One fact is
clear; there is a huge amount of citizen opposition to any
development of Turtle Cove. The Duck Lake Association (DLA ,
with the full support of all DLA board members,
is fully engaged in the protection of Turtle Cove. At their
meeting Tuesday June 9th, DLA Board members
committed to contact the DEQ, make inquires about hiring an
attorney, circulate a petition that will be presented to the
Township Board and the Township Planning Commission, and
continue to inform citizens about all the developments in
regard to Turtle Cove.
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Turtle Swamp
Letter Sent To The Clarence
Township Board: (Sent June 2, 2009)
The Duck Lake Association has
stepped up its efforts in the last couple of years to be better environmental
stewards of our lake. We are preserving the lake for generations to come for the
residents of the township, as well as the general public in our state that use
Duck Lake as an important recreation area for boating, fishing and hunting. In
essence all of us must be better environmental stewards.
Wetlands help regulate water
levels within watersheds, improve water quality, reduce flood and storm damages,
and provide important fish and wildlife habitat. People now recognize wetlands
for what they truly are - vital ecosystems that provide a multitude of
ecological functions that are paramount in maintaining quality of life in our
world.
Duck Lake Association is looking
for current problems at our lake, and our efforts include joining Cooperative
Lakes Management Association, conducting regular water sampling, and getting DEQ
involvement in monitoring. The association has asked Dan Scripps, a
member of the House of Representatives serving on the Great Lakes and
Environmental Committee, to assist in maintaining our wetlands.
We have also contracted with a firm to do a total lake study that includes
mapping out where and what type of weed beds and other conditions there are in
our lake, and to better understand what plant and fish life we may have present
that could be damaging to our lake.
We now have another issue
lingering with the proposed development at the northwest end of the lake, known
as Turtle Cove. This area is vital as a home for wildlife, both resident and
migratory, and to the overall health of our lake. The wildlife includes turtles,
dozens of small bird species, cranes, heron, geese, swans, and several species
of ducks. Last year an eagle even graced this end of the lake with its presence.
Development of this wetland area would certainly destroy this productive and
essential ecosystem which would forever hurt the lake.
We urge the Township Board to be
part in maintaining our lake, seriously review the consequences of this
development, and make the commitment to serve its taxpaying township residents.
Together we can protect this wetland, a vital resource.
Sincerely,
Duck Lake Association
Temp. Mailing address:
5433 Monroe Rd.
Olivet, MI 49076
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Duck Lake’s Turtle Swamp
By Bill
Taylor
(printed
in the Springport Signal 05/28/09)
I have been hearing more
concern about preserving the portion of Duck Lake known as Turtle
Swamp than any other Clarence Township issue in a long time, and
interested citizens should plan to attend the Clarence Township
Board’s June 8th monthly meeting.
Turtle Swamp has not
changed much over the years, and it continues to provide critical
habitat for a wide variety of birds, turtles, fish, and other
interesting natural things and a tranquil area for canoeists and
kayakers. It has remained this way because it is too wet for septic
systems and the adjacent landowners have purposely refused to allow
the Duck Lake sewer system to reach it across their land.
Alas, a DeWitt developer is
asking Clarence Township to run sewer lines to this area through
road right-of-ways, and he anticipated approval by cutting all of
the trees and marsh grass off of a large portion of the property
last winter. This Signal issue includes a photograph that shows the
drastic nature of this cutting, and the developer clearly intends to
change Turtle Swamp instead of simply constructing a few houses
along Monroe Road that have natural marsh views. While I have not
seen a site plan, these changes will almost certainly include
boardwalks across the marsh and piers and boat anchorages along its
swampy "shoreline."
Concerned citizens need to
understand that the proposed sewer extension is a discretionary
action that Clarence Township is not obligated to approve. Stated
differently, neither the property owner who purchased the land as
swampland a few years ago nor her developer are legally entitled to
receive a sewer extension. One Prairie Lake resident did speak up
for an extension at the Board’s January meeting, but his position is
dramatically different from the Duck Lake opinion around me, and
this individual was also a strong Albion pipeline supporter.
I have heard suggestions to
leave Turtle Swamp issues up to DEQ wetland staff, but the DEQ’s
regulatory role is fundamentally different from the Township’s
responsibility to serve the best overall interests of its residents.
Clarence Township could also approve a sewer extension in June that
is contingent on receiving a satisfactory site plan later on, but if
our Board cannot reject an unpopular plan now it is not likely to do
so after the developer has spent major planning money..
Wayne Gay has been
proposing that Clarence Township establish a Duck Lake sewer
authority to deal with difficult sewer questions like this one for
about three years. However, no authority has been established, and
Township officials have taken some steps toward a questionable
development plan based, possibly, on badgering from vested interests
and other unrepresentative individuals.
However, these light steps
were taken before the developer disclosed the full nature of his
plan with drastic marsh cutting, and the Clarence Township Board has
also taken some very positive related actions. These include
approving Master Plan and zoning changes that will help protect
sensitive natural areas, and ensuring that the current sewer
extension proposal is technically sound and would not cost our sewer
users money. The Board also unanimously agreed to delay a decision
on the proposed Turtle Swamp sewer extension request until its June
8th meeting when it realized the extent of environmental concern
about it.
These monthly Township meetings normally
only draw a few citizen attendees, and at least two of we "regulars"
have to miss the June one. Therefore, it is important that
interested people on both sides of the Turtle Swamp issue attend the
Clarence Township Board meeting in our township hall at 27052 R
Drive North at 7:00 p.m. on Monday June 8th. |
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