Owasippe Case Heads Back To Township
Mood:  quizzical
Topic: Owasippes Township Zoning
Saturday, December 09, 2006
By Lynn Moore
MUSKEGON CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER

The Chicago Boy Scouts need to go back to Blue Lake Township to pursue use of Owasippe Scout Reservation property for residential development before proceeding with court claims, a Muskegon County judge has ruled.

Muskegon County Circuit Judge William C. Marietti ruled that the Chicago Area Council of Boy Scouts of America needs to exhaust administrative remedies through the township's zoning board of appeals before seeking damages in court.

Marietti's ruling doesn't affect the Boy Scout council's lawsuit claiming the zoning of its property is unconstitutional, which has been scheduled for an August 2007 trial. Originally, the trial had been set for March.

The lawsuit was filed in May after the township planning commission recommended the township board reject the Boy Scouts' request to rezone the property to allow construction of up to 1,278 homes. The board did reject the rezoning in June.

A $19.4 million offer to buy the pristine property submitted by Holland businessman Benjamin A. Smith III is contingent on the property being rezoned.

The lawsuit filed in Muskegon County Circuit Court requests that the court rule the property's current zoning -- forest recreation-institution -- unconstitutional because it essentially denies the Boy Scouts use of the property for anything other than a camp. It also seeks damages from the township for its inability to fully realize the value of its property.

The council has claimed it loses $5,000 a day on the camp in "out-of-pocket and lost opportunity costs."

To pursue its damage claims against the township in court, the Boy Scout council first must seek a zoning variance from the township's zoning board of appeals, Marietti ruled.

Property owners essentially have two methods of pursuing use of their property in ways for which it's not zoned: secure a change in zoning from the township board, or receive a zoning variance from the ZBA.

Attorneys for the Boy Scouts argued in written court briefs that seeking a variance would be "futile" because two of three ZBA members already have expressed opposition to the plan to rezone the 4,780-acre camp property.

Two ZBA members are Lyle Monette, chairman of the planning commission and member of the township board who is a defendant in the Boy Scout lawsuit, and Scott Haan, president of the Big Blue Lake Association, who testified against the rezoning at a planning commission hearing and turned in petitions opposed to it bearing 1,900 signatures. The third member is Marilyn Belmer, who has not spoken publicly about the issue.

Two of three members would have to vote in favor of a zoning variance for it to take effect.

Devin Schindler, an attorney representing the Boy Scouts, said a variance request had been prepared for the ZBA a year ago, but township officials had indicated it wasn't necessary. But in court briefs, township attorneys argued it was.

"We don't see this as a setback," Schindler said of Marietti's ruling. "It's an annoyance. It's disappointing the township changed gears in an apparent effort to delay the case. In terms of the overall issues, this is a nonissue."

The Boy Scouts have asked Marietti to set a deadline for the ZBA to consider the request. Marietti is scheduled to consider that request Thursday.

Attorney James Nelson, who represents the township, said there was a "breakdown in communication" over the year-old variance request, not a purposeful attempt to delay the court proceeding. He said township officials believed they had come to an understanding with the Boy Scouts that the variance would be considered once the rezoning request had been decided.

He denied that ZBA members essentially have their minds made up.

"We don't look at it superficially at all," Nelson said. "We'll take a very serious look at it."

Members of the planning commission and township board said they rejected the rezoning because it doesn't fit into the township's master plan and would strain existing infrastructure.

The 95-year-old Owasippe Scout Reservation includes several Boy Scout camps that operate during summers. A largely natural area, the reservation is home to three lakes, a trout stream, rare oak-pine savannas and more than 1,000 species of animals and insects, including several threatened and endangered species.

Marietti has scheduled a bench trial in the Boy Scouts' lawsuit for Aug. 8-10 and Aug. 14-17. It previously had been scheduled for late March.

A similar Boy Scouts lawsuit against the township filed in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids is on hold until the council exhausts its claims in the state court system.

?2006 Muskegon Chronicle

Muskegon Judge orders Scouts back to Zoning Board of Appeals
Mood:  loud
Topic: Owasippes Township Zoning
As seen in The White Lake Beacon - 11/19/06
BY DEBRA CARTE
Beacon staff writer

The trial that could decide the fate of the 4,700-acre Camp Owasippe is being pushed to next August as the Chicago Area Council of the Boy Scouts now has to go back and complete the step it skipped in its rush to get the property rezoned for development.

Blue Lake Township has won a decision from a Muskegon County judge to have the trial that may decide the fate of the 4,700-acre Camp Owasippe rescheduled from next March to next August. The Chicago Area Council of the Boy Scouts sued the township in May over zoning issues at Owasippe, the oldest, continually operating Boy Scout camp in the
country. They want to undo a zoning which limits the property to camp use only and rezone it for residential development.

The trial was originally scheduled to take place next March. It’s now scheduled for Aug. 8, 9, 10, and 14-17 of next year before 14th Circuit Judge William C. Marietti [in Muskegon].

The Chicago Council fought the scheduling change, saying in a response to a motion by Blue Lake Township, that the township was continuing to 'stonewall' the process.

The Chicago Council’s legal offensive is taking three tracks - one in federal court and two in circuit court. The first track, a lawsuit in federal court, has been stayed until there’s an outcome in circuit court.

The second track, which asked for damages from the township, has been dismissed by Marietti. He has essentially said the Chicago Council missed a step by not completing the administrative process at the
township. In other words, they should have gone to the township’s zoning board of appeals (ZBA) to request a variance before coming to court.

James R. Nelson, the attorney representing Blue Lake Township, from the law firm of Nelson, Kreuger & Schrotenboer in Hudsonville, said last week the Chicago Council has submitted an application to the ZBA which will begin now to process it. In its sidestep of the ZBA, Nelson said in court documents that the Chicago Council had ignored Michigan law in its “rush to the courthouse.”

It’s the third track of the Chicago Council’s legal action that will be tried in court in August. The council is claiming the township’s rezoning in 2002 of Owasippe and other properties to FRI, or Forest -
Recreational - Institutional, is discriminatory and unconstitutional. The FRI zoning limits use of the property to camping activity and precludes residential development.

The heavily forested Camp Owasippe, which opened in 1911, celebrated its 95th year of operation this past summer. The camp’s oak-savanna forest is the last of its kind in West Michigan. It’s home to a
variety of endangered and threatened species of wildlife, including the Bald Eagle, Karner Blue Butterfly, Eastern Box Turtle and Massasauga Rattlesnake.

The Chicago Council is claiming the rezoning constitutes an illegal taking of its property. The council needs to overturn the FRI zoning because it has an offer of $19.4 million for Owasippe’s 4,748 acres if the property can be rezoned for residential development. The offer was made in February of last year by Benjamin A. Smith III, chairman and CEO of Macatawa Bank Corp.

The Chicago Council submitted an application to rezone Owasippe in 2004. It wants to divide the property up into lots ranging in size from a quarter acre around the south side of Big Blue Lake, to 10-
acre lots elsewhere on the property.

A public hearing was held this past January where around 400 people, including Scouters opposed to the Chicago Council’s attempt to sell Owasippe, turned out opposing the rezoning. The Blue Lake Township
planning commission and the township board have both turned down the council’s rezoning request. They say their rural township’s fragile infrastructure couldn’t support a residential development which could bring as many as 1,500 homes to the property.

Note: To see the frontpage with photo and caption, click here... http://www.whitelakebeacon.com/frontpage/pageone.pdf

# # #

[ Note: CAC has retained two additional litigators, Douglas Dozeman and Scott Carvo, from the same law firm that Devon Schindler hails from in Grand Rapids to continue to pursue the zoning lawsuit against the Blue Lake Township Community. What price glory? ]

Michigan Vote snags Scouts' sale of old camp
Mood:  happy
Topic: Owasippes Township Zoning
By Joseph Sjostrom
Tribune staff reporter
Published June 13, 2006

Cheers erupted Monday night after a township board in Michigan voted unanimously against rezoning the Owasippe Scout Reservation for housing, dealing a setback to Boy Scouts in Chicago who wanted to sell the 7-square-mile summer camp.

The vote by the Blue Lake Township Board near Whitehall, Mich., came before a standing-room-only crowd who shared the officials' concerns about what a housing development might mean for the area's roads, schools and other services.

"People move out here for the peace and quiet and just don't want to see the kind of population increase that this would bring," said board member Lyle Monette. "We have eagles out here and a rare
species of turtle and butterflies that are found nowhere else in Michigan. Most people just want it to stay that way."

The Boy Scouts of America, Chicago Area Council, has agreed to sell the land, where campers have gone since 1911, for $19.4 million to a Holland, Mich., property development partnership with the contingency that parts be rezoned residential.

The property was zoned residential until 2002 when the township board changed it to a category that permits only camping uses.

The Scout council has filed suit in federal and Muskegon County courts in Michigan to overturn that rezoning.

Scouts attorney Devin Schindler of Grand Rapids, Mich., said the vote was not unexpected, but disappointing because the board refused to talk to the developer about the plans.

The sale was approved in February 2005 by the council's board of directors, who said the proceeds would be used to buy camp facilities closer to Chicago.

The Owasippe property is about 200 miles from Chicago. In the 1960s, 13,000 campers camped there each summer but in recent years the number has been less than 3,000, half who are from Chicago and half
from other areas.

Supporters defended the sale because the land is only used in the summer and the number of campers. But opponents of the sale in Chicago Scouting say Owasippe is an integral part of the Scouts legacy and has an irreplaceable forest ecology. Plus, they say, the Chicago council should make stronger attempts to create year-round uses for the campground.

The opposition in Blue Lake Township and the surrounding areas of Muskegon County has been strong against a rezoning change even though the developer never offered specifics about how much housing would be built.

After the Scouts applied to the township for rezoning last year, the township's Plan Commission voted 5-0 against rezoning.
----------
jsjostrom@tribune.com
Copyright ? 2006, Chicago Tribune

OOEC News on Township Zoning and Planning
Mood:  sharp
Topic: Owasippes Township Zoning
Blue Lake Township Master Plan Revisions.

As required by state law, Blue Lake Township’s Comprehensive Development Plan (Master Plan) has been reviewed and revised. The proposed Master Plan will be available for public review from May 8 through May 22, 2006, between the hours of 9 a.m. and noon, at the Township Hall at 1491 Owasippe Road.

Comments concerning the revised Master Plan will be welcome at a public meeting on Wednesday, May 24, 2006, at 7 p.m. at the Township Hall. Also, written comments will be welcome until Tuesday, May 23, 2006, by mail to West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission, PO Box 387, Muskegon MI 49443. E-mail comments may be directed to nemmer@wmsrdc.org.

The Master Plan of the township is a key document for zoning and development in Blue Lake Township. As many have learned, it is the Master Plan of the township that has been heavily relied on during the consideration of the rezoning of the Owasippe property.

Blue Lake Township Community Recreation Plan Hearing

Also available for review and comment (see the dates above) is a new Community Recreation Plan for Blue Lake Township. Many comments have been made concerning the recreational activities enjoyed in Blue Lake Township. This new document will serve as a guide for the further development of recreational opportunities in the township.

Comments concerning the Recreation Plan will be welcome at a public hearing on Wednesday, May 24, 2006, at 7 p.m. at the Township Hall. Also, written comments will be welcome until Tuesday, May 23, 2006, by mail to West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission, PO Box 387, Muskegon MI 49443. E-mail comments may be directed to ekuhn@wmsrdc.org.

More information on efforts to Save Owasippe can be found on the Owasippe Outdoor Education Website at http://www.ooec.org

Another board says no to Owasippe development project
Mood:  happy
Topic: Owasippes Township Zoning
Thursday, April 20, 2006
By Lynn Moore
MUSKEGON CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER

A plan to turn much of Owasippe Scout Reservation into residential developments received its second thumbs-down Wednesday -- this time from the Muskegon County Metropolitan Planning Commission.

The controversial rezoning plan that would allow up to 1,278 homes on the scenic Owasippe Scout Reservation also was spurned by the Blue Lake Township Planning Commission in March, which recommended the township board of trustees reject the rezoning request.

The township planning commission's recommendation essentially was seconded by the county body, whose motion read that it was in support of the decision of township planners.

The Chicago Area Boy Scouts Council, which owns the 4,780-acre pristine camp, has requested the zoning be changed from the current forest recreation-institution to various residential and conservation areas. Sale of the property to a Holland developer for $19.4 million is contingent on the rezoning.

"The impact it would have, I personally think would be devastating," said county planning Commissioner Norman Ullman, who called the township a "crown jewel."

Ullman said the rezoning plan is representative of too much "sprawl" across the state. "We've got to get a handle on it," he said. "That's frustrating." A final vote on the rezoning by the township board of trustees has not been scheduled.

With township residents firmly opposed to the plan, township board members likely would be committing political suicide if they approve the rezoning request. Most observers believe the issue will end up in court.

Township planning commissioners said they recommended against the rezoning because it doesn't fit into the township's master land-use plan and would strain existing infrastructure. Meanwhile, Boy Scouts officials say the current zoning virtually strips the land of its value and denies nearly every "legitimate use" of it. The Boy Scouts' plan would, in part, allow 663 additional homes on Big Blue Lake and 281 homes on Lake Wolverine, a dam-created lake with only campsites on its shores.

Devin Schindler, an attorney for the Boy Scouts, complained to county planners Wednesday that he has wanted to discuss a "compromise" with township officials, but couldn't get a meeting with them. Among the topics he wants to discuss, Schindler said, is sharing the cost of upgrading roads and expanding sewer service to the area and adding "thousands of acres" of conservation land. "They won't talk to me," he said. "There's a compromise to be had."

Township Planning Commission Secretary Brian Skogler responded that Schindler and other Boy Scout representatives have been welcome to attend his commission's public meetings, but haven't done so.

The Boy Scout council's plans have sparked intense protests. About 500 people turned out at a hearing in January on the zoning request, and all but two of the roughly 70 speakers spoke against the plan.
The township planning commission received more than 2,600 petitions opposing the rezoning and about 170 letters, only two of which support the Boy Scout plan.

Metropolitan Planning Commission Chairman Duane Buckner said it was residents' opposition to the rezoning that most influenced him.
"The residents speak, and we are there to represent the residents within the townships," Buckner said. "When 99 percent of residents speak like that, you do listen."

Critics have said the proposed development would overwhelm the rural township with thousands of new residents and vehicle traffic, put an end to the nation's oldest Boy Scout camp and devastate one of the region's most spectacular natural areas.

The Boy Scouts claim they have been losing money on the 94-year-old camp and can no longer afford to operate it. Lagging interest in camping is another reason the Scouts give for wanting to sell the property.

A group of current and former Boy Scouts and Muskegon-area residents has been trying to raise funds to buy the property and run it as a year-round camp, convention and education facility that would be called the Owasippe Outdoor Education Center. But the Boy Scouts have been unwilling to discuss selling the property to the group, OOEC officials have said.

A survey by the Nature Conservancy found that the property hosts 19 species that are considered endangered, threatened or of special concern in Michigan, including the threatened bald eagle, the endangered Karner Blue butterfly, the eastern Massasauga rattlesnake and rare turtles, as well as coyote, river otters and loons.

The Boy Scouts are proposing scattered conservation areas totaling 408 acres, including areas along the Cleveland Creek and Lake Wolverine watershed that probably couldn't be built on anyway. The rezoning request also proposes a 41-acre Karner Blue butterfly conservation area.

Clearly the most valuable parts of the land are on Big Blue Lake, which already has homes along its northern and eastern shores. The rezoning request asks that it be rezoned to allow for up to 663 homes on quarter-acre lots. Also very valuable to developers would be property around pristine Lake Wolverine that, under the zoning request, could have up to 281 homes on 2.5-acre lots.

The request proposes another possible 66 homes on 10-acre lots west of Russell Road between Silver Creek and Holton-Whitehall roads and 268 homes on 5-acre lots west of Russell Road north of Silver Creek Road.

County road officials have said roads in the area would have to be improved if the proposed housing developments occur. In addition, the county health department has said septic systems would not be suitable for homes built on Big Blue Lake, meaning municipal sewer lines would have to be extended into the township or a self-contained sewage treatment system would have to be built.

?2006 Muskegon Chronicle

Kudos To Blue Lake Township!
Mood:  hungry
Topic: Owasippes Township Zoning
I am feeling a sense of relief that the community around Owasippe is supporting the cause for keeping Owasippe untouched.

I have noticed something that makes me think even higher of Blue Lake Township. This entire re-zoning process has been kept open, and the input of the citizens (even those from outside community) have been solicited and listend to throughout the entire process. Nothing was done behind closed doors, and the decision to reject the re-zoning proposal was based on the input and wishes of the community.

If this issue were to have surfaced in Chicago, no input, or very limited input from the citizens would have been sought (or the "open" meetings would have been scheduled at the most in-opportune times). A few alderman with connections to the developers would have forced the zoning change through and the average citizen would have been left out in the cold.

So, kudos to the members of the Blue Lake township zoning committee for actually listening to their citizenry, and doing the right thing.

~ Jerome Lasky - Chicago, IL

[from www.Owasippe.com "Guestbook"]

Owasippe Rezoning Request Rejected
Mood:  happy
Topic: Owasippes Township Zoning
March 16, 2006
www.ooec.org

At a meeting of the Blue Lake Township Planning Commission last night [March 15] , the application for rezoning of the Owasippe Scout Reservation property was rejected. The commission passed a motion by a 5-0 vote that recommends the Blue Lake Township Board deny the long-pending rezoning request. An extensive list of the reasons for the recommended rejection was part of the motion.

The Chicago Area Council, Boy Scouts of America submitted the proposal to change the current zoning from Forest Recreational – Institutional, which allows for year-round camping, recreation and educational activities, to various density residential parcels. The Chicago Area Council Boy Scouts own 4,700+ acres of property in Blue Lake Township.

Planning Commission Chairman Lyle Monette made available more than 2,600 individual petitions, submitted from people across the country expressing their feelings against a change in the zoning of the Owasippe property. Also made available were 175 written comments that were submitted to the Planning Commission during the public comment period following the public hearing held in January.

The Muskegon County Planning Commission now will have the opportunity to review the recommendation before it is submitted to the Township Board for action.

In comments to FOX-17 television following the meeting, Chairman Monette referred to the impact of additional public safety equipment and staff and a doubling of the size of the township population as factors the township would face if the zoning request were granted. In addition the desire of the community to preserve the natural environment and wildlife, including several endangered species, was a consideration.

Devin Schindler, attorney for the Chicago Council, expressed disappointment about the Planning Commission recommendation. He indicated that there is still hope as the Township Board now takes up the issue for a final vote. Schindler indicated he has no idea what the Council would do if the Board votes down the plan.

<< OOEC REACTION >>

The Owasippe Outdoor Education Center Board of Directors thanks the Blue Lake Township Planning Commission, township residents and folks from all across the United States for the massive effort to preserve the Owasippe property as a natural treasure. The recommendation of the Planning Commission is an important initial step in the process. More needs to be done to assure in perpetuity that the character of Blue Lake Township is preserved.

The Chicago Council’s proposal does not have the endorsement of the Planning Commission. However, the Township Board has the authority to ignore the recommendation of the Planning Commission and approve the plan. In addition, the Council has the opportunity to move its efforts back to the venue of Circuit Court if it feels its rights have been abused in the rezoning process.

During the next several weeks OOEC will again make SAVE OWASIPPE campaign materials available to reinforce the message that zoning should not be changed for the Owasippe property. We also will be taking additional actions to advance the vision that the current zoning does provide a financially viable opportunity that is in the best interests of all.

The community, with the support of hundreds of people from across the country, has delivered the message that the basic character of Blue Lake Township and the natural environment is at risk if residential development is allowed. The OOEC goal of being a catalyst for positive economic development, with a commitment to preserving the natural treasures of the Owasippe property, has not changed. We will, with continued community support, make every effort to make that vision a reality.

Our vision, information updates and more information is available on our web site at www.ooec.org.

Don't Cave In, Blue Lake Township!
Mood:  on fire
Topic: Owasippes Township Zoning
Dear Blue Lake Township Planning Commission members,

It isn't often that we, as individuals, get to make decisions that will have far reaching effects upon our communities, but you have such an opportunity right now. You have heard all the reasons to not re-zone Blue Lake Township, and a few reasons to do so.

I would like to take the liberty to borrow from the Christian Bible, very briefly, here. Judas, one of Jesus' disciples betrayed him, sending him off to his enemies, to die. After the betrayal, Judas' conscience bothered him so much that he went into the temple and took the 30 pieces of silver that he had been given to betray Jesus and flung them across the temple floor. He then went out and hung himself.

Some people want to betray all that is best in Boy Scouting and sell the land for a profit, allowing the land to be raped and pillaged. May they, and all who have a hand in this betrayal, choke on their profits. That goes for the business men involved (the buyers) and the pro-Scouters. Greed runs rampant in the Chicago Area Council, BSA. All they see is the silver; they have no consciences in regard to their stewardship of this precious land, which was meant to be handed down from generation to generation. Most of the Council board have never seen Owasippe, nor hiked its trails, nor canoed its waters. They have no idea other than greed.

One of the key points of Scouting is conservation of natural resources. These resources will turn into nearly 1,300 houses and roads, etc. Gone, forever! Don't let it happen, Blue Lake Township. Don't give in to the Judases, for they are truly scoundrels... wolves in sheep's clothing. Do not ruin the jewel of western Michigan. Let's still have this natural wonder in Western Michigan, for our grandchildren, long after all the sellers and buyers are dead and buried.

Don't cave in!

Thank you,

~ Bill Schaefer, Twin Lake, MI

A Letter To Blue Lake Township
Mood:  loud
Topic: Owasippes Township Zoning
Dear Mr. Monette,

What a difficult job you and the Commission have in balancing the needs of the Township along with those constituencies for and against the proposed sale of Owasippe Scout Reservation. Such a significant decision that will affect generations to come has been placed in the lap of the Commission and it is not an enviable task.

Bottomline – from my perspective, the sale of this land and rezoning it will take away what has been and hopefully always be a place where our youth realize the wonders of nature and grow up to become the good citizens of this country. Without camps such as Owasippe, the youth of America thinks shopping malls, theatres, restaurants and video games are what growing up is all about. I fortunately had the privilege of attending Owasippe three years as a scout and seven years on staff. I say privilege in that although I was paid a nominal amount for the work done I would have worked without pay to be able to experience Owasippe and all it had to offer.

I saw the baby eagles when they were born and I walked the trails and canoed the rivers. I learned how to survive and be accountable for myself. I learned responsibility – a trait lacking in so many children today. I made friendships that last to this day and taught hundreds of boys how to swim, row a boat and paddle a canoe. I taught many how to save lives and I would like to think they have successfully done that due to my teaching. Where can this type of environment exist without a camp such as Owasippe?

Yes – Scouting has changed significantly over the years. It always has and I believe that our culture will turn towards what Scouting has to offer once again. Unfortunately, if the camps are now sold based on the current needs of a misguided Scout Council, there won’t be a camp available when the trend is reversed. I am saving for retirement and recognize the importance of not touching the principle of my investments and watch it grow. By selling Owasippe you are touching the principle. This has to be a basic value and I hope one that the Commission understands and reflects upon when making their decision.

Please vote against the proposed rezoning and sale of this property. Take a stand for what is necessary in educating our youth. Discuss the opportunities of opening Owasippe to Scouting not only from Chicago but also from Michigan, the region and across the country. If managed properly so many more can see the wonders of this beautiful land and recognize Michigan for its belief and trust in our youth.

~ Larry Gersch, Gurnee, IL 60031
[with permission]

Township Planning Commission Thankful for Support
Mood:  happy
Topic: Owasippes Township Zoning
Appreciation to Owasippe-Hearing Community
==================================================
02/05/2006
White Lake Beacon, Letter to The Editor

On January 14, 2006, the Blue Lake Township Planning Commission conducted a public hearing addressing the rezoning of the Owasippe Scout Properties.

Being a small, rural township, we haven’t had past experience conducting a hearing of this magnitude and emotional response and were unsure of what to expect. We were very grateful that it went so smoothly, but it would not have without the support and help of many individuals.

We appreciate all those who took the time to come and speak, as well as those who have since written letters. Your input was well thought out, informative and has been very helpful.

Our lasting gratitude goes to the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp for allowing us to have this meeting at Marek Dining Hall. They provided the seating arrangement, the P.A. system, and employees to direct traffic, set up equipment, as well as building a raised platform. Our gratitude extends to Andy Dagen and his crew for all the help.

We utilized a stop light timer for speakers which was operated by Peter Hunt. Tim Cassidy operated the microphones and the Fine Arts Camp took care of the taping of the hearing. These jobs are extremely important to a meeting of this size, and we really appreciate their help.

Since we anticipated a long meeting with over 400 people and have no restaurant in the area, the Blue Lake Township Fire Department volunteered to provide a lunch. Our appreciation extends to them for feeding a large crowd in a short time and they in turn are grateful for the donations which provided over $500 for their equipment fund.

Our township attorney, Mr. Doug Hughes, was most helpful in guiding us through the process of conducting the hearing and developing a protocol.

The Blue Lake Township Planning Commission has a difficult decision to face. This decision has been an emotional one for many. We have appreciated all the thoughtful, informative, as well as emotional input from so many people from all over Michigan, Illinois, and beyond. This decision will impact many now and in the future. We are grateful to all who are giving of their time to help us come to a recommendation.

~Lyle Monette, Chairman
Blue Lake Township Planning Commission