Jeff,
Try this for a plat book: "call Houghton-Keweenaw County MSU extension at
906-482-5830
or possibly: Houghton County Register of Deeds: 906-482-1311
the plat book was printed by Cloud Cartographics, Inc. St. Cloud, Minnesota
56301
If you aren't living in the area, and won't be here anytime soon, you would need to call the MSU extension office to have one mailed. If you are here, or will be, stop in at one of the county offices.
(It would be interesting to look at old plat books, say, from twenty, even ten years ago to see how much has changed. Wonder if that info could be put on-line?)

Lynn: Thanks for refreshing my memory on the Bayfield County land-use process. It's good to hear that lots of people participated in developing it.
Tim: I agree with you that amending SHALL to MAY is a definite improvement with regard to local rights and control.
George: Enjoyed your piece on the local "gray wolf" contribution. Maybe someday, when I can afford it, I'll run with that pack all year round.
Walt: Your land-use discourse is very similar to how I feel about the public access issue. In fact, it made me want to get a hold of a Keweenaw County plat book myself. Is there an address you're aware of where they can be obtained by mail?
Paul: What can I say? Your gift for satire is growing daily. We all understand loneliness(especially the winter variety). How many young people have left the Keweenaw over the years because "nothing was happening"?
Pasty Cam: Great picture of the Gratiot today! It made me want to strap on my bearpaws and disappear downstream alongside my Dad's favorite river.

Lynn, I started a post yesterday, so I'm right on time according to garyism.
Do you really think that Eagle River could stand some people? I think we are just fine, now we are down to 26 people, (Greens left). I hate to see people in the winter, •••• one day I saw four or five people, talk about elbow room. Youknow what I mean, besides if we got more people then we would have to consider a fire department!!! ( We now have in place a burn to the ground system) works well with little cleanup!!! I don't see a real need for more input at our township meetings either, (right now they are short and sweet). The real truth is that chairs become a problem with more than ten (although we have maxed out at 8 several times no real hoopla about 2 short of a cup of coffee) we do have in place a motion for a bigger pot, some want one of those shinny ones that hold up to I think 20 cups, buttttt we blew that IDEA right out of the water!!! (I once again felt the need to speak up on that issue).
Lookin to the future I however do see the need for a few newcommers cause the icecream store is shut down again, and some of our locals are in their ninties (not to say they are failing but I did notice a few wood piles that could have used more wood)!! (I think the old bucks were too involved with the great debate).
Youknow sometime I really get sidetracked, •••• with all this new development and all, it does take X amount of time to gawk, ( I for one will not be left behind on current events because of lack of gawkking).
I also would like to address the fact we have only 3 swings at the play ground, say a family moves in, who the •••• do you think is going to have to listen to , (I CAN'T SWING TODAY BECAUSE THAT NEW KID IS ON MY SWING, I WANT TO GO TO THE BEACH WITH JOHNNY, I WANT TO CROSS ROCKS, I WANT TO HAVE A BEACH PARTY, I WANT TO PLAY HIDE AND GO SEEK!!!) ME THATS WHO!!!
Enough about the noise, I don't want those kids yelling and having fun at my expense, (Can you just think of the all the yelling if we had a softball game , or worse yet a PARADE). COME ON GET REAL, I'm sick and tired of the WAVES that the ore boats make on a calm day too, laying on the beach all by myself then all of a sudden , SWISH ,PAUSE SWISH, PAUSE SWISH, on and on it goes ( at least four maybe five minutes) trust me if you got woke up to that a couple of times it wouldn't be so funny. While I'm on the subject of water I am also a little mad about the water pressure in Eagle River, it has been getting stronger and stronger, according to my figures that means more water used which translates to higher bills, (SEE WHAT I MEAN). Well that should answer all of your DUMB questions about my feelings on more people in town, seeya

I'll preface this by apologizing for its length. If you don't want to read the entire post, don't. If you enjoy your natural right to enjoy the land, as I do, and would like to see as much land remain open as is open now, read on.

When it comes to land use, the one subject dear to everyone is access to the land. Many sportsmen have a copy of the current plat book that shows all of the land along with who owned it when the plat book was published.
The plat book I have includes Houghton and Keweenaw Counties.

The first page showing land is a part of Duncan Township in Houghton County. This page includes many acres of the Ottawa National Forest and the Village of Kenton. Looking at the 36, 640 acre sections on this page, I can't help but wonder what this same page looked like twenty, even ten years ago. Two privately owned pieces of land, white in color, are islands with green-colored, USA-owned National Forest land around them. There are other sections of white, privately owned squares, whole 640-acre sections, along the roads, and I wonder if any of those sections were once National Forest land. There is even one 240 parcel, behind nine privately owned parcels that is labeled CFR.
I don't know if the nine owners of that land between the 240-acre CFR section and the road, where their property abuts, permit sportsman or others to cross their land to access that CFR section. Do you know if they allow access?

The last page of the plat book includes a part of Grant Township and the very tip of the U.P. This page includes the land that Mr. Tolksdorf purchased from LSLC. There are dashed purple lines indicating unpaved roads on this page. One dashed line follows the coast. From Highrock Bay and land owned by the DNR to the other end of the page, and land owned by The Nature Consevancy, the coastline is divided into smaller sections, at least twenty privately owned sections of land, future sites of camps, cottages, and homes.
These smaller sections on the shore north of Copper Harbor and the manner in which they are divided resembles the developed shoreline between Agate Harbor and Copper Harbor where approximately 62 pieces of ground are privately owned, with an asphalt road (M-26) running through all of them.

In the middle of the plat book, there is a section of Schoolcraft Township in Houghton County. This page includes the Village of Lake Linden, Torch Lake, and the piece of ground where Dad taught me about deer hunting.
This page also contains some land owned by the DNR, 297.9 acres, on both the Point Mills and Bootjack sides of the cuts. This is land that I know has changed hands and as it has changed hands, "No Trespassing" signs have gone up. There is one 170.5-acre parcel that changed hands 25 years ago. A downstate tree-farm owner purchased this land and looking at the shoreline included in his parcel, and where it sits in relation to the DNR land, I would hazard a guess that his purchase included a section of that DNR land. His land is posted "No Trespassing." While trespassing on it to enjoy the sport of hunting, I've come across garbage, tires, someone's old outhouse, and I've taken two bucks on this land. I trespass on this land because I have a natural right to enjoy the land, as you do. And I don't see the point in someone owning 170 acres of land, owning the land on paper, and then posting signs keeping someone else out.

Nearby is a large section of land owned by Lakeshore Estate Associates. This is land across from the sunken dredge near Mason. Across from the dredge, you can see three houses built within the last two years. One is for re-sale. This fall eight-tenths of a mile of new asphalt has been added to the road near these three houses. Where the asphalt ends you can now drive through the hardwoods where I took my first shot at a buck. This road eventually joins another dirt road where I had my truck parked one deer season, as I enjoyed my time deer hunting. When I returned to my truck, a note was under the dash, "This is private land, please leave." The note was unsigned. I didn't leave. As I said, I have a natural right to enjoy God's green earth. I wasn't put on Mars, Jupiter, or the moon. God placed me on Earth and I am not an intruder here. I've as much right to be in the woods, on a stream, or high on a mountain as any other animal on Earth. I live here.

There is another 20-acre parcel nearby that had been owned by the State of Michigan, and as such, anyone could enter it to hunt. The superintendent of the Dollar Bay School and his son purchased that parcel. He has 160 more acres nearby and that land was posted. And actually, all of the land up and down that road where Dad taught me to hunt deer is posted "no trespassing."

In the middle of the plat book, there are many acres of Keweenaw County land that is CFR, much of it owned by LSLC. As it stands now, we can hunt and fish there. (Now if they'd open the gate like they did last summer, I wouldn't have to walk for 25 minutes to my favorite specky hole. I wonder if those gates are open for deer season?) There is DNR land at the tip. As I said, there is a section in Schoolcraft Township where DNR land exists that abuts 170 some acres owned by a man who knew a state representative from Dollar Bay 25 years ago and I believe his purchase included a chunk of that DNR land. The land surrounding Thayer's Lake is also owned by the DNR. There is another DNR owned parcel in Allouez Township with a curious piece or two, privately owned extending into the boundaries of this Copper Country State Forest.

So what's the point? Before large sections of land along the road are sold in individual 10-20-30-40-acre parcels that would see further division and more driveways in this incredibly huge, spread-out town we now call the Keweenaw, how about we try to put in place something, in a CLUP, if need be, to continue to allow access, to continue to allow individuals to enjoy their natural right to enjoy the land where God has put them? Easements or trails between properties to allow access to those miles and miles of woods behind the privately owned acres.

I know it may be difficult to fathom all those acres of CFR land in Keweenaw County becoming inaccessible, but I've seen it happen to land where many had enjoyed the tradition of hunting. Does anyone know if the moon has been posted "no trespassing" yet?

(Oh yeah, that other shoreline property owned by Lakeshore Estate Associates?…the one across the lake from the sunken dredge?…there is also 43.8 acres of CFR and this land has 4" concrete lot pins defining future lakeshore estates. Nice, isn't it that they can be afforded a tax break under CFR, while they wait for the development to proceed along the shore of Torch Lake? This is where I had the note stuck under my windshield a couple years ago. I park my truck there every morning. And this CFR shoreline is close to the DNR owned land. I wonder how long it will take before that DNR land is sold, too?)

Things are a bit slow on this message board of late, so if you're in the mood for another perspective on Keweenaw's economic salvation, you might want to check out The Case For Old Duffers & Dufferetts on my Eagle Harbor Web.

Lynn,
Got that info for ya.
1999 Wisconsin Act 9, Section 1578-59.69
This amended the language of the law to read a county zoning agency MAY direct the preperation of a county development plan (from SHALL direct the preperation...).
This just goes to show, we need to keep an eye on these politicians and that there are some out looking for us. Even in Wisconsin. I'm still checking on our laws but a little more difficult.

Hi Lynn,
Just for your info concerning Wisconsin law. A CLUP is not required by State law. The law changed in 1999 to read a municipality MAY develop a CLUP instead of SHALL. I'll check on the ACT No. or ya and get back to ya.

Jeff,

Bayfield County is currently working on a CLUP to be completed, I believe, in 2002. I subscribe to the Bayfield County Journal and have gotten most of my information from that source. The county is required by Wisconsin law to have a CLUP in place by 2010.

They are building their CLUP from the ground up. Each municipality is creating its own CLUP, as are nineteen of the twenty-five townships. I'm not sure what the deal is with the other six townships. Perhaps the county will develop the CLUP for those areas.

Some of the townships in Bayfield County have already completed their CLUPs. However, all the municipalities and most of the townships are still working on them. These grass-roots CLUPs have generated a lot of local interest and citizen involvement. The people have had local meetings similar to those that have been conducted in Keweenaw County. They have identified local issues and have polled all the residents and land-owners to get and tabulate their views. Some of those polls have gotten fantastic response rates; I think some have been 66% or higher.

The most contentious issue that I'm aware of was whether or not motorized traffic should be allowed on a particular backwoods trail. The particular township was about evenly split. The solution was to allow the motorized traffic, but to re-route the trail very carefully to reduce its impact on wildlife and to avoid running it near the folks who opposed it.

They also have issues about how much weight to give to the opinions of seasonal residents who own land in the township or municipality.

Hey Paul,

You wouldn't want to keep all that wonderful scenery for just your family and your neighbors, would you? J Some more neighbors might help pump up the ice cream sales some day... Looks to me like there's plenty of room for a couple thousand people who might be interested in a great quality of life.

Also, your wooden bridge is most impressive!

I just checked out what's-his-face's website. The article about the sale of Hunter's Point is quite interesting. In light of what is occuring there it appears that a ski hill in an absoluely insignificant development. Maybe the anti's ought to organize a referendum to make the sale of land in the Keweenaw illegal.
How long do you suppose it will take IP to sell the entire perimeter of the peninsula? 2 years? One year? 6 months? As I have stated time after time, Keweenaw county belongs to IP, not to the the people who live there! Now IP will have their way with you, and you have no one to blame but yourself. I guess this would be the time to open a consulting firm in the Harbor. I would imagine there will be lots of subdividing and construction stakeout to do in the near future! That's not a bad idea, there will need to be some road development, maybe a private airport, municipal sewer work (no on site water and septic in bedrock). I should get cracking and get licensed to practice in MI.
Be aware that any land use planning effort will require the full faith cooperation of IP. They have to power to derail the entire project if they choose.
The upside is that when the beach is lined with dozens of million dollar "cabins" it will bring in some revenue at the 26 millage rate.
Allouez Township is assessed at 47 mils?! I thought the 16 mils I pay is robbery!

Hey everone,
Is anyone else having a hard time getting here?
Charlie, HELP!
I know you went through some changes, could be the problem.
Lisa

Walt,
gotta make this quick, but keep this in mind, when you concentrate the **** it is more likely to harm the environment. It also gives the government people more power when they can use erroneous information (such as that used to demonize private septic systems) to sway public sentiment, you can look at it one of two ways....JOB SECURITY or TYRANNY....you select.
As for septic systems on the shoreline, without good science to back thier claims, laws should punish people who pollute nieghboring properties, not control all because they might (in thier oponion).....same goes for guns. All of this government bull**** is connected and we as citizens had better start waking up and see the light before it is too late.
My greatest concern is that my children will live under tyranny because we as citizens were too complaciant to do anything about it.

Anyway gotta go, breakfast time (or should I say time to strap on the feed bags). Enjoy them as much as you can while you can.

PS please forgive my speeling.

Awhile back, there was discussion about the North Houghton County Sewage System combined sewage overflows. A Gazette article from May 12, 2000 mentioned two overflow stations, though it did not say where they were located.
One is in Florida Location(Laurium) and the other is near the Bicentennial Arena, also in Laurium. The Michigan DEQ web-site has a link to CSOs in Michigan.
After looking at the CSOs listed for the North Houghton County system, I initiated a discussion about them. I also tried e-mailing folk within DEQ. Mr. Torkelson also e-mailed some people. (I think there must be something about me, for Mr. Torkelson received a quick response, while I received mine on Monday.)
The contact person for the Marquette Branch of the MDEQ on the web-site is listed as kdolkey. One reason given for the delay in answering my questions was that Ms Dolkey was travelling for work and was not in the office much.
Ms Dolkey has a different last name, now, and my questions and her answers are posted below.
I haven't gone to the MDEQ site to see if it has been corrected.
Kristen Mariuzza
SWQD-Marquette District Office
mariuzzk@state.mi.us
(906) 228-6568

Q:Am I correct in assuming the MG stands for millions of
gallons?
A: Yes you are correct - the volumes should be entered as million gallons (MG)

Q:What is the actual amount of CSO that was discharged on 8/7/00,
NPDES Permit Number MI0043982? I read 59600. Is that fifty nine thousand
six hundred gallons?
A:Yes, that is fifty-nine thousand six hundred gallons. The number was not entered correctly when coded into the database.

Q:It also says the CSO went into Douglas Creek. I have a topo map that includes the outfall location of "Florida Location" but I cannot find Douglas Creek on the map.
A: I also do not see Douglas Creek on a topo map - must not be significant enough to make the map. However, the Florida CSO discharges to Douglas Creek which flows into Hammel Creek (which I believe flows over Douglas Houghton Falls). The 1st Street CSO discharges to St. Louis Creek which eventually reaches the Trap Rock River.

Q:Apparently 0.6 (inches?) of rain was the cause, or one of the reasons
for this CSO. And as I said, between June of 99 and Sep 2000 there have
been 17 CSOs.

A: 0.6 inches of rain in the Laurium area could cause the CSO to overflow. It depends on how fast the 0.6 inches of rain fell (5 min, 2 hours, 1 day, etc). The sewer system in Laurium consists of mostly combined sewers. This means that all of the storm runoff is carried in the same pipe as their raw sewage. So, the amount of rain and the intensity of which it falls, or the amount of snow and the rate at which it melts, will determine whether the CSO's overflow or not. The purpose of the CSOs is to collect excess water from the sewer system before it comes out of manholes on the streets and ditches, and to prevent it from getting into people's basements. At the CSO facility it receives primary treatment and chlorination.

Q:I live in Lake Linden, more or less downstream (if the creeks I
suspect are in fact the CSOs site) and certainly down the hill from the
sites. The Village of Lake Linden is in the process of trying to get
funding, convincing voters, for a new water tank, well(s), and this too,
would be "downstream". Should we be concerned?

A: No, you do not need to be concerned. The overflow water will have traveled "X" miles downstream before being in your location. This water is partially treated and disinfected before discharging. It is usually combined with rain water or snowmelt, therefore is very dilute. The chances of any contaminants from the CSO discharge affecting your drinking water are very slim to none.

Q:I think the sites have some sort of chlorinating system put in place
for the CSOs. Installed in 1996, if a Gazette article from May 12th is
correct--though the article did not say where the overflow sites were located.
If in fact the two CSO sites up the hill from me have some system in
place to try to chlorinate the overflow, how could it possibly keep up with
that amount of overflow?

A:The CSO overflow is recorded by a flow meter. The chlorinating system is connected to the meter and doses the overflow at a flow-proportioned rate.

If you have any other questions or comments, please do not hesitate to call or email me. I hope I addressed all of your concerns.

Sincerely,

Kristen A. Mariuzza
Environmental Engineer
Michigan Dept. of Environmental Quality
Surface Water Quality Division
Marquette District Office
(906) 228-6568
mariuzzk@state.mi.us

Over the course of the debate about the hill, it was interesting to read that some were opposed to the idea of Crosswinds as neighbors, opposed because of something Crosswinds did or didn't do some place else. The fear was that they would do, or not do, the same thing here.

Over the years, various cities, towns, and villages have had to upgrade their sewage systems. It did not matter that Joe Blow had just installed a new septic system--he still had to tie into the new sewage system.

Copper Harbor, Mohawk, Ahmeek, the Tamarack-Hubbell-Lake Linden area, and so on, had to upgrade from septic systems to sewage systems.

Why?

And don't tell it was because the government asked them to, or told them to.

I've got three Springer Spaniels. It is surprising how much •••• they can generate. Imagine your septic tank and whatever capacity it has. I fill up a five-gallon bucket with dog •••• a month. Most septics in the area are attended to? How often? Never? in 25 years?

And many of these systems sit 50 yards from a lake, inland, or the big one.

If septics are all well and good, fine, someone tell me and I'll stop. But when town after town has been required to install something else, and when current proposed septic systems have been turned down, until a state representative becomes involved...then who should we be opposing and who do we want as neighbors, and why?

Oh yea, those buckets of dog ••••?...I bring them out and put them on the trails the deer litter each winter as they congregate at the feeding stations.

Gone Hunting.

Tim, Lisa, Joe and others:
It is my understanding that Steve Cinelli first brought up the idea of a comprehensive land use plan for Keweenaw County back on the Mendota Lighthouse site last spring. At a basic level, it's simply about planning ahead. Lynn Torkelson, I believe, posted about his experience with Bayfield County, Wisconsin and how they created a CLUP that was built up from the township level.
Hopefully Steve and Lynn will expand on this as I've had no working experience with the process, but from what I understand this a very common practice around the country and there is no good reason to be fearful about such a project if everyone gets involved. Just like the ski-hill vote, it would eventually become a product of the local people democratically speaking their minds.

Well, Well, Well,
Look who the cat dragged in!
Welcome back Tim, sure have missed the insightful posts you always provide.
I have talked to a couple of people about this here CLUP deal, and they are not in favor.
Now I will ask again, do the people who live in the community have a say in this?
I would appreciate an answer to this, or am I to assume that a handful of people will go before the planning board and decide what will be what?
Exactly why does the Keweenaw need a CLUP? I thought that's what the zoning ordinance was for?
I have heard at a couple of meetings that the hill wouldn't have gone through if you had a CLUP, so I will stick my neck out and ASSUME, that it is to control any kind of development.
Now is that right? someone with a little education on this subject shed a little light on the heyseed down here would you?
Walt,
As far as these septic systems go, if they are that bad go to the Health Dept. or the DEQ, and report them, they have to be leaking.
I would hope responsible people would take care of their systems.
I'm waiting for some answers so give me a clue please.
Lisa

Hey everyone,
Here's a neat link for you, haven't gotten far into it but it has alot of interesting reading so far.
http://mel.lib.mi.us
enjoy
Lisa

Tim,
When you say: Zoning is intended to control development in areas where developmental pressure threatens the actual safety of an area. Are you taking into consideration the history that septic systems have had in this area?

Say for instance that we keep developing the shoreline the way we have been doing. And say that the septic that is installed along that shoreline continues to be ignored--I remind you that one fellow from the Mendota site said his neighbor hadn't had his system attended to in 25 years. This, even though this new person had to install a special system to build his dreamhome on the shoreline.

Should we allow any individual to do what he wants because he is a little man?

Taking that into consideration, and the fact that Copper Harbor, Ahmeek, and Mohawk have all had to attend to their sewage problems, would you say it is wrong for liberals to voice concern about the trend of developing shoreline as we have seen?

Or what would your stance be on the trend to build within 50 yards of the shoreline? Would you say that has the potential to threaten safety?

Thank you kindly in advance for your response.

Tim,
Thanks for your insight. Its made the most sense of anything I have read on this site yet!

Dear George,
In regards to your letter, and with due respect, please get familiar with zoning before making a fool of yourself. Your letter, like other oppositions in the county, conviently leaves out some obvious information that pertains to the use....golf courses as a land use HAS to be used when comparing uses.

Well Hello Keweenaw,
Funny how things work out, sorry about not responding lately to my regulars but things change. As for the issues up here, I lost my main info man a few months ago and been so busy so now kind of out of the loop.

It looks like cooler heads and common sense have prevailed (nothing agianst the people who had good reasons to object the hill). I do hope Crosswinds will be a good nieghbor along with the residents.

Now for Zoning, that you liberals just love to use for your controlling means. Zoning is intended to control development in areas where developmental pressure threatens the actual safety of an area. It was never intended to limit the development of property just because a vocal minority of people want to control the way people develop thier property. For instance, zoning was intended to keep industrial or commercial areas away from primarily residential areas. And this was needed because of additional heavy traffic and so on. It was also intended to try to promote this development in areas where the services were more economical such as utilities and plowing/fire. It was never intended to limit somone from developing thier property as they see fit. But as we can see, these liberal socialist people have twisted this zoning intent so they can have contol over how thier neighbors develop thier property. In my opinion zoning is WRONG at a county level. At a local level it is needed. The ski hill area is a good example, some planning is needed in that community, there will be development pressures, but why apply a wide brush to all the county just because of that small area. This planning should include the owners and the community planning how THEY ALL WANT thier community to develop. My opinion.....incorporate LacLaBelle.....get your own zoning and leave the rest of us alone.

As for other regulations on how I develop my property, keep this in mind, zoning and other regulations such as Health Department and state, these were not meant for developers.....they know how to get around them and have the money and personnel to do so....so where does that leave us...the normal people that have to work for a living and don't have the means or expertise to fight these regulations....that is right we have to live it. So what does it mean, zoning that is applied so broadly only applies to the little man. So we keep trying to regulate and only regulate ourselves into a corner or out of our own property.

Lets end it all here, get rid of the county zoning, your so called Comprehensive Land Use Plan will never be comprehensive, it will be subjective when applied at a county level with no basis for fact in the majority of the areas and thereby only apply to the little man. Let the individual communities regulate themselves, there is a process in place to do this, SO DO IT.

On a lighter note, nothing beats a wet kiss and childs hug after a days work to make this mess we call life go away for a short while.

Good Day to all, and Good Luck

Here's the link to my November 4th letter to the ZBA regarding allowing ski hills as a permitted use in the CD-EP District.
Letter to ZBA

I'd thought a letter addressed to the Board would become part of their public record, but that is apparently not their practice.

I argued, and continue to believe, ski hills are not "low intensity" activities. But my primary concern was, and is, with the process employed in authorizing a use not specifically set forth in the Ordinance as either a "Permmitted" or "Special Use" in any district. I believe the Ordinance and customary zoning proceedures call for such modifications to be accomplished using the "amendment" process, not simply by ZBA interpretation. Amendment by "interpretaion" is indeed a slippery slope, especially with an ordinance loaded with terms like "such as" and "related".

I also argued that ski hills and ski resorts are better regulated as "Special Uses", where the process requires up front plan disclosure, public hearing, review and approval by County planning officials, and the establishment of approval conditions to mitigate possible adverse impacts to nearby private properties, environmental resources, and public facilities.

Steve - working on the setbacks regs now. I chose not to address the SHPO issue until I did because of other things going on at the time.

A few Keweenaw notes and news items. Bird lovers- call Jake Musser at 482-0899 or 487-5699 by Dec 15 for info on a current project. Meat-loaf lovers - check Wanda's at Mohawk Superette for a real treat! These kids are doing a great job, no need to go to Calumet or H-H for great fresh, lean cuts of meat either!

A new business that will make a fine impact on Keweenaw winter tourism, Keweenaw Snow Expeditions, will be guiding off-trail riding this year. These guys are incredible riders, all local sledders I've known for years. Check it out at Snow Central below the 'Forecast Graphic'. ITS ABOUT TIME, GUYS, GO FOR IT!

Tomorrow night is the Keweenaw County Board meeting. A motion from the P&Z Board should be considered, asking the townships to commence work on real land use planning. I think this is something we need to get behind quickly as time is short. Check out the State-Wide Realty listings on the 'Local News' page of the DMG. The only thing unknown about the Hunter's Point area is who, not whether or when, and I'm sure Schlatter's Lake is not far behind.

Paul - go back and read the DNR conclusions on the land swap, it was dead before the hearings ever started. And I personally don't know any KC 'boo birds' that were fighting it. We were too busy with Xw's to even become informed on that issue!

Walt - sorry I didn't get back to you re Sandy Harting at the sign display. I don't know for sure, worked part of that day, but believe she and a few others came up, checked the hill, stopped for a bit in a solidarity display, and then went on to other things. When I got there, quite late, there were only KC residents with signs.

Also, probably some whose conventional septics were denied went to the on-site treatment systems, more expensive, but monitored and extremely efficient, some even removing nitrates and other assorted nasty chemicals that no septic dreams of touching. And quite possibly some had connections enough not to, but without proof I'll let that one lie there.

A quick note on the ZBA meeting. Frank Elias' statement that 'we are here as concerned citizens of Keweenaw County' made me want to gag. Where do you guys vote, just for giggles and grins?

I hope George Hite will post his Nov. 5 letter to the ZBA here. It is the most sensible analysis of the issues I've read yet. It is a shame that it wasn't entered into the record, and I have a question as to why it was not?

Thanks Steve, that is what I was thinking, the strip being private and calling it a related use.

Some people may not agree with me, but that is life...

Jon,
You are right, anyone can build an airport. I outlined a process in which FAA would provide funding. In Anchorage there are probably 2 dozen private airports. Most of them are funded by millionaire doctors and lawyers who share the airport with the rest of the subdivision.
I live about 1500 feet from one of these private airports, which happens to be a lake. It's pretty busy, and the lake residents have some unofficial rules that they abide by on an honor system, and so far it has worked out.
The only problem is that I don't have lake frontage.
Everyone,
My guess is that there likely are federal regulations concering development adjacent to the Great Lakes, and there probably are state laws about public access to beaches on the Great Lakes. In most states, the state owns submerged lands below mean high tide (ie the beach).
Someone out to check out what MI law says about beachs on the Great Lakes.
It sounds like a good job for Sandy, since she did so well with the SHPO.

This is a note for anyone who has registered to receive copies of all messages posted here. Last night we had a major upgrade of our server. Could you give me a reply to this message if you have received it via email?

By the way, if you are not receiving emails of the discussion, you can register to do so at this link.

jim and lynn, it seems to me that the shoreline right-of-way shouldn't be too hard if we lay it down in a land use plan and enforc it with a zoning ordinance (zoning enforces a land use plan ). walt, perhaps the 'pre-ski hill' development, when sold, could come under the new rules with regard to vegitation screening- i doubt that a setback requirement could be enforced. unfortunatly, we may, in our attempt to cover all contingencys, wind up with a morass of regulations, which this country is famous for not having-i think i'd be uncomfortable with that.

Jim, I'm with you on the land swap. It should have been a done deal. •••• poor planning by the boos.
Once upon a time there were three little tree huggers, all three wanted to do something good for themselves. The first little tree hugger said(His name was Garyism) I want to rule the Keweenaw so he went out and bought a lighthouse!!!He thought by doing that he would become very impotant and therefore be able to rule by example! The second little tree hugger said (her name was WHINNY although she often losey) I want a perfect world and I will get it no matter what I risk! The third little tree hugger said (his name was Paulie Mahalie) how do you expect to get control, and have a perfect world when that is not realistic or what other people want!!! He was scorned by the other two and told to go away and pick berries!!! They knew this was hard work and laughed at his little shop!!! Paulie didn't care though cause his friends would stop by and buy his jams and •••••••• with him. He would listen to good IDEAS then tell the whole world what he had learned cause he thought that others would like to know the scoop!!!! Well to make a long story short Garyism sold out his friends and they wouldn't talk of him no more, Whinny got married to (OMAR THE TENT MAKER) and figured out that if you try to make a perfect world you will forget something thus screwing the whole thing up!!! So the moral of the story is, Don't try to rule the unruleable, and leave good enough alone!!!!

Lynn,

I agree with you completely. I just thought I'd throw that in there, as not many people know their rights concerning this matter. The tough part would be implementing such a right of way.

I also believe this land swap deal, needs to be brought up again, and pushed with the state. Hopefully everyone is done worring about Bohemia, and will start to support such an endeaver.

George, that was an inspirational piece, especially from a non-hunter. You've captured the true meaning of Deer Season.

For those of you who suspect my posts about "B", CLUP, ZBA shenanigans, etc. reflect an unawareness of what's really important around here, you might want to check out my latest Harbor Web Journal entry. Go to Harbor Journal.

Lynn, Whatta ya mean man? We don't need no stinkin growth!!!! We like having new store owners every year, Yes the icecream shop with those double dippers went out of business (SHE MADE THOSE ICECREAM CONES WAY TOO BIG ANYWAY) so she was done like a Thanksgiving Turkey right off the bat. I liked the bakery IDEA the year before, now that was a good IDEA, •••• with all the dough from those doughnut holes they doubled their profits right off the bat!!! Not to speak of the people who tried to run it as a general store, I knew right off again they were in trouble from the start, (THEY STOCKED MILK & COOKIES TALK ABOUT DUMB)!!! Well let me take that back, that was really DUMB both kids in town liked waffels & orange juice! Then Dougie and Empi I thought had it made, they catered to the old with DEPENDS & that glue stuff for teeth, no more clicking teeth in that era. Things were going fine then they JUST QUIT, thy retired and moved south, pretty young too 85 & 86. They were sucessful for those 3 years. My DAD still talks about the good old days when we had it, we had everything including the POST OFFICE in it, talk about success, I remember when there were twelve of us kids in town, all of us used to borrow things from MOMS stuff, penny candy, caps for our cap guns, chips, and the like we were called the (DIRTY DOZEN). One day Dad said screw this and went back to mining, Mom moved the post office into my bed room, Moved me to Grams house, and told us kids that they had made a killing in the retail business, (I KNEW THEY DID CAUSE DAD BOUGHT A SECOND HAND CAR)!! Yes I was pretty smart even way back then!!! You know what, I'll tell you what, I think the next store owners will make it cause, well just cause!!!! GO LIONS!!!!

Jim and Karl,

Yes, if the public can actually reach the beach it is available. But it would also be nice if KC residents could take a quiet walk on the cliffs near the lake even where no beaches exist. I do think it is legal and proper to declare a limited pedestrian right of way along the lakeshore.

Also, if the homes near the lake fit in with the terrain and foliage, the view from passing boats, as well as from the land, is definitely more attractive and more of a tourist draw.


Walt and Paul,

Condominiums have the advantage of permitting a very efficient delivery of services, so they should be a net plus for the tax base. Some people shy away from living in condos because they might be disturbed by loud noises from the neighbors, but other people prefer them.

In any case, it's better to channel residential growth into existing communities instead of spreading it thinly across the countryside. Paul's community, Eagle River, for example, is an incredibly beautiful town and could handle many more residents than it has now. This approach gains tax revenue and preserves the quality of life of the area. Plus, it fosters a much stronger sense of community.

Lynn and Karl,

I would like to add to your points about the shoreline. As it stands right now, at least according to the last time I talked to the DNR. The state ownes the beaches up to the high water mark. With the lake level as low as it is now,thats alot of beach open to the public. This also holds true for tributary streams to lake superior. So if anyone tries to kick you out, tell them phooey.

Walt your right, Now is the time to get in place setbacks, LSLC has I believe sold their shoreline(as they can) in parcels to allow this. They are doing a good job with their logging practices, harvesting is the smart answer to useing our resourses. I have been on a logging site this fall, cutting scrap and it was the best I've seen!!!! Maybe the loggers are paid bonus dollars for clean sites,makes sense to me.
I truly believe that the land swap is not dead. If we can get our Houghton county frinds to buy the fact that these shores are in their back yard as well as ours then we have hope!!! This will take legal advice,but I don't believe they will be willing to work with our current county attorney!!!!! She has tried to screw their plans up too. We need new blood in the right places, surely not a self interest person. I like the IDEA of condos for the snow birds, and setbacks, (with height limits). Places to stay for the 2 week wonders!!! We need them too though.
Getting this place to even ten thousand year around people will take effort. The ski hill will bring at least one hundred of them.
Lets eliminate land fills from CDEP to start with, lets do a few things we all pretty much agree on, and work with LSLC!!!!!
SHOW ME SOME COMMON SENSE!!!!!!!