Greetings and a welcome were given to about 40 members of the public who attended. Of the 37 people who signed in, 32 were from Eagle Harbor Township.
The Committee members present introduced themselves ( Marilyn Marshall, Barbara Been, Virginia Jamison, Jean Ellis, Janet Shea and Doug Sherk ). A list of all committee members and how to reach them was made available as a handout, and many maps and Land Use Planning publications and documents were available for inspection.
The Facilities, which worked out very well, were provided by the Shoreline Resort and an abundance in amount and variety of excellent homemade cookies were prepared for us by Dorothy Jamison.
We are very grateful and appreciative to the Shoreline Resort and Dorothy Jamison and to everyone else who made equipment and supplies available to us, for the excellent public turn out and participation, and for the hard work of the members who put it all together. And everyone who commented on the video thought it was outstanding.
This meeting was an enjoyable time, a lot was learned and many ideas were brought out that will help us in the future.
Transparencies were used to provide some background information as the following topics were presented:
Why do we have this committee?
The County Zoning / Planning Commission is going to redo the land use plan and base new zoning recommendations upon it and has asked the townships for input.
Why are we doing land use planning?
Development, planning and zoning are going to happen - why not the way we want to see it happen?
Why are we having this meeting?
So that community input is a part of the planning.
So that we know what your want for the future of Eagle
Harbor Township. That's your vision - your vision generates ideas for the future.
To set goals: General statements which define for us the
direction of future development in Eagle Harbor Township.
A very helpful video titled "Managing Community Growth" showed us how other people dealt with growth and development in rural areas similar to what we are facing.
The audience provided a lot of answers to some general questions about our area and these were written down and posted for later reference and discussion:
1) What do you like about this area?
Public Access to Streams
History
Resident Rights Wildness
Black Flies ( means wildness and clean water and Brook Trout food
)
Trails
Clean Air / Water
Unique Topography
Easy Access to
Recreation
Wilderness
Serenity
Safety
Free Use of Privately Owned Land
No
Billboards
Quaintness
Concerned Residents
Clean Environment
No Neon Signs
2) What are our assets?
Medical Facility
Continuity
Lake
Superior
Heritage
Snow
Forests
Wildlife
Beautiful Views
Hunting / Recreation
Central
Mine
Wildlife
Old Pinery
Thimble berries
Community Sense
Historic District
Clean Air
3) What are our shortcomings?
No Control Over Logging
No Watershed Protection
Snow
Lack
of Communication
Lack of Notification of Public Policy
Hard to Retain Younger
People
Low Tax Base
Lack of Opportunity
Too Many Septic Systems
Lack of Zoning
Enforcement
Lack of Finances
Small Population
Abandoned Mine
Pits
Development Process
Distance From Government Center
4) What do you want preserved?
Great Sand Bay
Historic Areas
Easement Areas
Clean
Water
Woods
Scenic Views
Thimble berries
Access to CFR Lands (Commercial
Forest Reserve)
Quality of Life
Clean Air
Hunting and Fishing
5) What are your concerns?
Will County be Responsive
Population / Age Diversity
Type
of Housing
Preserve Wetlands
Aesthetics of Area
Enforcement of
Regulations
Littering
Too Many People
Controlling Property
Taxes
Property Rights
Lake Superior Land's ( International Paper ) Intentions
The audience divided up into five groups to use the above ideas and format to work on future goals they wanted for Eagle Harbor Township and presented their conclusions:
Group 1: This group started off by listing a few of their favorite ideas from the each of the above general categories and from them developed their priority goal and were prepared to develop more had time permitted.
"Develop a system to ensure public access to all natural resource areas"
Group 2: This group developed two goals from the ideas that they felt were most important.
"CFR lands to remain as such"
"Public Review process of subdivisions"
Group 3:
"Preservation of and access to wilderness areas, beaches
and lakes'
"Quality control of environment including sound, light,
air, water, ground, geese
"Preserve the historic flavor of the Township"
"Designate places for various kinds of development /
activities ( e.g.. trailers, industry
)"
"Develop a comprehensive Plan that will control development"
Group 4: This group also listed its top ideas in each category and developed goals from each area.
"Identify, communicate and prioritize { what we like}
"Identify solutions to preserve and defend the natural
integrity of the area"
"Control special areas, preserve access, and have a
long term development strategy"
" Establish a Land Bank for { land sales / building }
transactions {to fund projects}"
" Eliminate Clear cutting as a use in forest
management{especially hardwoods} and establish sustainable forestry laws and practices."
" Establish county wide cooperation and mutual respect."
" Preserve natural, historical and recreational
aspects of the area."
" More public input in county ecosystem management."
" Enforce Zoning laws."
Group 5: This group also chose ideas to develop goals from as many areas as time permitted.
" Easy access to wilderness and recreation"
" To control signage and architectural standards "
" To maintain integrity {of} and access {to our
natural assets}"
" To protect heritage and historical areas
from development "
" To generate county zoning consistent with Township
Planning"
" To enforce watershed protection"
One independent goal stated was:
" To get the State to buy the CFR and other IP lands
as soon as possible"
Summary of goals:
There was a good diversity of opinion re specific goals between the groups. While time did not permit the combined groups to vote on the top choices of goals for all, it was agreed that in general the most common and favored goals for Eagle Harbor Township could be summarized as:
1) Preservation of the quality of life
2) Protection of our natural, cultural and
recreational resources
3) Maintain public access for recreational purposes
4) More communication with and responsiveness of
county government
While the workshops were going on Jim Boggio drew a "cartoon" which depicted what life and the surroundings might be like here if we let growth and development go unmanaged. In a pictorial way it handily summarized much of what most people at the meeting had said they indeed did not want to happen here.
Plans:
a) We will post a summary of this meeting the Internet ( Janet
Shea's Keweenaw Land Use Planning Web page at www.keweenawland.com and if possible on George Hite's Eagle Harbor Web at www.ealgeharborweb.net ) and in the Town Hall.
b) We will report it to our Township Board and the results will
be used in a summer meeting for the public and in designing a survey for the public.
Invitation to help further:
We need help on all of our projects, and especially for:
a) Historical District options - Marilyn Marshall, Phone 289-4315
b) Information options / applications - Janet Shea, Phone 289-4211
c) Natural Roads options - Barbara Been, Phone 289-4373
Other Business: Minutes from Tuesday, April 3 meeting were approved. The next meeting will be on Tuesday June 5 at 7 PM at the Eagle Harbor Township Hall.,P. Meeting Adjourned.