Opinion: OMP Residents Express Concern Over Surprise DNR Boat Launch Proposal

(Editor’s Note: At a special Township Board meeting on Dec. 16, the Michigan DNR presented a proposal for improvements to the boat launch located at the corner of East Shore Road and Center Road. The plan includes a “right-turn-only” exit onto East Shore Road, and some OMP residents have expressed concerns over safety, traffic and other issues. Read on for Grant Parson’s thoughts. -jb)

A Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) plan to re-design the boat launch at the intersection of East Shore Road and Center Road was ready for construction bids. Then a December 16 Special Meeting of the Township Board produced strong opposition to the plan — a plan which completely ignored local input.

The chief complaint, summarized by OMP resident and Planning Commissioner Armen Shanafelt, was that the Township, East Shore Road residents, and apparently, the Grand Traverse County Road Commission, were left completely in the dark by the DNR.

Kasey Cline, Cadillac District Supervisor for the DNR, admitted that “the usual process” hadn’t been followed. As the meeting at the Township Hall progressed, details of the re-designed boat launch emerged — for the first time to some OMP residents.

Ms. Cline stated that the DNR designed the ramp for “our visiting public,” but she didn’t mention any consideration for local residents. It became clearer and clearer that, in fact, no consideration for locals had been given.

Her colleague, project manager Jerry Gregorski, stated that he started the re-design by neutrally considering the boat launch property and making a preliminary plan, which he admitted was “very similar to what’s there now.” When the public asked what advantage was achieved by his re-design, he admitted there was only one additional parking space. There was an audible groan in the audience.

Later in the meeting, he added that although only one space was added, the size of the parking spaces was enlarged by one foot in width and 10 feet in length – making them 50-55 feet long. When asked how many large boats used the ramp, there was no response.

When Ms. Cline asserted that the DNR consulted on the design with the Grand Traverse County Road Commission, TJ Andrews, Peninsula Township’s County Commissioner, stated that when she had questioned a Road Commission employee, they professed not to know of the DNR’s plan.

The audience at the meeting had numerous questions about the government spending so much money to add one parking space. But the prevailing concern by Peninsula residents was about the danger created by moving the boat launch’s exit from its existing location on Center Road to East Shore Road.

Changing the exit to East Shore Road, audience members asserted, was dangerous to the high volume of recreation by hikers and bikers on East Shore Road, which is too narrow to safely handle large boats and trailers. DNR personnel were apparently caught flat-footed by the issues of safety and local usage, but they insisted that drivers hauling boats would exit on East Shore Road — which would include “right-turn only” signage — and would not turn left and travel down East Shore Road.

There was again an audible response in the audience. When Rick Venner, Vice-President of the Cherry Capital Cycling Club, offered to provide recreational user statistics for East Shore Road, DNR reps called a halt to the meeting.

Township Supervisor Maura Sanders, who called the Special Meeting, indicated her own surprise when the meeting was terminated by the DNR, and offered to schedule another township meeting.

The next public meeting for residents to gather and offer feedback is Jan. 13 at the Township Hall. You’re also welcome to send comments any time to Maura Sanders, [email protected].

-Grant Parsons

(View the Dec. 16 meeting packet, which includes more info on the plan, as well as other letters of concern from OMP residents, on the Township website here. Click the image below to enlarge. -jb)

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