GLUE Members Report January 31, 2007
I’ve been told by one member that our reports are too lengthy and need to be shortened in order to assure that each member will take the time to read them. Regardless of how long this report takes to read, please suffer through it because I consider it the most important one we have ever turned out.
The shoreline management plan is now entering the final stages of preparation. The stakeholder committees have concluded their contribution to the final draft with the exception of offering their final comments after the GRDA staff edits the draft before presenting it to the authority’s board for approval.
In the beginning, I told you I wouldn’t ask for your participation in countless meetings unless absolutely necessary. The GRDA has scheduled a series of meetings to gather additional public input and this may well be our final chance to really impact the outcome of this process. It’s time to put our butts in the seats and make a difference in determining the future of Grand Lake. The meeting schedule is as follows:
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South Grand Lake |
Oklahoma City |
GLUE plans on making a presentation citing our concerns for the draft as it currently stands and offer suggestions for modification. Our focus will primarily be in the areas of zoning, the vegetation management plan, the criteria used in establishing the sensitive zone and the lack of an appeal process to protect our rights.
The VMP is far too restrictive and requires a permit for the smallest of tasks including tree removal, shoreline maintenance of vegetation, including poison ivy and oak and a filed and approved plan to perform virtually any view enhancing activity. Our alternative will call for a much less restrictive plan in all areas of the lake with the exception of the sensitive areas where the preservation of wildlife and fishery habitat is the objective.
Our opposition to the current draft zoning language centers on property values. With the stroke of a pen, the value of property may be drastically reduced if it falls in an area where docks are not to be permitted. Grand Lake, once the easiest of all places to secure a dock permit, has become one of the most complex and expensive lakes in the United States to secure a dock permit.
Our proposal will simply call for two zones, multi use for the people and sensitive for the ducks and fish. It’s doubtful the sensitive area of the lake will shake out at anything less than 30% of the lake and much of it would be made up of existing shallow areas and other non-prime Grand Lake real estate. The new and more complex permitting guidelines should take care of the rest. If they don’t, the plan is reviewed every six years and other zones can be introduced as required. Let’s not gag the golden goose that laid this wonderful egg. Let’s walk before we run when it comes to establishing these restrictions that always prove almost impossible to change once they are in place. I hope to see you all at one five meetings…let’s not be passive when it means the most.
Lake Level Issue Progress
As most of you know, we had a meeting set for January 16th with the GRDA Technical Committee in Stillwater to discuss this issue. The great ice storm of 2007 forced the cancellation of the meeting, but I remain optimistic about our chances to impact this issue. I’ll let you know when the meeting has been rescheduled.
Let me hear from you!