Over the Labor Day weekend my son Sam and I had the pleasure of canoeing the pristine 15-mile stretch of the Jordan River in northern Antrim County.
The rather swift river winds through densely forested swampland, cattail-laden meadows and past stately maple trees before emptying into Lake Charlevoix at East Jordan.
According to locals, several years ago a group of citizens joined forces and along with the Department of Natural Resources and restricted the development of homes on the banks of the river. Today only a few exist, (those homes built prior to the ban) leaving a magnificent three hour ride made convenient by the swift current.
Those individuals that worked to preserve this treasure should be commended–a clear case of well conceived land management resulting in a gift for generations to come.
State Representatives Hoogendyk, Shulman and Sheen,should take notice.
Their fiasco, House Bill 4919 calls for a maximum density of eight dwellings per acre if public water and public sewer are available or can be made available to the land. Or one dwelling per acre if public water and public sewer are not available and cannot be made available to the land. In addition, the land may be developed, at the option of the landowner, with mixed uses that include residential use or with cluster development.
Granted Groveland, Brandon or Atlas townships are not located in the wilderness of the Jordan River Valley, yet the same principle applies— keep these acres as free from over-develepment as possible.
Those that established the Jordan River project staved off opposition, but the result was the establishment of a gift to the next generation.
Lawmakers should listen carefully to what residents that oppose the over development of township property are saying, preserve as much natural land as possible and provide a gift that the next generation can enjoy. We’ve got one chance here folks.