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Preserve the Dunes Newsletter                                                          August 26, 2008

Greetings!
    Here are three current and pressing issues where you can make a difference! But you will have to act fast.
In This Issue
Covert Zoning
Help Buy a Beach
A Letter from Protect Klock Park
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Covert Zoning Revisions
Final work session of the Planning Commission

After six months of work, the Covert Township Planning Commission will meet to review and finalize its proposed changes to the Zoning Ordinance at the township hall on Thursday, August 28. at 4:00 PM. The public hearing will be held at 6:00 PM on September 17.

This provides to citizens and property owners one last chance to offer comments before changes are finalized for presentation at the public hearing.
Help Buy A Lake Michigan Beach for Future Generations...

Deerlick Beach is at the end of 13th Avenue in South Haven Township.  It has been used for generations as a public beach on Lake Michigan.  A few years ago the Township discovered that they didn't own it.  The Township, Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy, and the Friends of Deerlick are actively working together to purchase Deerlick so that the public can continue to enjoy it and make memories there. 

John Lewandowski is riding his bicycle from Maine to Florida as a fundraiser for Deerlick Creek Park.  He is paying for all expenses.  Any money donated to this fundraiser goes towards the purchase of Deerlick Creek Park (and is tax deductible).  He is in the second week of his pedal journey.  This is a great opportunity to tell your friends/children/grandchildren that you helped buy a beach on Lake Michigan.  You can download a donation form at the SWMLC website.   If you have any questions, please feel free to phone Maureen Lewandowski at 639-1910  or e-mail [email protected].

This Labor Day week-end , the Blue Eyed Girl shop in downtown South Haven will donate their profits to Deerlick -- come and shop! 

Maureen Lewandowski will be giving chair massages Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00 pm in front of Kerry Mark Salon in downtown South Haven -- all proceeds will be donated to Deerlick.  There are many opportunities to help save this treasure!
A letter from Protect Jean Klock Park....

In the years 1917 - 1920 the most famous of the Prairie School landscape architects, Jens Jensen, completed a design commission for Jean Klock Park.  Known as the Prophet of the Dunes, Jensen made lavish use of native plants and gorgeous red and blue fruiting viburnums, which are still extant on the park property.  All design elements were in harmony with the magnificent dunes.  In 1916 while the City of Benton Harbor was contemplating acquiring the land from E. K. Warren, Jensen visited the area and "proclaimed the dunes to be the greatest scenic asset of this community."

Today we have lost our sense of place, although that may be too harsh a judgment.  We do take the tremendous beauty of this part of the world for granted, because it's always been there.  People from elsewhere or those who have been away for a long time come back here, and all make their way to the lake.  The beaches and the dunes are themselves a special and memorable destination.

Recently the National Park Service approved the conversion of 22+ acres of Jean Klock Park for private development - a Signature Jack Nicklaus Golf Course.  In response, we have filed a federal lawsuit alleging extensive violation of the National Environmental Policy Act and failure of the National Park Service to follow its own regulations in administering the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act.  In the conversion plan the developer declined to disclose the impact to the dunes, and in spite of pointed questions about those impacts, refused to answer them.  Were the impacts going to be slight as the developer has stated, presumably the questions would have been answered.

Another lawsuit was filed in July challenging the City of Benton Harbor's right to allow any development in the park.  Only four years ago the City settled another lawsuit, agreeing to permanent injunctions against further development of the park.  Last Friday, Berrien Trial Court Judge Scott Schofield tossed out the civil suit against Harbor Shores' planned golf course in Jean Klock Park.  This decision will be appealed by the Friends of Jean Klock Park.  See more ...

If we prevail in our legal challenges, we will not walk away from Jean Klock Park.  It needs and deserves our support.  We need your contributions to aid in the legal defense of the park and to force the Park Service to rescind its poor decision, so that we and our posterity may contribute to the park and enjoy it for years to come.  Please visit www.protectjkp.com for information on the federal lawsuit and lots of visuals of Jean Klock Park.  Visit www.savejeanklockpark.org for information on the Consent Judgment lawsuit and for documentation on the complex and convoluted process that has put rare dunes - and all the other wonderful natural features of Jean Klock Park - in mortal jeopardy.


"These dunes are to the Midwest what the Grand Canyon is to Arizona . . .
once lost, the loss would be irrevocable." Carl Sandburg
 
Sincerely,

Preserve the Dunes