Park Service says it's not surprised by differing views

A consensus – of sorts – appears to be emerging on which direction the National Park Service should take in drafting a new General Management Plan (GMP) and Wilderness Study for the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

The consensus is that there is no consensus.

Last week, for example, the Leelanau County Planning Commission was to have forwarded a set of recommendations to Park Service officials outlining which of several alternatives commissioners would prefer to see included in the new plan.

After considerable discussion at their May 22 meeting, county planners voted 7-0 to inform the National Park Service that “there is no consensus on a preferred alternative for the General Management Plan…”

“We’ve found that to be pretty typical,” said Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore assistant superintendent Tom Ulrich.

“Basically, the same thing happened in Benzie County a few weeks ago,” Ulrich said. “As individuals, a lot of people seem to have very specific – and very diverse – opinions on the GMP. But in terms of making recommendations as a collective body, we haven’t seen very many groups that have been able to achieve a consensus.”

Last month, Ulrich presented a detailed briefing to the Leelanau County Planning Commission about the GMP and Wilderness Study as he has to numerous governmental and civic groups in the vicinity of the National Lakeshore since early this year.

This month, county planners were to have decided on which direction they believe the Park Service should take.

According to minutes of the May 22 meeting, commissioner Kathy Turner explained that she had already submitted her personal comments to Park Service officials online. She said she preferred “Alternative C,” which was spelled out in a recent GMP/Wilderness Study newsletter published by the Park Service.

“I’d like them to keep the wilderness areas as they are but keep them accessible without developing any more parking areas,” Turner said. “Of course, the most popular areas such as the Dune Climb should be developed for the masses of people who visit the Lakeshore.”

The overall vision for Alternative C, according to Park Service literature, is to manage the Lakeshore “in such a way that most visitor use is concentrated in selected areas, with more natural primitive conditions promoted in the rest of the Lakeshore.”

Alternative A, calls for valuing the Lakeshore “primarily for conservation of its natural resources.” Alternative B values the lakeshore “primarily for its recreational opportunities in scenic outdoor settings.”

Each alternative contains detailed recommendations on how various resources will be managed – cultural resources, visitor facilities, natural resources, etc. Park Service officials have pointed out that elements of the various alternatives may be mixed and matched in a final “preferred alternative” that will be developed this summer.

“I prefer the ‘No Action’ Alternative,” said county planning commissioner Jessica Lukomski. “I like things just the way they are in the park, and no new plan is fine with me,” she said.

The head of the county’s Planning and Community Development Department, Trudy Galla, said she had hoped that the county Planning Commission would be able to come up with a preferred alternative for the National Park Service to consider.

“But I think our Planning Commission is representing the citizens of Leelanau County very well,” Galla said. “I think their inability to achieve a consensus reflects exactly where most residents are on this issue – there is a lot of diversity of opinion, and no one right answer. The National Park Service has a good amount of work ahead of it,” she added.

Assistant park superintendent Ulrich agreed.

“Our task is a difficult one,” Ulrich said. “But, hopefully, we’ll be able to come up with a preferred alternative without making too many individuals too upset – an alternative that a majority of people at least feel they can live with.”

The National Park Service will continue to take comments and suggestions from the public throughout the planning process. It could be a year or more before a “preferred alternative” is selected and officials complete a draft of an actual plan. The plan is not slated to be approved and implemented before late 2008.

Planning documents and other information are available at the park Visitor Center in Empire and online at www.nps.gov/slbe. Those seeking more information may also phone the park at 326-5134.