 |
Developer leaves Advisory Council questions unanswered
|
Sandra Britton feeds birds in Lac La Belle |
By Sandra Britton
for Keweenaw Today
10/04/2000
No longer can Crosswinds/Black Bear plead ignorance of the concerns, questions and opinions of Keweenaw County residents in regard to their Mt. Bohemia Project. The eight panelists on the Mt.
Bohemia Advisory Council, most appointed by township supervisors, came to the September meeting in Eagle Harbor armed with questions about future
plans, viability of Black Bear, environmental concerns, property values, infrastructure, sprawl, etc. At the end of two hours the list of discussion items
|
Black Bear President Lonie Glieberman, center, discusses the Mt. Bohemia ski hill development with Forrest Gregg, left, and Crosswinds’Äô
Jim Rempel at the first Mt. Bohemia Advisory Council meeting, held in mid-September at the Eagle Harbor Inn. (Photo courtesy Janet Shea) |
had grown to 20, with only five items discussed.
Jim Vivian, Jr., of Eagle River, sensibly suggested that Crosswinds address
these items in writing and forward them to panelists for their consideration prior to the next meeting, to be held on October 19 at the Eagle Lodge (the old
Lakeside Lodge) on M-26 just west of Copper Harbor. The meeting will be open to the public.
On the whole I thought the first meeting of the Mt. Bohemia Advisory
Council was very informative. It brought out many points not previously addressed, and many of the answers are providing food for serious thought, as
well as leading to new questions. On a personal note, I was delighted that Mr. Forrest Gregg recognized the skill of the equipment operators who actually did
the work on the slopes, as I consider it a miracle and a real tribute to local know-how that no one was injured during the run construction.
Nevertheless, I wish to raise a few issues for public consideration.
The November referendum issue was raised by Paul Freshwater of Eagle
Harbor, who wondered how Crosswinds would interpret a ’Äúno’Äù vote.
Black Bear President Lonie Glieberman replied it would indicate the
community has issues and/or doesn't understand the project, but he added that the project would proceed anyway. His reply raises at least one question in my mind’Äî’ÄúHow can it proceed anyway?’Äù
The referendum asks if an area now zoned Conservation-Environmental Protection (CD-EP) should be changed to Resort Service (RS) zoning and if a
ski hill is to be added as a permitted use under RS zoning through Crosswinds’Äô requested amendment to the County Zoning Ordinance. If the voters do not
approve that zoning change and amendment, how can a ski hill be built? Confusion on this issue must be cleared up before the referendum.
During a progress briefing on the project, Mr. Jim Rempel stated that in addition to the 3 watchmen now on Black Bear's payroll, a winter staff of
approximately 40 will soon be hired. Twelve years’Äô tourism experience in Grant Township tells me that will be an interesting exercise. During the winter,
seasonal staffing of existing businesses is already difficult for several reasons, including aversion to winter driving, students’Äô school responsibilities, lack of
on-site or nearby housing and generous unemployment compensation for seasonal workers. Is this going to tighten an already very tight labor market?
Where will these workers come from? Will they be housed nearby? Such very real questions are hovering out there.
The project viability question was raised in several forms, and the assurances of Crosswinds' financial stability were curious in light of Mr. Elias’Äô Footnote
No. 2 quoted in the September 10 Keweenaw Today article, ’ÄúJudge Denies Request’Äù ’Äú***Editor's Note: Footnote No. 2 in Elias's brief indicates that Black
Bear, not Crosswinds Communities, Inc., is the actual Defendant in this case. The note states, in part: ’ÄòCrosswinds Communities, Inc. and Crosswinds
Commercial, Inc. are both Michigan corporations, but neither should be a party to this action since neither is an investor, lessor, partner or participant in the
development of any property relevant to the instant matter.’Äô’Äù
It seems to me the question should be Black Bear’Äôs viability, not Crosswinds’Äô.
Long-range project scope and size came up several times, and an apparent contradiction in Mr. Glieberman's answers added a bit of confusion. In
response to John Clarkson's questions about the project, Mr. Glieberman said it would be $4-$5 million job and that at the end it will be ’Äúdebt-free’Äù and a
’Äúpaid-off property.’Äù At another point he said they've leased 980 acres, but that development would depend on how the hill goes. In response to Janet Shea's
statement of Crosswinds' putting $6.2 million in the first 5-year plan, Mr. Glieberman responded he thinks it's more like $10 or $11 million, and wishes it
were $6.2. I'm sure these items will be addressed again and clarified.
In view of the above issues, and of the many not yet covered, I'm looking
forward with great interest to October 19. Crosswinds/Black Bear made many promises of future community participation in project decisions. The future will
show all of us the genuineness of these promises. Come join us at the Eagle Lodge on Oct. 19 for further discussion.
Editor’Äôs note: Keweenaw County resident Sandra Britton is a regular contributor to Keweenaw Today.
|
