Kate Hessling
For the Advertiser
LANSING — A land exchange between the State of Michigan and Bay Shore Camp will be signed by the director of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
DNR Director Keith Creagh made his intent known following lengthy comment given during Thursday’s Natural Resources Commission meeting in Lansing.
Public Lands Specialist Earl Flegler outlined terms of the transaction, which was applied for in April. Bay Shore Camp and Family Ministries is seeking 12 acres of land the state owns where Pine Street dead-ends northwest of the village.
Jeff Parsons, the camp’s executive director, told commissioners the local ministry wants to use the land as an outdoor educational center for campers and local school children.
In exchange for the Sebewaing land, Bay Shore wants to trade about 17 acres of land between two parcels. The first is located in Huron County off of Kilmanagh Road and the second is located off M-25 and Barney Road on the Quanicassee River.
In essence, the land swap agreement poses a two-for-one deal for the state, and Flegler explained the application was reviewed by all DNR Land Managing Divisions, and it has been recommended for approval.
But the deal has come amid opposition — both from local residents and officials.
Some feel the land swap would not be true to the legacy of Dr. Stanley and Thelma Whitlock. Dr. Stanley Whitlock was an assistant chief of the Michigan Department of Conservation Game Division, as well as an acclaimed author and outdoor enthusiast. Upon their deaths, their estate donated $78,500 used to purchase the land in Sebewaing and donate it to the state to in Whitlock’s memory.
However, Flegler said the Whitlocks did not choose that specific parcel of land — their goal was to provide funds for waterfowl habitat and hunting along the shoreline of Saginaw Bay.
He said the DNR spoke with descendents of the Whitlocks, and they favored the land exchange. One great niece of Thelma Whitlock told commissioners on Thursday that while she initially objected to the proposed trade, she has since changed her mind.
Flegler said provisions of the land swap include a 20-foot easement that will continue to provide public access for things like duck hunting and ice fishing.
Opponents to the land exchange noted that public access comes with limitations, including the fact that access will be limited to certain times of the year.
Parsons explained limitations are needed because as a ministry, the camp has to screen adults who come into contact with children.
He explained the camp wants to own the adjacent property because it plans to invest resources into trails and signage needed to make it into an outdoor teaching space.
Parsons said the camp plans to improve the easement that the public will be able to use, and stressed it’s always been the ministry’s intent to let the public continue to have access to that site — that access will just have to be restricted when children are present.
Former camp director Lewis Tibbits told commissioners the number of campers increases each year, and for many of them, they don’t have opportunities for outdoor education. As such, this center will be a tremendous tool for the camp to educate youth, he said.
Jim Bratton of Sebewaing objected to allowing a private organization being able to buy state-owned land.
“If this land swap is approved, Bay Shore Camp gets what it wants, a way to further its ministry and charge a fee to participants,” he said. “How does letting a private organization profit from limiting the general public’s use and requiring them to travel further distances for enjoyment build a strong relationship with this community?
“ … Why (would) the DNR want to swap land to a private organization that will charge a fee, for something people can already have for free?”
Theresa Kain of Sebewaing said she feels the transaction would not benefit the state financially or the public.
“The current land is accessible to approximately 2,900 residents by foot or pedal bike,” she said. “The Kilmanagh Road property is three miles out of town, and the Quanicassee property is approximately 20 miles from town. There are very few residents living within walking distance to either of these properties.”
Kain also felt the properties up for trade do not offer the same opportunities that exist in the Sebewaing property.
“The public enjoys the many recreational uses the Sebewaing property offers such as nature walks, bird watching, geo-catching, morel and berry picking, and hunting. The two properties offered for trade provide none of these benefits — in fact, they barely offer hunting,” Kain told the commission.
She noted while there currently is parking available, that’s not the case at the two parcels up for trade. She said both of the proposed parcels provide just as much, if not less, access than the Sebewaing property.
The cost to install parking areas in the two parcels, as well as combat phragmites, was something both Kain and Bratton brought up to commissioners.
“… I believe this trade will cost the state money to provide access to the offered properties and an easement to the existing property,” Kain said.
She also discussed the economic benefits of having the state-owned land in Sebewaing, and felt the transaction may hurt Sebewaing commerce.
“Most importantly, it will eliminate a great source of recreational enjoyment from our community,” Kain concluded.
While Flegler told commissioners the proposed land swap has support from local officials, residents Don Kain II and III told commissioners that support has waned over time. For example, both the Township of Sebewaing and Huron County Board of Commissioners have reconsidered their support upon learning of the opposition that exists to the land trade. And the Village of Sebewaing has approved a resolution opposing the land exchange.
As for support from the public, Don Kain III said he had a petition signed by more than 600 residents opposed to the land trade.
Following public comment, Creagh announced his intent is to sign the department’s recommendation to approve the land swap, and felt Bay Shore Camp will be good neighbors. He said he looks forward to the completion of the outdoor education center.
After the meeting, both Kain and Bratton told the Tribune they felt all along that the state was going to approve of the land swap. However, they wanted an opportunity to voice their opposition to the deal.
“The main thing is we got to have our say,” Bratton said.
He did note, though, that five minutes before the commission wasn’t enough time to get all their points across.
“(But) we gave it the old college try … and we’ll live with the result,” Bratton said.