# HB 5058 will convey 475 acres of public hunting land to a golf cours developer



## Tom Morang (Aug 14, 2001)

Fast track: Bill to convey 475 acres of public hunting land to a golf course developer

By a vote of 74-35, last Thursday the Michigan House voted to approve a rare legislative land conveyance to a golf course developer seeking to build an exact replica of the famed St. Andrews golf course near three of his other golf courses. House Bill 5058 (Sheltrown, D-West Branch) would force the DNR to sell 475 acres of state recreational land in IoscoCounty near Oscoda to the developer. The bill now heads to the Senate.

The irony: exactly one week earlier, Governor Granholm signed legislation (House Bill 5286 - Nerat, D-Wallace) to safeguard against a net loss of public hunting land in Michigan. The "No-Net-Loss" legislation was approved unanimously by both the Michigan House and Senate before reaching the Governor's desk.

MUCC testified against the conveyance bill because it would result in a 475 acre decrease in contiguous wildlife habitat and public hunting access in Iosco County and as originally drafted, would have siphoned "fair market value" proceeds of the land's sale to the state General Fund over the Game and Fish Fund. While legislators expressed hope that the conveyance will turn public hunting land into a higher revenue-generating, job-creating attraction for rural Oscoda, MUCC also criticized the bill for failing to impose conditional safeguards on the land that would rule out a potential alternative land use plan by the developer.

In committee MUCC was criticized for advocating to preserve 475 of Michigan's 4 million acres of public land for hunting and recreation - we took it as a compliment. While the bill has since been amended to place proceeds of the potential land sale to the Game and Fish Fund, unfortunately, it will still result in a significant loss of access for people who enjoy hunting and recreating in the northeastern Lower Peninsula. MUCC believes that Michigan's 4 million acres of public land should regarded as a valuable asset, not a disposable commodity. This is especially true when 41 of Michigan's 800 plus golf courses are within 60 miles of the immediate area where the proposed golf course will be built - including three others adjacent to the land in question, also owned by the same developer.

Clearly, Michigan's economy is in need of a boost. MUCC expressed to legislators that hunting and fishing can be - and are - part of the solution. Taking away public hunting areas limits the potential impact hunters and anglers can have on the state's economy -one of the primary reasons the legislature passed the No-Net-Loss bill.

Food for thought: According to the Michigan Golf Association, Michigan has more public golf courses than any state in the country. Many of those courses, like many other Michigan businesses, are struggling in light of the economy and more than 20 courses have closed since 2006. Michigan's 1.37 million hungers and anglers, according to a 2007 report issued by the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, spend about $3.4 billion annually in Michigan, which in turn has a $5.9 billion ripple effect on the state's economy. Additionally, sportsmen and women contribute about $378 million in state tax revenue annually. Golf, according to the Golf Association of Michigan, accounted for about $1.3 billion in golf-related hospitality and tourism spending in a 2006 study. While MUCC does not view this issue as a grudge match between hunting and golf - two essential ingredient's to Michigan's tourism industry (both of which many MUCC members enjoy) - our organization is concerned about giving special legislative preferences to a land developer who seeks to alienate hunters, reduce access, and eliminate 475 acres of valuable wildlife habitat in northern Michigan.

MUCC will continue to oppose this legislation in the Senate and if you agree with MUCC, please contact your Michigan Senator here..... http://www.senate.mi.gov/
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## trentonbill (Jul 6, 2009)

I sent an email to my Senator today and urge everyone to do the same. I am pretty certain that this developer could find some other area in the state to build a golf course.


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## OscGal (Jul 17, 2009)

I live near this land and am so happy to hear you have contacted your senator with your opposition. The bill is now in the Senate appropriations committee so if you have time, write to any or all of those people too! Hope everyone else will contact their senator too. It is too nice an area to lose. Know of one man who got his first buck there at age 62!


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## foxriver6 (Oct 23, 2007)

I sent an email to State Senator Tony Stamas in opposition to the legislation


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