# Clam Lake - Dewitt Marina hearing Jan 31



## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Marina may get new set of plans
Second public hearing set for Jan. 31

01/18/2007 By CRAIG McCOOL [email protected]

BELLAIRE  State regulators overseeing a marina expansion proposal on Clam Lake say DeWitt Marine officials may present a second set of scaled back plans at an upcoming public hearing.
The Department of Environmental Quality has set a second public hearing on Jan. 31 for a floating dock proposal by DeWitt Marine at the west end of Antrim County's Clam Lake. The DEQ's David Jentoft said DeWitt's plan may have changed since last month's well-attended forum.

"We haven't had a formal letter proposing a change, though it does appear that they're looking at some modifications, Jentoft said.

DeWitt's pending application to install nearly 60 new floating dock slips in front of the business has been criticized by some neighbors and lake residents who say the plan will cause too much congestion in the narrow lake. The proposed docks would jut 130 feet from shore in a place where the lake is only about 400 feet wide.

An opposition group, the Friends of Clam Lake, recently organized as a nonprofit, and its objective is to get the marina to withdraw the proposal. Members of the new lake association are talking with marina officials in hopes of finding common ground, said Clam Lake property owner Pam Hawley.

"We'd just like to know what they're thinking, if they're rearranging the dock, she said. "We would certainly want to be part of any discussions.

Jentoft said DeWitt is considering eliminating some docks from the proposal.

"There's a simple change in a site plan they've asked about. It reduced the number (of proposed slips) they have there, particularly on the outside of the dockage, he said. "But I don't know that it's anything formal at this point.

Phone messages left this week with marina officials went unreturned.

After the Dec. 18 public hearing that was attended by well over 100 people, marina general manager Warren Corteggiano indicated DeWitt might be willing to alter the plan, particularly docks at the northwestern corner where the lake is narrowest.

Antrim County Sheriff Terry Johnson, whose department is responsible for marine patrols on Claim Lake, said the area could become a bottleneck if the plan goes through as presented.

The DEQ will host a second public hearing at 2 p.m., Jan. 31, at the Helena Township Hall in Alden.

See related stories:

Compromise possible for marina project - December 21, 2006
http://www.record-eagle.com/2006/dec/21clamlake.htm

Residents say association isn't doing enough to oppose dock - December 12, 2006
http://www.record-eagle.com/2006/dec/12docks.htm

Dock proposal all wet, critics insist - December 3, 2006
http://www.record-eagle.com/2006/dec/03marina.htm


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Marina alters dock plan for Clam Lake
Slips reduced, but neighbors still don't like it.

The Friends of Clam Lake Association, which formed to oppose the dock proposal, remains against the concept. Allowing for end-to-end docking, the number of slips is not so different from the initial plan, said Tom Frey, of the association. Neither is the extension into the lake, he said.

"I know he feels they've reduced it, but that's only through creative numbering, Frey said. "When you consider parallel parking of boats, they have reduced or pulled back from where they were 24 feet. If 24 feet is a compromise, that's not good enough.

Also opposed is the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. State fisheries biologist Todd Kalish recommended the DEQ reject the permit application because of "the proposed impediment of public navigation and fishing rights, according to a letter he penned to DEQ officials.

http://www.record-eagle.com/2007/feb/08marina.htm


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

I like the guys at DeWitts, but that area is already a bear to navigate on weekends with all the boats trying to get down the narrow and fast Clam River. There are frequently back ups in front of the marina as it is of people waiting to get down the crowded river. Despite the traffic jams there on weekends, the area around the top of the river is still one of the best fishing spots out there. I won't even touch the subject of what additional traffic heading to and from Dewitts would add to the problem.


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

I've written 4-5 stories on this for the paper. This is a big deal up here. 

http://www.westshorepub.com/antrimreview/default.php

They've suggested a smaller alternative, I'm sure that will be accepted by the DEQ. We should hear in another few weeks.


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Clam Lake marina dock OK'd

http://www.record-eagle.com/2007/mar/22clam.htm

By CRAIG McCOOL [email protected]

BELLAIRE  State officials OK'd a Clam Lake marina's plan for a new floating dock system, but final approval involves fewer slips than marina officials wanted.

Dewitt Marine manager Warren Corteggiano said the marina reduced the number of requested slips from 58 to 32 because of mounting criticism from an opposed citizen's group.

Dewitt dropped entirely a planned dock at the north end of its property, leaving just the southern system. The northernmost dock, which would have extended over 100 feet into narrowest portion of the Antrim County lake, drew the most criticism from neighbors and community members.

"We had so much opposition specifically to the north docks. We felt we'd have a better opportunity of getting everything approved without them, Corteggiano said.

Officials at the state Department of Environmental Quality authorized the plan this week, after more than five months of review. 

Paul Sak, a board member for the opposition group, Friends of Clam Lake, said he was disappointed the DEQ approved the permit.

"I can't say that we're happy with the decision. We feel strongly that the waters are public property and they've taken some of the public waters, he said.

A common complaint was the distance  130 feet  the proposed docks are to extend into the lake. Dewitt's facility is near the mouth of the channel flowing into Torch Lake and critics complained the new docks would create a bottleneck in the heavily used area.

"I think there'll be a lot surprised people when folks get back for the summer and see the new docks, Sak said. "People  will need to adjust to a totally different flow of traffic. It'll be interesting.

Corteggiano said the docks should be in by early June. Initial plans called for both transient docking, and slips for the marina's call-ahead, 'in-and-out' service for weekend boaters. There will still be slips for both, but Corteggiano could not say how many for each.

The marina has no immediate plans to ask again for more docks at the narrower, northern location, but Corteggiano did not rule out the possibility.

"We felt and still do feel that docks at the north end would have resulted in a safer system because it allowed for a place to organize after launching a boat, he said.

See related stories:

Marina alters dock plan - February 8, 2007 
Marina may get new set of plans - January 18, 2007 
Compromise possible for marina project - December 21, 2006 
Residents say association isn't doing enough to oppose dock - December 12, 2006 
Dock proposal all wet, critics insist - December 3, 2006


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