Drag Strip Is Denied
By Paul Gingras

A controversial plan to build a drag strip in Garfield Township was turned down by the township's planning commission at a meeting Monday, May 14. The main problem was the ecology of the site, which includes wetlands, said Planning Commission Chairman Stephen King, who added that he hopes Thomas and Sharon Ledford of Kaleva, the potential developers, will find a better site for the project in the township.

Mr. King called the decision to exclude the drag strip from the parcel "disappointing."

"It had the potential to be a tremendous economic boost to the area," he said.

The planning commission voted unanimously not to approve a special use permit for building on the site, which is an 80-acre parcel of agricultural land, three miles north of US-2.

Zoning changes would have been needed to legalize the track, but there is no point in going through the zoning process, since the land is not suitable for development, Mr. King said.

The drag strip idea sparked a public reaction, both by proponents and opponents of racing. Proponents focused on recreational opportunities and economic development; opponents argued that the track could cause environmental damage, disrupt farming, and reduce home values. It was also noted that the site is close to Engadine Consolidated Schools.

About 40 people came to the special meeting May 14.

In other business, the township board is waiting to decide whether it will open the Naubinway Marina this summer. The board discussed marina accessibility problems at its Monday, May 21, meeting.

Drifting sand has made the boat launch inaccessible, said Township Treasurer Deb Bennett, and it could be a long process to get a state permit to re-dredge the area. The board has yet to gather information on the cost of re-dredging, but Mrs. Bennett said the township will probably have to pay for the work.

In addition to sand blockage at the boat launch, Mr. King said some of the marina's slips are inaccessible owing to drifting sand. The slips in deeper water remain accessible. Mr. King is a former member of the marina committee.

Drifting sand has rendered the marina inaccessible before, and state grants were used to improve it. The township has not received funding to improve the Naubinway Marina this year.

The last time the area was dredged was in 2004.

Redredging should not be needed so often, Mr. King said. The problem is the result of a design flaw that has not been addressed since the marina was constructed in the 1960s.

Now, the board is at a standstill regarding the marina and will seek input from Harbormaster Larry Wyse, who recently returned to Naubinway for the summer, Mrs. Bennett said.

Mr. Wyse could not be reached for comment at press time.

The state has received a grant application from Garfield Township, but is unable to act on it, owing to state budget problems, said Paul Peterson, harbor program manager for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

"Our 2007 budget has not been approved yet," he explained.

The application sent by Garfield Township describes more than $1 million in improvements, addressing matters beyond re-dredging. The changes were recommended by a state-sponsored study in 2006, conducted by United Design Associates (UDA), which revealed that drifting sand and sediment would return and cause problems.

The Garfield Township application has been added to approximately $11 million sought statewide for potential boater access projects that will be assessed in "a couple of months," Mr. Peterson said.

To create a long term solution to the drifting sand problem in Naubinway, the marina needs a rocky barrier stretching north from the west side, Mr. Peterson said. To the south side of the marina, a metal-sided barrier attached to the main walkway should also be reinforced with a rocky layer. The walkway provides access to the finger piers where boats are docked. The design firm also recommends reinforcement of the main walkway with a low, rocky mound, which would extend beyond the metal siding.

Both rocky barriers would extend outward into the basin and draw inward, closing in and creating a "throat" to produce a protected basin, he said.