Don't Let Landowners Take Away Access to Straits
To the Editor:

The proposed takeover of a long-time road-end public access in Wawatam Township by an adjacent landowner [The St. Ignace News March 27] is a familiar old story. This landowner bought property next to Headlands Road at McGulpin Point, just west of Mackinaw City, knowing it was a public access. In a feeble attempt to justify closing this beautiful access to the public, he's claiming that littering hooligans require that the county and township turn this public property over to him. He would then "grant" easement rights to "worthy" neighbors. Here's a better idea: Leave this wonderful access to Lake Michigan and the Straits of Mackinac in public hands, and he can use it whenever he wants.

The Michigan Legislature passed two bills in 1996 that gave local counties and townships a powerful weapon to keep these road-end accesses available to the public. They are public acts 218 and 219. They say that a public road, ending at water, cannot be abandoned by a county unless it first offers it to the township where it's located. The township can't abandon it before offering it to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. They can't give it up unless it's in "the best interest of the public." Each of these transfers has to be accompanied by public hearings.

Local county and township officials have done a good job protecting these road-end accesses in the past, but it's expensive. In today's economy, I worry that they won't be able to justify the legal fees necessary to fight those who would block access to future generations. If that happens, there will be a hemorrhage of road-end accesses lost around the state to selfish landowners, using this one as precedent. Let's help our local officials fight this. Show them your support by calling or writing Emmet County Commissioners, Road Commissioners, and Wawatam Township officers. Their contact information can be found on pages 48 and 49 in the Phone Guide.

The road-end at McGulpin Point is a wonderful place to launch a kayak, stroll along the shore of Lake Michigan, watch the twinkling lights of the Mackinac Bridge, or soak up a fiery sunset. Don't let one private landowner take this away from us.

Tim Calloway Harbor Springs