MONTAGUE — The White River Township board unanimously approved a parks and recreation plan review during its Nov. 11 meeting, taking a step toward finalizing a revised plan. The public now has 30 days to review the revisions.
The board stated the plan must be finalized by February so the township can begin applications for state grant money. No date was finalized at the meeting, but the board has since set a public hearing date for Jan. 13 - just prior to the board's regular meeting - for final approval, which would coincide with that month's planning commission meeting.
The board also approved the planning commission's revised master plan for public distribution. After a period during which the public is allowed to provide comments on the plan, the board will be permitted to approve the plan and put it into action. Township supervisor Ron Bailey complimented planning firm Williams & Works for its help in the process of revising the master plan.
During the public comment period, planning commissioner Marisa McGlue reported that the Mirror Lake lime pile removals undertaken by Chemours earlier this fall have been completed. She added that the Muskegon Conservation District plans to begin planting native species at the site in the spring. The long-term goal is to return Mirror Lake to a functioning wetland. Chemours has also reached agreement with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) on a corrective measure study. If approved, an implementation plan could be released as soon as June. With that in mind, the Chemours Environmental Impact Committee has hosted meetings with parties interested in aiding in the land's restoration.
Treasurer Mary Kriesel, who attended the White Lake Association's recent annual meeting, reported that the WLA completed its first comprehensive testing of White Lake since it was delisted as an area of concern in 2014. She said the findings were that the lake was in overall good health, though there are some concerns with nitrate levels closer to shore. She added that a free life jacket station has been added to the boat launch on Lau Road, in addition to the one that already existed at Medbery Park.
Bailey, the township's representative on the White Lake Fire Authority board, reported that the WLFA has begun an exploratory process towards replacing a 1991 model year truck in its fleet. The process would take multiple years, and the cost of a new truck, he said, is in the $800,000 neighborhood.
Bailey also shared correspondence he received from landowner Paul Schroeder, gauging the board's interest in a potential joint ownership arrangement of two parcels on Lost Lake that may soon be donated to the MCD. The two parcels cannot be home sites as there are no public access points to either one, but each has 100 feet of lakefront land. There is no indication as of yet what the parcels might be used for, but Bailey said he wanted to make the board aware of something that may be presented in the future.
