12-14-2006, 03:29 AM
December 13, 2006 - A Michigan House of Representatives Bill that would allow townships to police Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) lake access sites throughout the state received Senate approval on Wednesday, Dec. 6.
Following the Senate's 36-0 approval, which came with one excused vote and one representative not voting, House Bill (HB) 5960 was passed along to Gov. Jennifer Granholm's desk.
Both Sen. Nancy Cassis (R-Commerce, Milford, Highland, White Lake, West Bloomfield, Orchard Lake, Wixom, Walled Lake and Wolverine Lake) and Sen. Deborah Cherry (D-Waterford) voted in favor of the legislation.
The amended the state's Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to allow townships to regulate activities at public access sites owned by the DNR. Local regulation would be by ordinance and can't exceed the scope of existing DNR regulations for an access site.
"It would enable the local (officials) to monitor the site, but they can't work outside of the normal DNR parameters," said state Rep. John Stakoe (R-Highland, White Lake), who sponsored the bill. "We're not looking to enact anything that would jeopardize the normal parameters the DNR would enforce, so we're not looking to enact anything that would jeopardize any existing rights for people who live on the lake or want to use (an access site)."
Communities aren't required to regulate access sites under the bill, but are merely empowered to monitor and enforce existing DNR regulations if they so choose.
"The municipalities aren't required to do anything, but if there's a problem and the community wishes to, they can," Stakoe said.
The bill, he said, was prepared in part as a response to a DNR access site located at Cedar Island Lake in White Lake Township, which was reportedly overcrowded during weekends and holidays as the result of public misuse of the lake's DNR access site.
White Lake Township Supervisor Mike Kowall — who was in contact with Stakoe as the bill was being prepared — said people drop boats off at the DNR launch and park vehicles and trailers across the street when a four-vehicle parking lot at the site is full. He said the number of parking spaces at the site is intended to allow only four boaters to use the access site at one time.
Scot Page, president of the Cedar Island Homeowners Association, has said that as a result of the access site overuse, the lake becomes overcrowded and public safety is compromised.
According to the DNR, the department has been unable to police many lake access sites because the department's conservation officers — the officers who police access sites — have been stretched thin. In some cases officers cover as many as two counties at a time.
"From a statewide perspective, the DNR felt it had a lot of merit," Stakoe said of the legislation. "That's why they approved of it."
According to the DNR's Michigan Recreational Boating Information System, Cedar Island Lake, Crescent Lake in Waterford Township, and Middle Straights Lake in West Bloomfield Township are the only lakes area lake access sites — of 18 total DNR access sites in the county — that currently aren't staffed with even seasonal rangers to monitor public access.
"The bill gives us the ability to enforce DNR regulations and restrictions at lake access sites," Kowall said. "The one that's been the highest on our radar, so to speak, is the one at Cedar Island Lake.
"We've been (regulating activities) there, but this lends some more credence to it when the governor signs it."
According to Kowall, White Lake won't need to hire any more police officers to regulate the access site, but he said White Lake police now will be able to close the site when all four parking spots are occupied, and will also be able to write tickets to those who park elsewhere and launch boats at the site when its parking lot is full.
He said that while Granholm hasn't signed HB 5960, he expects her to sign the bill between Christmas and New Year's Day.
During the legislative process, several organizations either testified or otherwise indicated support for the bill, including the DNR, the Michigan Lake Property Owners Association, the Michigan Townships Association, the Michigan United Conservation Clubs, and the Michigan Association of Home Builders.
All six lakes area representatives voted in favor of HB 5960 in May, when it passed through the House.
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Following the Senate's 36-0 approval, which came with one excused vote and one representative not voting, House Bill (HB) 5960 was passed along to Gov. Jennifer Granholm's desk.
Both Sen. Nancy Cassis (R-Commerce, Milford, Highland, White Lake, West Bloomfield, Orchard Lake, Wixom, Walled Lake and Wolverine Lake) and Sen. Deborah Cherry (D-Waterford) voted in favor of the legislation.
The amended the state's Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to allow townships to regulate activities at public access sites owned by the DNR. Local regulation would be by ordinance and can't exceed the scope of existing DNR regulations for an access site.
"It would enable the local (officials) to monitor the site, but they can't work outside of the normal DNR parameters," said state Rep. John Stakoe (R-Highland, White Lake), who sponsored the bill. "We're not looking to enact anything that would jeopardize the normal parameters the DNR would enforce, so we're not looking to enact anything that would jeopardize any existing rights for people who live on the lake or want to use (an access site)."
Communities aren't required to regulate access sites under the bill, but are merely empowered to monitor and enforce existing DNR regulations if they so choose.
"The municipalities aren't required to do anything, but if there's a problem and the community wishes to, they can," Stakoe said.
The bill, he said, was prepared in part as a response to a DNR access site located at Cedar Island Lake in White Lake Township, which was reportedly overcrowded during weekends and holidays as the result of public misuse of the lake's DNR access site.
White Lake Township Supervisor Mike Kowall — who was in contact with Stakoe as the bill was being prepared — said people drop boats off at the DNR launch and park vehicles and trailers across the street when a four-vehicle parking lot at the site is full. He said the number of parking spaces at the site is intended to allow only four boaters to use the access site at one time.
Scot Page, president of the Cedar Island Homeowners Association, has said that as a result of the access site overuse, the lake becomes overcrowded and public safety is compromised.
According to the DNR, the department has been unable to police many lake access sites because the department's conservation officers — the officers who police access sites — have been stretched thin. In some cases officers cover as many as two counties at a time.
"From a statewide perspective, the DNR felt it had a lot of merit," Stakoe said of the legislation. "That's why they approved of it."
According to the DNR's Michigan Recreational Boating Information System, Cedar Island Lake, Crescent Lake in Waterford Township, and Middle Straights Lake in West Bloomfield Township are the only lakes area lake access sites — of 18 total DNR access sites in the county — that currently aren't staffed with even seasonal rangers to monitor public access.
"The bill gives us the ability to enforce DNR regulations and restrictions at lake access sites," Kowall said. "The one that's been the highest on our radar, so to speak, is the one at Cedar Island Lake.
"We've been (regulating activities) there, but this lends some more credence to it when the governor signs it."
According to Kowall, White Lake won't need to hire any more police officers to regulate the access site, but he said White Lake police now will be able to close the site when all four parking spots are occupied, and will also be able to write tickets to those who park elsewhere and launch boats at the site when its parking lot is full.
He said that while Granholm hasn't signed HB 5960, he expects her to sign the bill between Christmas and New Year's Day.
During the legislative process, several organizations either testified or otherwise indicated support for the bill, including the DNR, the Michigan Lake Property Owners Association, the Michigan Townships Association, the Michigan United Conservation Clubs, and the Michigan Association of Home Builders.
All six lakes area representatives voted in favor of HB 5960 in May, when it passed through the House.
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