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LOCAL Road Closure Hearing Scheduled

2K views 12 replies 5 participants last post by  Trail_Fanatic 
#1 ·
I received a 'Notice Of Hearing' from the Newaygo County Road Commission yesterday.

They have received a petition to vacate a 1.1 mile piece of Pine Ave. from 17 Mile Rd. north to 18 Mile Rd., between Section 1, Home Township and Section 6, Barton Township.

The Hearing is at:

8:30 AM, Wed. June 14, 2006
935 East One Mile Rd.
White Cloud, Mi 49349

Please help us keep this Seasonal Road OPEN to public use!

We need BODIES in the room and WRITTEN comments delivered to the NCRC before the meeting date.
 
#3 · (Edited)
I haven''t contacted the CRC for more background information or even had a chance to sit down and really think about it yet, but off the top of my head:

Public need is indicated by the publics continued and increasing use.

This and all of the Seasonal and undeveloped/ unmaintained roads provide valuable financial input into the NCRC budget that can be used for the support of more critical system roads.

If there are maintenance issues I'll offer them my services and talk to Club mates about the possibility of their support if labor/ equipment becomes a real need.

These are just a couple of un-elaborated quick ideas.
 
#4 · (Edited)
I just hung up with the CRC.

The engineer in charge of that project is out today but will call me in the morning.

The receptionist (sounds like a really nice lady) informed me that the petition was introduced by a hunting club that owns a good sized chunk on the west side of the road.

She also told me that counter-petitions are VERY acceptable.

Can Anyone make one up and post it for printing?
Then we just mail them to the CRC in time to be in their hands for the meeting.

I'm swamped in documents and other projects or I'd make up a quick petition and post it myself -- not to mention that I'm NOT that computer savvy. By the time I figured out how to do it the meeting would be over!
 
#6 ·
This would be a standard petition form with a little blurb at the top about the road and recreational access with a lot of lines at the bottom for people who support the stated position (keep it open) to sign their name and address. Similar to a voting petition, but not required to be quite as stringent in its wording and approval process. The 'form' letter would count in this case but not as an official NFS or DNR Project Comment. With the 'big guys' forms do only count as one response 'type', but with the CRC it's the NUMBER of different people supporting one side or the other.

I'll have more tomorrow after I talk with the CRC gentleman.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I haven't forgotten about this

I've been busy in other areas.

I did get a call from NCRC. The petition to vacate is being brought forward by several surrounding land owners. They site illegal trespassing, breaking and entering of cabins, and arson of another cabin as reason to vacate.

I was disheartened to hear of all the problems in the area that are being blamed on this access way. Those are some pretty stiff violations to overcome.

I was heartened later when it was mentioned that several businesses in the area had expressed concern over the closure, citing ORV recreation as major contributors to their bottom lines.

I'm going to try to dig up some good numbers from the Draft ORV Plan to use in my arguements to keep it open.

Can anyone get a standard petition blank on here so that we can put the pertinent info on it and get it into circulation?
 
#8 ·
Here It Is!

Here is a petition that can be downloaded and printed.

http://www.twotrackers.org/PETITION.doc

PLEASE, have as many people sign it as possible.
Then either:

1) Scan it back in and email it to me at:
Trail_Fanatic@hotmail.com

OR

2) Snail mail it to:
Newaygo County Road Commission
935 One Mile Rd.
White Cloud, MI 49349

E Mail letters may also be sent to:
admin@newaygoroads.com

Info can be found at:
www.newagoroads.com

ALL signatures and letters MUST be sent to be received by the NCRC NO LATER than Monday June 12, 2006.

For those that don't know:
This 'road' runs the length of the power lines from Croton-Hardy Damn Pond north all the way into Luther.

THANK YOU!

Pat (B)
 
#10 · (Edited)
We WON!

Pine Ave. between 17 Mile and 18 Mile will NOT (yea, that's NOT) be vacated!
Score ANOTHER VICTORY for the MOTORIZED crowd!:woot:

The CRC made a VERY interesting comment during the proceedings . . .
They said that they have NEVER vacated a road that the 'public' showed ANY interest in vacating. If ANYONE showed up, they have kept it open.
That's ALL we have to do is SHOW UP and we'll WIN!

How easy is that?

The hardest part is calling the CRCs that interest you and getting put on their 'list' of people (like the power and gas companies) who receive notification of abandonment proceedings when they come along.

I have compiled a list of the CRC phone numbers for ALL of the counties in northern lower Michigan. If anyone wants a copy, just let me know.
 
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