It’s back to the docks for residents looking for more boating restrictions on local lakes.
After going back and forth for several months between Independence Township Board of Trustees and Planning Commission and not gaining approval from either, trustees decided Tuesday to form a sub-committee for more study.
An ordinance amendment under discussion would limit ‘keyholing,? which is when residents from new multiple-family homes are allowed access to a lake through a single lakefront lot.
The amendment would support the integrity of the lakes and promote their ecological balance, because too many watercrafts can “create conditions amounting to a nuisance, impair important and irreplaceable natural resources, cause reduction in property values, and threaten the health safety and general welfare of the public.”
Keyholing refers to the use of one dock by more than one property owner on a parcel of land. An example would be residents of a condominium or apartment complex using the same dock on a lake.
The issue of keyholing has been ongoing for several years, but has recently been brought back up because Tim Birtsas wants to develop his 28-acre parcel of land, with more than 200 feet of lake frontage on Deer Lake.
‘We haven’t determined what we want to do yet,” Birtsas said. “We’ll have some high-end residential, possibly some office property, but we haven’t gotten specific what we want to do.”
Birtsas said he wants to make it clear that he favors some type of control on pollution and traffic on the lakes, but current proposals wouldn’t be effective.
“What people are concerned about is pollution and boats and what they’re suggesting does not affect everyone,” he said. “The way you can affect everyone is by doing a general ordinance, not a keyhole amendment. The reason the residents are in favor of this is because it won’t affect them at all. We are in favor of a keyholing ordinance, we just don’t think they have it right yet.”
According to Birtsas’ attorney, Susan Friedlaender, about 70 to 80 percent of the existing docks on Deer Lake are keyholed.
“Everybody must be regulated,” said Friedlaender. “Don’t take away the right of the last person on the block.”
Many residents at the meeting disputed her findings, but said they were against keyholing.
Trustee Dan Travis agreed with the residents.
“We will not allow keyholing onto the lakes, simple as that,” he said. “It’s not going to happen ? not on our watch.”
Treasurer Jim Wenger said he just wants to see what makes sense.
“Do we continue fairness to the riparians (those who already own access to the lake) or to those who want to come in,” he asked.
The amendment was tabled until the sub-committee, consisting of Trustees Dan Travis, Dan Kelly and Charles Dunn, gives the board its report. Then the issue must go back to the planning commission, which will hold another public hearing. It would then return to the board of trustees for final approval.