Kalamazoo River Mouth Marina
The 300-acre property that sits on land along the Kalamazoo River and Lake Michigan, just north of Saugatuck, has been rooted in controversy since the mid-1990’s, when conservationists were outbid on two occasions by developers intent on turning this wooded dune land into commercial developments. The Coastal Alliance partnered with like-minded activists to buy the property in the early 2000s and again in 2016 and 2017. The conservationists were outbid.[needs to be reworked]
The current chapter began in 2017 when NorthShore of Saugatuck, owned by Holland, Michigan residents Jeff and Peg Padnos and local developers Brian and Scott Bosgraaf, applied for permits to carve through protected dunes and the historic site of Singapore to create waterfront for a private yacht marina.
The proposed marina, located within a gated community near the mouth of the Kalamazoo River, would:
Excavate 250,000 tons of sand within Michigan’s Critical Dune Boundary, permanently erasing 6.5 acres of dunes [state threshold here?]
Drain the groundwater beneath globally imperiled interdunal wetlands [statistic here?]
Damage Pottawatomi Traditional Cultural Property (TCP) by putting at risk lake sturgeon, burial sites, sacred and ceremonial sites, wild rice, and other cultural values, raising environmental justice issues
Devastate our local ecology by introducing noise, vibrations, emissions, and light; introducing and spreading invasive species; creating habitat fragmentation; and destroying mature forest canopy
Undermine our tourism economy [elaborate with a few more words]
From the beginning, the Coastal Alliance has been fighting the proposed marina — educating our community about what’s at stake, filing lawsuits, and collaborating with our allies to challenge regulatory agencies to deny permits.
Read about recent developments on this case or view an aerial tour of the development & cleared marina site.
Late 1800s
Blowing winds bury town of Singapore after the community’s main lumber mill moves to St. Ignace
1996 and 1998
The City of Saugatuck offers to buy acreage from Frank Denison near Oval Beach in 1996 and the Dept. of Natural Resources offer to buy acreage for XXXX in 1998.
Both deals fall through.
Early 2000s
Following the sudden death of Frank Denison, the property is purchased by energy mogul Aubrey McClendon who outbid groups seeking to buy the land to add to the state park.
The Land Conservancy purchases XX acres from McClendon to establish the Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area.
2016 and 2017
Following McClendon’s death in a fiery car crash the day after his indictment for fraud, the property was listed for $40M. Offers from residents who sought to conserve the land were rejected in favor of the Padnos bid.
Padnos-owned NorthShore of Saugatuck receives a permit from Saugatuck Township to build a yacht marina in 2017.
2020
The Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places determined that the Kalamazoo River Mouth Area meets the criteria as a Traditional Cultural Property of the Potawatomi.
Van Horn Ski Lake
Chad and Jenny Van Horn’s private ski lake and sand dune mine is a lesson in how wealthy, private developers act on their plans — and seek permission later. The Coastal Alliance is fighting to stop the project — and require the Van Horns to restore the land and habitat they’ve destroyed.
In 2018, the Saugatuck Township Zoning Administrator gave the Van Horns a permit to excavate a 4.98 acre pond to build a private ski lake — a size just .02 acres less than what would also require a permit from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).
Their local permit in hand, between 2018 and 2022, the Van Horns:
Clearcut about 25 acres of mature red pine forest, habitat for a threatened owl species
Excavated their pond, which in 2021 measured 6.7 acres — 34% greater than what their permit allowed — and resulted in a lowering of the Patty Birkholz Natural Area wetlands by several inches
Created a 70-foot high sand mound, which created a nuisance for their neighbors and resulted a violation notice from the Allegan Department of County Health
Began removing and selling sand from the site
In 2020, EGLE issued a violation notice for sand dune mining without a permit. In 2021, the agency issued a violation of Section 301, Inland Lakes and Waters, requirements. In February 2021, EGLE held a public hearing for an after-the-fact sand dune mining permit and granted a permit in April 2022. Shortly thereafter, EGLE voided the Section 301 violation.
In February 2023, The Coastal Alliance asked the 30th District Judicial Circuit Court, Ingham County, to direct the Office of Administrative Hearings to conduct a full evidentiary hearing on all of the actions and decisions of EGLE with regard to the Van Horns’ conduct and the impacts of those actions on the environment and natural resources of Michigan under the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act. We are expecting the Judge’s decision soon.