To the editor:
As long time neighbors of the Leelanau Conservancy’s expanding Palmer Woods mountain bike recreation area, we have felt the impacts of increasing high-speed traffic through our rural neighborhood. We wonder why an organization that says its goal is to protect Leelanau County by being “unrelenting in preserving her beauty and ecological integrity” has become a developer of the Conservancy’s first high-impact recreation area.
Cleveland Township tells us that there is nothing in our zoning regulations preventing the Conservancy from developing whatever kind of park it wants. That kind of unlimited permission
must change immediately. Next it might be your backyard.
This new, aggressive Leelanau Conservancy needs to work within some reasonable limits. Our neighbors want township regulations to limit hours of operation, forbid intoxicants on site, prevent motorized vehicles, no overnight camping and limit the size of gatherings. We need enforcement of these rules.
We want to see local resident input respected: there is no need for more development or parking lots. Mountain biking is a risky sport. Rider injuries are common. We’d rather see more hiking trails than more bike trails for a few elite riders.
Bill and Nancy Allen Maple City
