Clough Island Development: Clough Island Development: Superior’s White Elephant?Superior’s White Elephant?

Prepared by Friends of Prepared by Friends of the Superior Municipal the Superior Municipal Forest-St. Louis/ Forest-St. Louis/ Pokegama Estuary Pokegama Estuary

Background of Clough IslandBackground of Clough Island

320-acre island at the 320-acre island at the heart of the St. Louis heart of the St. Louis Estuary Estuary Adjacent to the Adjacent to the

Superior Municipal Superior Municipal Forest Forest

Owned by the Owned by the Whiteside family from Whiteside family from 1902-2002, when it 1902-2002, when it was sold to Progress was sold to Progress Land Company Land Company

WestDuluth

Superior

CloughIsland

Proposed DevelopmentProposed Development

luxury 300-room luxury 300-room hotel hotel

700 housing units700 housing units golf coursegolf course marina marina Publicly funded Publicly funded

road and bridgeroad and bridge

Public FundsPublic Funds Nearly 2 miles of Nearly 2 miles of roadroad

through the Superior through the Superior Municipal forest, Municipal forest, ending on Chases Pointending on Chases Point

BridgeBridge from Chases from Chases Point to adjacent Point to adjacent islands to Clough Islandislands to Clough Island

Ferry?Ferry? Parking for Ferry?Parking for Ferry?

Parking lot 6 football Parking lot 6 football fields in size fields in size required for present required for present conceptual planconceptual plan

Status of ProjectStatus of Project

Developers have requested rezoning Developers have requested rezoning to a planned development districtto a planned development district

The City Plan Commission have The City Plan Commission have forwarded their recommendation to forwarded their recommendation to rezone to the City Councilrezone to the City Council

The City Council is taking public The City Council is taking public hearings on the rezoning on July 5hearings on the rezoning on July 5thth and 14and 14thth

City Code for RezoningCity Code for Rezoning City code reads that the city MUST base City code reads that the city MUST base

the rezoning on a plan that includes:the rezoning on a plan that includes: survey by registered land surveyor survey by registered land surveyor plot plan showing all uses and structures plot plan showing all uses and structures

drawn to scaledrawn to scale topographic map with 2 foot intervalstopographic map with 2 foot intervals building plans that show use of each floor and building plans that show use of each floor and

the bulk of the aesthetic nature of the building the bulk of the aesthetic nature of the building planting planplanting plan

statement of development stages including time limits statement of development stages including time limits statement related to adequacy of public statement related to adequacy of public

facilities and utilitiesfacilities and utilities statement of proposed method of financingstatement of proposed method of financing with with

evidence that the proponents can finance it, and evidence that the proponents can finance it, and evidence that it conforms to the Waterfront Commercial evidence that it conforms to the Waterfront Commercial Development StandardDevelopment Standard

Reason for City CodeReason for City Code

TO PROTECT TAXPAYERS!TO PROTECT TAXPAYERS! In spite of this, the Plan In spite of this, the Plan

Commission recommended Commission recommended

rezoning with NONE of these rezoning with NONE of these

requirements fulfilled!requirements fulfilled! The plan approved by the City becomes the The plan approved by the City becomes the

rules the developers must follow in rules the developers must follow in construction.construction. If the City passes the zoning change with the If the City passes the zoning change with the

present plan, it would be like giving them a present plan, it would be like giving them a blank slate to build whatever they wantblank slate to build whatever they want

City Officials PositionsCity Officials Positions

Jeff Vito, the city’s public works Jeff Vito, the city’s public works director:director: ““Like everybody else, we initially had a Like everybody else, we initially had a

lot of questions whether something of lot of questions whether something of this scale could survive up here. But the this scale could survive up here. But the more we’ve studied and have worked on more we’ve studied and have worked on this, the better it looks.” this, the better it looks.” David Price, David Price, BusinessNorth.com, 4/15/05BusinessNorth.com, 4/15/05How can the City say this,

when they have so little information to assess whether this is a feasible project??!!

Dennis Dalbec, Head of the City Dennis Dalbec, Head of the City Council:Council: "This project, upon its completion, will "This project, upon its completion, will

reduce taxes 20 to 30 percent. In other reduce taxes 20 to 30 percent. In other words, it would be like having your taxes words, it would be like having your taxes paid for every three to five years by paid for every three to five years by someone else.“ someone else.“ MPR, 5/02/05MPR, 5/02/05Where is the analysis to support this statement?

Market Analysis?Market Analysis?

Only two months of the year have Only two months of the year have average high temperatures above average high temperatures above 70° F in Superior – July and August. 70° F in Superior – July and August. (City-data.com)(City-data.com)

WHAT IS THE MARKET FOR A WHAT IS THE MARKET FOR A GOLFCOURSE COMMUNITY THAT GOLFCOURSE COMMUNITY THAT HAS A COLD CLIMATE 10 MONTHS HAS A COLD CLIMATE 10 MONTHS OF THE YEAR???!!!OF THE YEAR???!!!

““White Elephant”White Elephant”

Without a detailed plan, the Without a detailed plan, the feasibility of the project CANNOT be feasibility of the project CANNOT be evaluated.evaluated.

If the City jumps the gun, and If the City jumps the gun, and commits to building a road, a bridge, commits to building a road, a bridge, a ferry service and parking, and then a ferry service and parking, and then the development fails, who pays?the development fails, who pays?

The TAXPAYER!!!!The TAXPAYER!!!!

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!

Environmental Feasibility?Environmental Feasibility?

Unstable Clay Unstable Clay banksbanks Developer’s Developer’s

drawing shows drawing shows large million dollar large million dollar homes right on the homes right on the edge of bluffs!edge of bluffs!

Environmental Feasibility?Environmental Feasibility?

Impermeable Impermeable substrate – water substrate – water does not flow does not flow through clay!through clay! All pesticides and All pesticides and

fertilizer applied to fertilizer applied to golf course would golf course would go straight into go straight into wetlands and the wetlands and the estuaryestuary

Environmental Feasibility?Environmental Feasibility?

Marina and docks?Marina and docks? Water depths Water depths

around the island around the island are mostly less than are mostly less than 4 feet!4 feet!

Dredging would Dredging would disturb fish disturb fish spawning groundsspawning grounds

Water depth ~1 ft.

Sensitive EnvironmentSensitive Environment

"There are a bunch of those fish that "There are a bunch of those fish that are around the island at some point in are around the island at some point in their life cycle -- crappies, perch, their life cycle -- crappies, perch, northern pike, musky, smallmouth bass, northern pike, musky, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass... and then a bunch of largemouth bass... and then a bunch of the forage fish, the minnows that the the forage fish, the minnows that the big fish feed on," Dennis Pratt, Lake big fish feed on," Dennis Pratt, Lake Superior area fisheries manager for the Superior area fisheries manager for the DNR in Superior. DNR in Superior. Duluth News Tribune, 2-20-05Duluth News Tribune, 2-20-05

Sensitive EnvironmentSensitive Environment

““[The 70 acres of] wetlands are some of [The 70 acres of] wetlands are some of the few remaining in the St. Louis River the few remaining in the St. Louis River estuary and the western Lake Superior estuary and the western Lake Superior basin. The island is home to a multitude basin. The island is home to a multitude of birds and animals at various times of of birds and animals at various times of year, some on state and federal year, some on state and federal protected-species lists. The Nature protected-species lists. The Nature Conservancy says the estuary has Conservancy says the estuary has ‘global significance’ because of the rarity ‘global significance’ because of the rarity of wetlands near Lake Superior.” of wetlands near Lake Superior.” Duluth Duluth

News Tribune, 2-20-05News Tribune, 2-20-05

SummarySummary

Before rezoning, the City must, by Before rezoning, the City must, by it’s own ordinance, require the it’s own ordinance, require the developer to demonstratedeveloper to demonstrate A detailed planA detailed plan Financial viabilityFinancial viability Environmental viabilityEnvironmental viability That the changed zoning would be in the That the changed zoning would be in the

best interest of the citizens of Superior!best interest of the citizens of Superior!

Call to ActionCall to Action

Call City Councilors and the Mayor to Call City Councilors and the Mayor to express your concernexpress your concern

Make yourself heard at the Public Make yourself heard at the Public Hearings!Hearings! July 5July 5thth, 4:30 pm, Govt. Center, 4:30 pm, Govt. Center July 14July 14thth, 6:30 pm, Govt. Center, 6:30 pm, Govt. Center