April 17, 1967

To The Residents of Lincoln Township:

It ig through the efforts of many Lincoln Township volunteers
that you have been afforded the opportunity to vote on the most vital
ISSUE Lincoln Township has ever encountered. We urge you to register
to vote, if you have not already done 90. You have only until May Sth
to register for this most IMPORTANT ELECTION on June 6the

The Lincoln Township Board has, as a result of some 740 property
owners signing petitions, requesting this election; set the date on
June 6th, Only residents of Lincoln Township are eligible to votes

The election is to determine whether one third, or approximately
400 acres of the prime section of Grand Mere, be re-zoned from its
RESIDENTIAL status to include COMMERCIAL-iNDUSTRIAL, sometimes
referred to, as "Planned Development." This includes a major industry-
namely, the sand-mining industry.

You will remember that two individuals from out of the state have
purchased this residential property in past years, Mr. Victor Peters
of Chicago and The Manley Sand-Mining Corporation of Chesterton,
Indiana, They have requested the re-zoning in order to erect a sand~
mining plant near the Middle Lake, They express "“Plans® to excavate a
channel from the Middle Lake through the dunes to Lake Michigan, wide
enough to float sand barges.

Now, the Township Board refers to this venture as "Planned
Development." Even by the greatest stretch of the imagination, one
can not see any feasible “PLAN here. It would neither enhance the
attractiveness of the area nor the TAX BASE. Mr, Manley says he
"ylans" to build a marina, There is no guarantee that he could ever
proceed to this point, But supposing that the channel is cut through
to Lake Michigan, we must remember that the three Lakes in Grand Mers
are several feet higher than Lake Michigan.....you can guess the rest.
Then too, the level of the North Lake 4g established by the waters
flowing into it from the Middle Lake and by virtue of a COURT ORDER,
the North Lake must be kept at its normal levele Middle Lake is
believed to be five feet higher than Lake Michigan, therefore the
construction of a channel will create a most serious problem. A marina
or yacht basin requires fresh or some flowing water which would be
non-existent in this case. When Mr. Manley was questioned about this
at the Public Hearing on Feb. 10, 1967, you will remember how hesitant
he was to answer the question, He gave no indication of "Plan"....his
time-table as to construction, or even his financial ability to preceed.

Recently, a developer presented a plan for a marina on the banks
of the Ste Joseph river in St. Joseph Township. He went to the
Township Zoning Board with a sealed model, with every detail worked out,
he had financial backing and was asking for the permit to erect a
Marina on a very “natural area" for that purpose. His permit is still
pending. Mr. Manley shows us nothing...«.everything about the go called
Nolan" is extremely vague. We must not be cajoled into believing in
something that has no more guarantee than this. If promises have been
made, they are only verbal, which, of course, are not binding. Has the
Manley Corporation anything to offer Lincoln Township but grief? Have
you looked at a Sand-Mining and Processing plant lately? Just drive

down Red Arrow Highway to the south and see for yourself.....most
unsightly both in daytime or at night.

If this type of Industry comes into Grand Mere the whole area
will be destroyed, Let's keep the one RARE PART OF LINCOLN TOWNSHIP
of which we can be so proud. Inasmuch as there has been no real
acceptable plans offered for Grand Mere, the safest thing we can do at
this point is to keep it zoned RESIDENTIAL. Vote to Keep It
Residential,

Lincoln Township is growing so rapidly, with subdivisions on
every four corners.....soon there will be very little elbow roomesece
no open spaces...-..no dunes.....no Middle Lake. Think about it.

WE MUST GIVE THIS OUR MOST SERIOUS ATTENTION, ONCE IT HAS BEEN
RE-ZONED, THE DAMAGE IS DONE. JIT HAS TAKEN 14,000 YEARS FOR NATURE
TO BUILD UP DUNES LIKE DUNHAM DUNE. THE BULLDOZERS CAN PULL THEM
DOWN TO WASTELAND IN A MATTER OF MONTHS,

Perhaps you are thinking about the revenue in taxes. HOW MUCH
REVENUE? The sand-mining industry would have little effect on our
taxes one way or the other, But if it's industry we want, let's
encourege it where it belongs, in an area that is already zoned
industrial. No other industrialist WANTS to build in Grand Mere. Let
us keep it residential, Have you ever heard of less taxation in a
highly industrialized area? Gary, Indiana has one of the highest tax
rate of any city in the Midwest. Remember, if residential property can
be re-zoned this easily by the Township Board in the face of the
hundreds of protests, just WHAT PROTECTION HAVE YOU IN YOUR NEIGHBOR~-
HOOD? If you attended the hearings on this matter at the Township
Hall you KNOW how MANY people protested the re-goning to say nothing
of the many letters of protest they received.....all for good, valid
reasons, Now that we have the opportunity to vote on the issue, let
us make our protest known through the ballot.

Enclosed you will find instructions for registering, Please feel
free to call any member of the Grand Mere Association for further
information.

Remember to register before May 5 and to vote on June 6.

"Care enough to SAVE the very best.......Grand Mere".

Volunteers for Fairness
And
Grand Mere Association,

% INVITATION t
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x Sunday May 21 1967 #
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% Takeshore High School Auditorium
# A short program followed by a hike through Grand Mere
% See the area in its Springtime Beauty

+ Watch for details in the newspapers

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