Lake Wawasee Residents Take Oakwood Concerns to DNR
Posted
Daniel Riordan-driordan@timesuniononline.com
Lake Wawasee residents packed a room at Warsaw Community Public Library to voice their displeasure with an application by Buckingham Properties concerning the Oakwood property.
The property, situated on the north side of Lake Wawasee, was purchased by the Indianapolis-based firm and is in the process of being turned into a hotel and restaurant.
The firm was able to get the property a liquor license for the first time in the property’s history and got it annexed into Syracuse.
Buckingham is also working on making the area a Tax Increment Finance district.
According to attorney John Lloyd, who is representing the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation, a public hearing was held in September after Buckingham filed to put a 248-slip pier on Lake Wawasee.
Then in November, the firm filed to dredge 827 feet of shoreline in front of the Oakwood property on Lake Wawasee.
Both matters have drawn the ire of residents who fear the environmental and safety impact of the moves and question the reasoning behind the moves.
“We want Oakwood to succeed but not at this cost,” said one resident.
For more than two hours, the residents voiced their concerns to a three-person panel from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources - Water Division.
In all, about 70 residents were on hand Thursday night.
The DNR is responsible for deciding whether to accept or decline Buckingham’s application.
Thursday night’s meeting at the Warsaw Community Public Library was described by the DNR officials as an “informal hearing.”
Dozens spoke out against the application.
The application said that the dredging is for maintenance, but many in Thursday night’s audience said it was purely a move to help get bigger boats into the Oakwood area.
One resident pointed to a 2004 ruling in Kosciusko County Superior Court that states such dredging would have to first be approved by residents near Oakwood.
Others simply took issue with the unknown and potentially harmful environmental impact.
“I think the whole situation is about two factors,” said Richard Green. “Water quality and safety.”
Green said that the pier would create problems with boats and other watercraft coming in and out of nearby Conklin Bay.
Others pointed to the fact that the DNR has already named Conklin Bay an ecozone, recognizing the area’s importance.
Dredging, said Thursday’s audience, would endanger that ecozone.
Leaders of the local homeowners association, Lyn Crighton from the Tippecanoe Watershed Foundation, joined WACF in their displeasure with the proposed dredging.
Resident Luke Knecht also took issue with the way Thursday’s public meeting was held.
“I think tonight’s turnout is indicative of great public interest,” said Knecht. “I think the applicant ought to be required to submit public notice to everyone on the lake.”
Knecht also took issue with the fact the meeting was held in Warsaw.
“How many more people would also be here if the meeting was near the lake?” asked Knecht.
“They’re not using the land they bought,” said Merlin Wolf of Buckingham. “They’re selling the lake. And it’s not theirs to sell.”
Robert Smith said allowing Buckingham to dredge would go against the DNR’s own policies when it comes to what purposes dredging can be used for.
“The lake doesn’t belong to us,” said Glenn Beams. “We belong to the lake.”
Several people brought up the fact that dredging could bring up dormant phosphorus and nitrogen thus creating more potential for blue-green algae blooms.
After Thursday’s meeting, there is a 30-day review period of comments before a decision can be made.
