Water Resources Development Act of 2016

[dougdean]

My family move to this area in 2012. One of the reasons we relocated here was to fish and have easy access to Table Rock. I purchased a slip in a 10 stall community dock. I use this slip daily. I want to make sure this process does not remove community docks from Table Rock. It seems to me that 2 slip private docks are more invasive than a community dock. I am not sure of the best way to balance this process. One thing I am sure of Big Money will win in the end. One of the statements I read was that, during the permit moratorium, permits would not be renewed. Thats sounds wrong to me. Maybe this was a lie by big money developers. Hard to find the true facts on this issue.

[Phil Lilley]

37 minutes ago, dougdean said:

My family move to this area in 2012. One of the reasons we relocated here was to fish and have easy access to Table Rock. I purchased a slip in a 10 stall community dock. I use this slip daily. I want to make sure this process does not remove community docks from Table Rock. It seems to me that 2 slip private docks are more invasive than a community dock. I am not sure of the best way to balance this process. One thing I am sure of Big Money will win in the end. One of the statements I read was that, during the permit moratorium, permits would not be renewed. Thats sounds wrong to me. Maybe this was a lie by big money developers. Hard to find the true facts on this issue.

I'll find out.

[Phil Lilley]

@dougdean Existing dock permits ARE being renewed during the moratorium process.

[Phil Lilley]

I'm actually surprised a lot of the usual TR patrons have not rung in on this.  They must be out fishing...

[OldMillRoad]

Is there anyway we can consolidate signatures to one letter we agree on to submit to the $enators?  Surely someone has some internet savvy and way to get their attention.  Guess it might be time to stick a for sale sign up and move to Stockton.  RIP Table Rock, glad I got 46 years to enjoy you.

[bobby b.]

1 hour ago, dougdean said:

My family move to this area in 2012. One of the reasons we relocated here was to fish and have easy access to Table Rock. I purchased a slip in a 10 stall community dock. I use this slip daily. I want to make sure this process does not remove community docks from Table Rock. It seems to me that 2 slip private docks are more invasive than a community dock. I am not sure of the best way to balance this process. One thing I am sure of Big Money will win in the end. One of the statements I read was that, during the permit moratorium, permits would not be renewed. Thats sounds wrong to me. Maybe this was a lie by big money developers. Hard to find the true facts on this issue.

I would agree that community docks are better than one or two slip docks lining the shoreline which would definitely make this look like Lake of the Ozarks.  A good solution here might be for the Corp to add a few more dock zones to accommodate a few more community docks.  However, this is so political that money will determine the outcome not the quality of the lake or fishery.  

A few years back, the Indian Ridge project (which ultimately went bankrupt)  got a dock permit where there was no existing dock zone.  When I asked the COE ranger about this, I was told that there was a mistake in the existing zoning map and there should have been a zone there.  He then laughed and said "Isn't fun that every time a big money project needs a dock zone that isn't there that we find that there was a mistake in the original map"  

Maybe Blunt and Long need to find new jobs this November????????????

[Browning Guy]

I for one would like to see the younger folks take a stand on this issue.  There are a lot of High School Fishing Teams in the area and it would be a good opportunity for them to take notice and get involved as further development/tuna rigs will affect them also.  Tournament organizations, kayakers, etc.  To say nothing says it all.   

[m&m]

My wife and I attended the public comment session at the Hilton in Downtown Branson in 2015.  I gave our perspective as a citizen and taxpayer which is consistent with what others are saying here.  I have been following it because I too do not want LOZ at TR.  The original recommendation from the COE was to issue permits to minimum of 12 and maximum of 20 slip community docks.  The SMP created zones in different areas where these community docks would be allowed.  The plan prohibited docks in areas that were not within a zone.  I thought the plan was spot on.  My only concern that I expressed to the COE was in regards to existing docks that are under the minimum of 12 slips.  I presented it as an example that if there was an existing dock with a permit that was smaller than 12 slips and the owner of that dock wanted to sell it to someone else on the lake, could it be purchased and moved to an approved zone and would the COE issue a permit to the new owner.  The COE really did not have an answer.  I recommended that the number of smaller docks be limited to the number that exists today and be grandfathered so an owner can sell it and the new owner can get a permit.  I was told that a final SMP will be issued in 2017.  Then more recently, I have read the stories about the realtors and developers who lobbied Long and Blunt to attach an amendment to the Water Act that puts a 5 year moratorium on the COE issuing a final SMP (Shoreline Management Plan).  And the amendment also authorizes the COE to resume issuing permits for docks without any minimum size restriction.  The realtors and developers claim that this amendment increases the value of waterfront property because a buyer can install a dock.  There is obviously competing interests here. 

I agree with Phil that our voices should be heard.  Ben thanks for creating a method that is easy for those that want to express their opinion can do so quickly.

Mike

[Phil Lilley]

51 minutes ago, OldMillRoad said:

Is there anyway we can consolidate signatures to one letter we agree on to submit to the $enators?  Surely someone has some internet savvy and way to get their attention.  Guess it might be time to stick a for sale sign up and move to Stockton.  RIP Table Rock, glad I got 46 years to enjoy you.

You can start by sending a letter or email.  It seems that the amendment got going because of "800 emails".  We should be able to beat that.

[Phil Lilley]

17 minutes ago, m&m said:

My wife and I attended the public comment session at the Hilton in Downtown Branson in 2015.  I gave our perspective as a citizen and taxpayer which is consistent with what others are saying here.  I have been following it because I too do not want LOZ at TR.  The original recommendation from the COE was to issue permits to minimum of 12 and maximum of 20 slip community docks.  The SMP created zones in different areas where these community docks would be allowed.  The plan prohibited docks in areas that were not within a zone.  I thought the plan was spot on.  My only concern that I expressed to the COE was in regards to existing docks that are under the minimum of 12 slips.  I presented it as an example that if there was an existing dock with a permit that was smaller than 12 slips and the owner of that dock wanted to sell it to someone else on the lake, could it be purchased and moved to an approved zone and would the COE issue a permit to the new owner.  The COE really did not have an answer.  I recommended that the number of smaller docks be limited to the number that exists today and be grandfathered so an owner can sell it and the new owner can get a permit.  I was told that a final SMP will be issued in 2017.  Then more recently, I have read the stories about the realtors and developers who lobbied Long and Blunt to attach an amendment to the Water Act that puts a 5 year moratorium on the COE issuing a final SMP (Shoreline Management Plan).  And the amendment also authorizes the COE to resume issuing permits for docks without any minimum size restriction.  The realtors and developers claim that this amendment increases the value of waterfront property because a buyer can install a dock.  There is obviously competing interests here. 

I agree with Phil that our voices should be heard.  Ben thanks for creating a method that is easy for those that want to express their opinion can do so quickly.

Mike

You're dead on... 5 years of unlimited, unrestricted dock permits.  One year would be devastating I'd think.