Jane, thanks for including so much information in this request for a responce.
I glad you have seen it. Seems like a great place. I think it would be
appropriate for the Chapter to have a position since it is Army Corps land. I
told Becky that I am leaning to opposing the design as proposed but which
alternative I am not sure.

I am asking Becky some questions in order to make a more  informed choice. If
the Iowa City Group is prepared to submit comments then I don't see an urgency
for this vote. If my questions are answered, then I may feel comfortable
voting.

jrclark wrote:

> Please take the time to read this message before Monday and get back to me
> with your comments.  While this might appear to be a local issue, it deals
> with federal land and is no more local than Eddyville Dunes or the Loess
> Hills.  Therefore, I think it would be appropriate for the Chapter ExCom to
> make a decision on whether or not to oppose this project.
>
> I first became aware of this project about a year ago and visited the site
> early last fall with some of the neighbors.  Becky Soglin and I had placed
> our names on the Corps list to be notified about the progress of this
> project.  Unfortunately, the consultant, Zambrana, has not been thorough in
> getting materials out to us in a timely manner.
>
> According to the forest resource inventory of 1994, the area being
> considered for this project had roosting bald eagles and osprey, and rare
> songbirds have been found there during nesting season.  A rare trillium was
> found on the site by a neighbor.  The biological survey for this lease
> application was done in August, however, and nesting birds and spring
> ephemerals would not be found
>
> Monday, July 31 is the last day to comment during the "scoping" period.  My
> recommendation is to endorse the Alternate Use: Redesignation of area to
> *low density recreation or forest reserve*.
>
> Thanks,
> Jane Clark
> [log in to unmask]
> - - - - - - - -
>
> VOTE NEEDED  --
> -- DOES THE CHAPTER EXCOM WISH TO OPPOSE THIS PROJECT?
>
> INTRODUCTION
> The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District (Corps), has
> contracted Zambrana Engineering, Inc. (ZEI) to conduct an assessment of a
> nonprofit real estate lease application for the use of Corps property
> located adjacent to Coralville Reservoir, northeast of North Liberty, IA.
> The project area is located within a 106-acre site along Coralville
> Reservoir approximately 4 miles from North Liberty. Access to the site is
> via Scales Bend Road.
>
> The proposed site was formerly leased to the Girl Scouts for camping
> purposes until 1990.  Over the intervening years the facilities have
> deteriorated and understory has overgrown the former campsite (Camp
> Daybreak).  THE PREVIOUS CAMP INVOLVED ABOUT 32+ CAMPERS FOR A 2 WEEK
> PERIOD FOR DAYCAMP.  THERE WAS NO KITCHEN AND NO HOT WATER -- IT WAS A
> PRIMITIVE CAMP WITH ONE OVERNIGHT DURING THE 2 WEEKS.
>
> THE CHOICES ARE:
> 1. The MYCA Lease Application
> Alternatives:
> 2. Reduced Use—Reduced intensity of use and development (i.e. fewer
> campers,
> fewer facilities, shorter camping season, etc.)
> 3. Alternate Use—Re-designation of area to low density recreation or forest
> reserve
> 4. No Action
>
> ***ITEM ON WHICH TO VOTE:  The Iowa City Area Group is considering a
> position of endorsing the Alternate Use: Redesignation of area to *low
> density recreation or forest reserve*.   Their main reasoning would be that
> the proposed project would unduly impact the site environmentally; that the
> site and surrounding area are not suited to support low-impact recreational
> use beyond day use; and that only the Alternative  Use option provides
> permanent protection. In addition, Alternate Use would still allow groups
> to go on hikes and be in involved in environmental education on the site.
>
> They also would recommend that the site have improved parking (although
> certainly nowhere near as big as the lot proposed for 150 cars) and better
> signage to create fair public access to the site.
>
> PROJECT DESCRIPTION
> The lease applicant, Muslim Youth Camps of America (MYCA), proposes to use
> the former Girl Scout campsite as a summer camp for recreational and
> educational activities for multi-cultural campers, and as a
> retreat/conference site during the non-camping season.
> The facilities would be available for use by other nonprofit groups when
> not in use by MYCA.   The proposed facilities at the
> site include ten cabins, 12 tent platforms, a lodge, a caretaker's
> residence, restrooms, canoe storage, access road and parking lots.
> Additional facilities not shown in Figure 2, include a beach on the south
> side of the site adjacent to the lodge and a floating boat
> dock on the north side of the site near the embayment area.
>
> The proposed facilities are designed to blend in with the wooded
> surroundings and would be located in a way to minimize the loss of large
> trees.  The vegetation to be cleared from the site is mostly understory,
> saplings and small trees.  As presented in MYCA's proposal, the facilities
> will be located on the south face of the ridge that runs in an east-west
> direction through the site.  Trees and understory located to the north of
> this ridge and in the ravine to the north would remain undisturbed, except
> for paths to gain access to the embayment area.
>
> Usage of the site once construction is complete and the camp is fully
> operational, is anticipated to be approximately 120 campers per week during
> a 10-week summer camp period, and about 3,000 to 4,000 retreat/conference
> attendees spread over the remaining 42 weeks of the year.  Activities
> during the camping season will include swimming, boating, hiking, indoor
> and outdoor educational activities, onsite work activities, indoor and
> outdoor cultural activities, and offsite field trips to local points of
> interest.  Similar activities are also planned during the non-camping
> season at a lower usage level, along with conferences and meditative
> retreats.
>
> Alternatives being evaluated in this study include:
>
> The MYCA Lease Application
> Reduced Use—Reduced intensity of use and development (i.e. fewer campers,
> fewer facilities, shorter camping season, etc.)
> Alternate Use—Re-designation of area to low density recreation or forest
> reserve
> No Action
>
> Additional information for the proposed nonprofit real estate lease at the
> former Camp Daybreak site at Coralville Lake can be found at the Corps
> website:
>
> http://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/Daybreak/index.htm
>
> (Comments from Jane from last summer, when this issue first started)
> Hi Rex and Becky -- I stopped and walked the area with the neighbors this
> afternoon.  My initial thoughts are -- this land belongs to us, not the
> Corps of Engineers.  The Corps proposes to lease this for $1 or so, or at
> least not very much money.  And then what is now public land is no longer
> public.  It is a beautiful woodland and it would be devastated by the
> proposed development of a large meeting hall and 30 cabins, plus septic and
> parking for 160+ cars and lighting.  (It is 22 cabins and platforms plus
> bathrooms, lodge, etc.)
>
> It would be the only development on the lake edge. We would object if a
> developer wanted to build houses on this Corps
> property.  With the ever increasing loss of natural areas, why would we not
> object to this?
>
> We don't have many pristine areas in Iowa, and I would say this is a pretty
> decent place, especially since it appears to be part of a contiguous border
> around the lake.  This development would seriously fragment that border.  I
> did not get into the woodland and walk, but the lakeside woods reminded me
> of Michigan forests.  The few natural areas we have left in this state are
> still recovering from decades and decades of abuse, and this tract is well
> on its way toward recovery.  If we don't save these areas, we're set back
> another 60-90 years to catch up.  When this land was purchased by the
> Corps, I would imagine at least some of it was set aside for habitat, and
> to compensate for the loss of woodland covered by the lake.  The
> environmental assessment is being done late in the summer, which means that
> all spring flowers and breeding birds won't be surveyed.
>
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> For SC email list T-and-C, send: GET TERMS-AND-CONDITIONS.CURRENT
> to [log in to unmask]

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