First set of comments to the TRLOC released online
A map from the US Army Corps of Engineers showing a portion of Table Rock Lake in Stone County. All of the red colored portions show Limited Development Areas, where private docks are allowed. Yellow areas indicate marina areas, including marina buffer zones.
January 22, 2020
Isaac Estes-Jones
At the end of December, the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) made available the first comments received by the Table Rock Lake Oversight Committee (TRLOC). The committee is taking public comments and holding a series of meetings to offer guidance to the Corps as they finalize the most recent update to the Table Rock Lake Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) and possibly make changes to the Table Rock Lake Master Plan as well.
The TRLOC is a federally organized and sanctioned group, operating under strict rules laid out by the government. Among those rules is making comments submitted to the board available to the general public.
According to the documents released by the Corps, three comments were received in December.
These documents are all available online at https://www.swl.usace.army.mil/Missions/Planning/Table-Rock-Lake-Oversight-Committee/. Also on that website are instructions for offering written comments and numerous documents, including the draft Shoreline Management Plan the TRLOC is working off of.
The first comment, dated November 24, 2019, was from the Windy Bluff Boat Dock Association, Tim Saxton writing.
The group suggests that all submissions from the 2017 round of public hearings be made available to the TRLOC. Further, they offer comments that PWC lifts should be reviewed at permit renewal or via dock plans, that solar or alternative power be optional for existing docks and suggest dock plans for all private docks be submitted for any changes or modifications.
For clarity, the Corps has already said it will not require existing docks with shore power to change to solar power.
The next comment was from Steven Featherton, of Eagle Rock. Featherton states he is glad the Corps is finally moving forward with the SMP. However, he asks the Corps to again consider a proposal he has gone back and forth with the Corps with over the last decade, which is also noted in the proposed alternatives documents. Featherton has requested a change in zoning on part of his cove so he can put in a community dock. Featherton further states he will attend the January 23 meeting of the TRLOC to offer verbal comments.
The final comment comes from the owners of Forest Park Community Dock 2 in Kimberling City. Their group, including residents and slip owners, request the Corps change to a different alternative for the SMP.
Specifically, they request Alternative 2, benefiting general public use, be set up. “We oppose any new developments and land allocation as described in Alternative 2. It is the desire of residents and slip owners to prevent Table Rock from becoming like Lake of the Ozarks with increased water traffic and pollution,” their comment reads, in part. “We feel Alternative 2 is the best processes to follow to keep the lake pristine and operable and manageable,” they say.
The preferred Alternative for SMP development, as indicated by Dana Coburn, project manager, at the December 12 meeting, is Alternative 4, describing neutral change, neither benefitting public use nor private development over the other. A full breakdown of the alternatives is available on the TRLOC’s website. An overview file is titled, “Shoreline Zoning, Dock and Floating Facilities and Vegetation Modification in Alternatives.”
The next meeting of the Table Rock Lake Oversight Committee will be held on Thursday, January 23, at the Dewey Short Visitor Center in Branson. This is the first of two meetings that will allow for verbal comments. The meeting will start at 8 a.m. and will last until, at latest, 5 p.m.
The first three hours of the January 23 meeting (8 a.m. to 11 a.m.) are set aside to allow for public comment. Comments will be limited to no more than two minutes per person. The Army Corps of Engineers recommends comments be as specific and honed in as possible to communicate desires to the committee. “The committee has a very narrow path, so we encourage commenters to be as concise and specific as possible,” said Jay Townsend, Chief of Public Affairs for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Little Rock District. “All comments will be made publicly available and the best way to get your voice heard is to submit comments to the committee,” he said.
Comments can be about questions you have about the proposed SMP, comments on the project or issues the public thinks the committee and/or Corps should look into more before offering their final plans.
Because of the set up of the public meeting, a dialog between individual commenters and the oversight committee will not be possible during the comment period. However, it is the onus of the committee to respond to public questions in a way they see fit. The actual structure of that response is not known at this time, however.
Verbal comments will also be accepted during the March 5 meeting of the TRLOC. Written comments must be received by February 27 to allow time for them to be distributed to all members of the committee, however.
Isaac Estes-Jones
At the end of December, the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) made available the first comments received by the Table Rock Lake Oversight Committee (TRLOC). The committee is taking public comments and holding a series of meetings to offer guidance to the Corps as they finalize the most recent update to the Table Rock Lake Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) and possibly make changes to the Table Rock Lake Master Plan as well.
The TRLOC is a federally organized and sanctioned group, operating under strict rules laid out by the government. Among those rules is making comments submitted to the board available to the general public.
According to the documents released by the Corps, three comments were received in December.
These documents are all available online at https://www.swl.usace.army.mil/Missions/Planning/Table-Rock-Lake-Oversight-Committee/. Also on that website are instructions for offering written comments and numerous documents, including the draft Shoreline Management Plan the TRLOC is working off of.
The first comment, dated November 24, 2019, was from the Windy Bluff Boat Dock Association, Tim Saxton writing.
The group suggests that all submissions from the 2017 round of public hearings be made available to the TRLOC. Further, they offer comments that PWC lifts should be reviewed at permit renewal or via dock plans, that solar or alternative power be optional for existing docks and suggest dock plans for all private docks be submitted for any changes or modifications.
For clarity, the Corps has already said it will not require existing docks with shore power to change to solar power.
The next comment was from Steven Featherton, of Eagle Rock. Featherton states he is glad the Corps is finally moving forward with the SMP. However, he asks the Corps to again consider a proposal he has gone back and forth with the Corps with over the last decade, which is also noted in the proposed alternatives documents. Featherton has requested a change in zoning on part of his cove so he can put in a community dock. Featherton further states he will attend the January 23 meeting of the TRLOC to offer verbal comments.
The final comment comes from the owners of Forest Park Community Dock 2 in Kimberling City. Their group, including residents and slip owners, request the Corps change to a different alternative for the SMP.
Specifically, they request Alternative 2, benefiting general public use, be set up. “We oppose any new developments and land allocation as described in Alternative 2. It is the desire of residents and slip owners to prevent Table Rock from becoming like Lake of the Ozarks with increased water traffic and pollution,” their comment reads, in part. “We feel Alternative 2 is the best processes to follow to keep the lake pristine and operable and manageable,” they say.
The preferred Alternative for SMP development, as indicated by Dana Coburn, project manager, at the December 12 meeting, is Alternative 4, describing neutral change, neither benefitting public use nor private development over the other. A full breakdown of the alternatives is available on the TRLOC’s website. An overview file is titled, “Shoreline Zoning, Dock and Floating Facilities and Vegetation Modification in Alternatives.”
The next meeting of the Table Rock Lake Oversight Committee will be held on Thursday, January 23, at the Dewey Short Visitor Center in Branson. This is the first of two meetings that will allow for verbal comments. The meeting will start at 8 a.m. and will last until, at latest, 5 p.m.
The first three hours of the January 23 meeting (8 a.m. to 11 a.m.) are set aside to allow for public comment. Comments will be limited to no more than two minutes per person. The Army Corps of Engineers recommends comments be as specific and honed in as possible to communicate desires to the committee. “The committee has a very narrow path, so we encourage commenters to be as concise and specific as possible,” said Jay Townsend, Chief of Public Affairs for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Little Rock District. “All comments will be made publicly available and the best way to get your voice heard is to submit comments to the committee,” he said.
Comments can be about questions you have about the proposed SMP, comments on the project or issues the public thinks the committee and/or Corps should look into more before offering their final plans.
Because of the set up of the public meeting, a dialog between individual commenters and the oversight committee will not be possible during the comment period. However, it is the onus of the committee to respond to public questions in a way they see fit. The actual structure of that response is not known at this time, however.
Verbal comments will also be accepted during the March 5 meeting of the TRLOC. Written comments must be received by February 27 to allow time for them to be distributed to all members of the committee, however.
