SPPA: Environmental Assessment Worksheet - Golf course and hotel

Skyline Planning and Preservation Alliance

Environmental Assessment Worksheet - Golf course and hotel

Resources

While some of the information on this page is somewhat historical, an unofficial PDF version (here) of the EAW, and the responses to it (linked in menu at left) may still be of interest.

WSPPA sues over golf course

This page describes the environmental review process that WSPPA feels was inadequate. The lawsuit page has more current information about what's going on.

Environmental review

The planning commission met and heard from the developer and paid experts, the Chamber of Commerce and their flock, and then a large group of concerned citizens and experts who described the numerous problems with the proposed golf course. The press was there in numbers, and everyone seems impressed with the volume of expert opinion and concern demonstrated by the meeting.

The commission decided a full EIS was not necessary, despite expert opinion suggesting the contrary.

Continuing to express your opinion, to city council members (see bottom of page), letters to the editor, call in radio, will help.

Be Heard!

It would be great to have people call in to the radio talk shows to get some public awareness going - it's easy, see these options.

This information retained for historical interest

What is an EAW?
A developer wants to put a golf course and hotel in the mature northern hardwood forest on Spirit Mountain. This proposal is currently subject to an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW).
A Environmental Assessment Worksheet is an analysis of the environmental consequences of a development project. The public has 30 days to comment, for this project that period ends Dec. 1, 1999.
The EAW prepared by the developer ignores many important environmental and local community issues. Your comments on the EAW are important - let the City know your concerns.
WSPPA believes that the golf course is an inappropriate development for the Spirit Mountain area, and that it will destroy the integrity of the forest and threaten local water supplies. WSPPA believes that there are preferable alternative forms of development, focussing on the area's natural beauty and the potential for low impact eco-tourism. See the Memorial Forest petition.
How to comment
There is an unofficial version of the EAW available here. But the best way to get the EAW is to pick up a paper copy from the Planning Department. This lets them know people are interested in the issue, and the online version here is not as well formatted as the paper version.
To get a paper copy, call Jim Mohn in the Planning Dept., 723 3328, and say you'd like to pick up a copy of the Spirit Mt. EAW. They're free, but it pays to phone ahead to make sure copies are available. You pick them up from Room 409, City Hall.
Download unofficial PDF version of EAW.
If you need a free PDF viewer, go to the Adobe site.
EAW background information
The State's Environmental Quality Board (EQB) has a brief summary of the review process. You can get a blank EAW form for reference. There's also the "Guide to Minnesota Environmental Review Rules". The Minnesota Rules governing environmental review are available at this site.
Duluth Planning Commision members
[Back to top]
Duluth Planning Commission 1999 Dates show end of term Mr. Ronald D. DeGrio 722-1981 1415 W. Page St. 12/31/1999 Mr. Jeff Jackson phone?? jjackson@uslink.net 516 S. 65th Ave. W. 12/31/1999 Mr. David Oberstar 724-3937 308 Kenilworth Ave. 12/31/1999 Ms. Beth Brown 728-1851 1212 Denney Dr. 12/31/2000 Mr. Thomas Shefchik 724-0159 tshef2730@cs.com 2730 Greysolon Rd. 12/31/2000 Mr. Roger Wedin 727-5638 oneida@cpinternet.com 2822 W. 15th St. 12/31/2000 Ms. Ruth Ann Eaton 724-4589 3728 Greysolon Rd 12/31/2001 Mr. Alan Billington 722-4769 2107 Ponderosa Circle 12/31/2001 Ms. Ruthann Schnell 728-2871 2708 Branch St. 12/31/2001 Mr. Michael Lang 724-4754 2320 E. 3rd St. 12/31/2002 Mr. Donn Larson 727-5855 keeper@uslink.net 3925 Lake Ave. S. 12/31/2002 Ms. Carol Thomson 626-2424 13010 W. 2nd St. 12/31/2002
[Back to top]

City council members

If you want to let council members know what you think, here are their addresses.

Greg Gilbert - Council President 
Second Council District (Precincts 9-16) 
Term expires: January 7, 2002 
811 Norwest Center 
Duluth  MN  55802 
(218) 722-6331 or (218) 724-9129 
ggilbert@ci.duluth.mn.us 
Planning Committee Chairperson 
Patty Edwards - Council Vice President 
Councilor-at-large 
Term expires: January 7, 2002 
2416 Roslyn Avenue 
Duluth  MN  55803 
(218) 724-8705 
pedwards@ci.duluth.mn.us 
Purchasing & Administration Committee Chairperson 
Gary Eckenberg 
Fourth Council District (Precincts 26-32) 
Term expires: January 7, 2002 
2421 West Sixth Street 
Duluth  MN  55806 
(218) 727-5699 
geckenberg@ci.duluth.mn.us 
Public Utilities Committee Chairperson 
Lynn Fena [was Hardesty] 
Councilor-at-large 
Term expires: January 7, 2002 
110 Laurie Street 
Duluth  MN  55803 
(218) 728-1394 
lfena@ci.duluth.mn.us 
Intergovernmental Relations Committee Chairperson
Ken Hogg 
Councilor-at-large 
Term expires: January 5, 2004 
1001 Bong Boulevard 
Duluth  MN  55811 
(218) 727-4312 or (218) 727-1499 
FAX:  (218) 727-4312 
khogg@ci.duluth.mn.us 
Finance Committee Chairperson 
Donny Ness 
Councilor-at-large 
Term expires: January 5, 2004 
1220-1/2 East First Street, Apt. A 
Duluth  MN  55805 
(218) 727-3997 
dness@ci.duluth.mn.us 
Recreation, Libraries & Authorities Committee Chairperson
Rob Stenberg 
First Council District (Precincts 1-8) 
Term expires: January 5, 2004 
1401 North 50th Avenue East 
Duluth  MN  55804 
(218) 525-9072 
rstenberg@ci.duluth.mn.us 
Public Safety Committee Chairperson 
Russ Stewart 
Third Council District (Precincts 17-25) 
Term expires: January 5, 2004 
128 West Fourth Street, #1 
Duluth  MN  55806 
(218) 722-0181 or (218) 733-5952 
rstewart@ci.duluth.mn.us 
Personnel Committee Chairperson
Russell Stover 
Fifth Council District (Precincts 33-42) 
Term expires: January 5, 2004 
9613 West Skyline Parkway 
Duluth  MN  55810 
(218) 626-2627 
rstover@ci.duluth.mn.us 
Public Works Committee Chairperson

[Back to top]