Table Rock Lake Shoreline Plan to be Revised by Corps

The Tri-Lakes Board of Realtors started a petition earlier this month regarding concerns of potential changes to the Table Rock Lake Shoreline Management Plan by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

A rewrite of the plan is currently in the works, according to Miles Brown, chief of public affairs for the Little Rock District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It was originally written in 1996 and other than some minor changes over the years, the plan has not been updated since.

Brown said the Corps held public workshops last year to collect resident feedback on the existing plan and proposed possible changes. There was also a public comment period where residents could send in their input regarding possible changes.

The public input collected would be considered as a team of Corps specialists work to create six alternate drafts of the lake shoreline management plan, according to Brown.

Some of the proposed changes that were presented to the public include limiting public access to lake property, marinas and docs, according to Stone County Presiding Commissioner Dennis Wood.

Wood, serving one of the management plan reviewing boards, said if these changes were to move forward, it would have a negative impact on Stone County since the county is economically driven by Table Rock Lake. He said putting limitations on the lake would decrease personal and property taxes, which would affect area school districts and libraries.

“It would be devastating,” Wood said.

Wood said he has addressed these concerns with the Corps multiple times, but they have responded with their preconceived ideas. He said he is afraid the Corps is not listening to the publics’ wants and needs.

The petition, found on the Tri-Lakes Board of Realtors’ homepage, claims that the Corps has no intention of taking public comments into consideration for the revised Table Rock Shoreline Management Plan.

The petition is set up as an email that includes a pre-written letter to Missouri senators and representatives.

“When the Corps of Engineers met with Focus Groups to reveal potential revision plans, it was obvious that public input played no part in their process,” the petition states, “despite the fact that their own report states, ‘The majority of respondents with comments … were indicating opposition to increased regulation of uses on the shoreline and lake … These respondents indicated a desire for current management practices, with many stating they enjoy the condition of the lake and the shoreline regulations as they currently stand.’”

“And yet the Corps’ proposed plans include new restrictions that would have a severe negative impact on property rights, property values, and our local economy,” the petition states.

Residents can enter their name, email address and their own additional comments to the petition before sending it off.

Booker Cox, with the Tri-Lakes Board of Realtors Task Force, said the goal of the petition is to reach out to lawmakers on where they stand as taxpayers regarding the Table Rock Lake Shoreline Management plan.

So far, about 376 residents have participated in the petition.

“If you love Table Rock Lake, take a stand and help us out,” Cox said.

Since six alternate draft plans are currently in the works, Brown said no changes have been finalized yet. The drafts include plans ranging from no growth development to maximum growth development.

Brown said the Corps is taking public comments into consideration although there are National Environmental Act guidelines the Corps has to follow.

The overall goal to revising the lake shoreline plan is to protect the quality of the lake for current and future generations to come, Brown said, and having a maximum growth development plan for the lake is not in the best interest for the public, as well as the health of Table Rock Lake.

The Corps will release all six alternate draft plans next February for public review and soon after will be more public workshops, as well as another public comment period, Brown said. The final revised plan will be released next summer.

To update the lake shoreline plan is about an 18 to 24 month period, Brown said.

“We want to make sure we do it right,” Brown said.

For more information about the Table Rock Lake Shoreline Management Plan, visit swl.usace.army.mil/Missions/Planning/Table-Rock-Lake-Shoreline-Management-Plan.

For more information about the Tri-Lakes Board of Realtors and the petition, visit, savetablerock.com.

Source: Branson Tri-Lakes News