DRAFT BEAVER ISLAND JUNE 12, 2017 MASTER PLAN ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This Plan was prepared by the Land Information Access Association (LIAA) as part of the Resilient Beaver Island project. A special thank you is owed to the many organizations and individuals that contributed to the planning process. The Resilient Beaver Island project was funded by the Michigan Coastal Zone Management Program, Department of Environmental Quality, Office of the Great Lakes; and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. Cover photo courtesy of Bob Tidmore BEAVER ISLAND MASTER PLAN THE PURPOSE OF THE RESILIENT BEAVER ISLAND MASTER PLAN IS TO PROVIDE DIRECTION FOR THE GROWTH OF THE ISLAND OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS AND BEYOND. THE MASTER PLANNING PROCESS ENGAGED HUNDREDS OF RESIDENTS IN PEAINE TOWNSHIP AND ST. JAMES TOWNSHIP TO CREATE ACTIONS THE COMMUNITY CAN TAKE TO INCREASE RESILIENCY, STRENGTHEN THE LOCAL ECONOMY, PROTECT NATURAL FEATURES, AND MANAGE ITS MANY RESOURCES. VISION The community’s vision for the future of the Island should form the basis of government decisions moving forward. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. About this Plan .............................................................................................. 7 What is a Master Plan? ................................................................................ 7 Resiliency Focus ............................................................................................ 8 Beaver Island Archipelago and History ...................................................... 11 Beaver Island History ...................................................................................12 Previous Planning Efforts ............................................................................ 13 Vision Statement and Guiding Principles ................................................... 14 Overview of the Planning Process .............................................................. 16 2. Natural Resources ...................................................................................... 21 Island Environments ....................................................................................22 Inland Lakes ................................................................................................. 24 Soils on Beaver Island ................................................................................. 27 Invasive Species ..........................................................................................28 CONNECTING WITH NATURE Other Environmental Challenges ................................................................29 The natural resources of the Island are Climate Trends .............................................................................................32 discussed throughout the plan, but most especially in Chapter 2. Cultural Resources ......................................................................................34 Managing Natural Resources .....................................................................36 Natural Resources Maps .............................................................................35 3. Population and Housing.............................................................................. 47 Population Growth .......................................................................................48 Age ................................................................................................................49 Education ..................................................................................................... 51 Housing Trends ............................................................................................52 Housing Organizations ................................................................................ 57 Householders Age and Tenure ....................................................................58 Social and Community Services .................................................................60 Community Organizations ...........................................................................62 Educational Resources ................................................................................63 Key Challenges in this Chapter ...................................................................64 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS Community groups and organizations are 4. Built Environment .......................................................................................67 mentioned throughout the plan, but are Land Ownership ...........................................................................................67 described most fully in Chapter 3. Property Classes ..........................................................................................69 Land Use on Beaver Island .........................................................................69 Road Transportation .................................................................................... 71 Public Transportation ..................................................................................73 Trails ............................................................................................................. 74 Air Transportation ........................................................................................75 Water Transportation ................................................................................... 76 Electricity ......................................................................................................78 Water and Septic .........................................................................................79 Waste Management .................................................................................... 81 BUILT ENVIRONMENT Communication Infrastructure ....................................................................82 Chapter 4 includes topics like land use, Key Challenges in this Chapter ...................................................................83 roads, ferries, energy, waste, and commu- Cellular and Internet Services ....................................................................83 nications infrastructure. Emergency Management and Safety Planning ..........................................83 Bike Path Construction ................................................................................84 Road Improvements ....................................................................................85 Alternative Energy ........................................................................................85 Water Quality ................................................................................................86 Removal of Large Debris .............................................................................86 Built Environment Maps .............................................................................. 87 5. Economy and Tourism .................................................................................99 Economic Indicators ....................................................................................99 Unemployment ...........................................................................................100 Major Industries .........................................................................................100 Household Incomes ...................................................................................101 A Vision for Tourism ...................................................................................102 Tourism Statistics ......................................................................................103 Cultural and Historic Sites .........................................................................104 Special Events ............................................................................................105 TOURISM Trails ...........................................................................................................106 Tourism is the backbone of the Island’s Economic Benefits of Trails .......................................................................107 economy. Useful information related to Accommodations .......................................................................................108 improving tourism on the Island is included Recreation and Tourism Groups and Boards ...........................................110 in Chapter 5. Recreational Facilities ...............................................................................112 Key Challenges in this Chapter .................................................................114 Marketing ...................................................................................................114 Public Access .............................................................................................114 Job Growth..................................................................................................115 Trail Planning..............................................................................................115 Maps in this Chapter .................................................................................116 6. Action Plan ................................................................................................123 Purpose of the Action Plan ........................................................................123 Action Plan Process Timeline ....................................................................124 Reading the Action Plan ............................................................................125