The planned location for Kohler's golf course maintenance buildings is key upland habitat adjacent to wetlands that together comprise a quite scarce ecologic resource.

KOHLER'S WEBSITE DOES NOT SHOW THE LAND AROUND ITS PLANNED MAINTENANCE BUILDINGS BUT REFERS TO "CO-LOCATING" WITH THE CURRENT STATE PARK MAINTENANCE BUILDING.

THIS WOULD IMPLY THAT TAKING THIS LAND FROM US IS O.K. BECAUSE THERE IS A SMALL DNR MAINTENANCE SHED THERE ALREADY.

 JIM BUCHHOLZ: I based my photo locations on their development map and the many survey markers and flagging I found in this area of the park.    I thought it might be helpful to show what this "unused" and "unimportant" area of the park looks like to those who have never actually seen it.  It seems like many of those in favor of Kohler bulldozing this area flat and building a massive shop facility and huge parking lots seem to think of the area as an old dump site or possibly an abandoned corn field or whatever.  In reality the entire area is an extension of the State Natural Area across the road and is  comprised of open and wood sand dune formations complete with rare vegetation and active habitat for the areas wildlife.  In the short time I walked the area I saw a couple deer, a hen turkey with 8 or 9 young chicks , a Cooper's hawk, a pileated woodpecker, a bluebird and a fox den just to name a few.

BELOW IS A VIEW LOOKING NORTH TO DUNES WHERE THE 3 MAINTENANCE BUILDINGS ARE PROPOSED. OTHER PHOTOS COMPRISE THE LANDSCAPE AROUND THE BUILDINGS.

From Jim Buchholz (former KAP Superintendent for 26 years) to Sheboygan City Council: "Kohler is demanding the use of the state park’s only entrance roadway to use as their own main entrance for golf course customers, employees and service/construction vehicles. In order to achieve this they propose to construct a large round-about in the sand dune area north of the park office and build paved roadways through and along the sand dunes for their private use. The park’s entrance road is already heavily used by day use visitors and overnight campers. With more than 350,000 people entering the park each year this road is already way over its intended capacity. • Kohler is also requesting a minimum of 5-6 acres of publicly –owned state park land to build their maintenance service area which will include threw separate buildings and large parking lots. This could only be accomplished by cutting down the current mature forest in that area of the park and leveling the sand dunes similar to what is planned on their own property. • This would also require a formal change of the state park’s master plan to allow the taking of state park land by a private company. Unfortunately due to behind-the-scenes political pressure, the DNR Natural Resource Board has already agreed to consider these changes at their last board meeting despite public opposition. If approved, the give-away of state park land to Kohler to build his private maintenance facility and golf course roadways will result in the destruction of this part of the park forever and prevent park visitors from using their own public land for hiking and wildlife watching. This action would certainly set a new unfortunate state precedence in private use and abuse of publicly owned state park property.

Kohler's proposed reconstruction of the entrance to Kohler Andrae is below. TWO lanes are planned for the golf course entrance and ONE for park visitors. Kohler gives an example of the rotary at N. 40th and Superior in Sheboygan which is 112 ft. across with a 56 ft. radius. 

PLEASE NOTE:

The land Kohler is requesting was purchased with Federal Land and Water Conservation Act funds (LAWCON) in 1965, for the use and enjoyment of the public. It was not donated by the Kohler family. In order to convert this land from public to private use the applicant may provide land of equal value for the public's recreation elsewhere. This land, its rare flora and rich wildlife, cannot be duplicated. The DNR will be helping Kohler with this conversion. FBRF will follow this process carefully and notify the public of hearings and opportunities to comment.

As of now this Open House format is designed to diminish the sharing of the public's feelings and comments with the larger  group. FBRF will update the public with information as we get it. Our goal, which is very difficult, is to make the DNR Amendment process transparent.

Comments from former DNR employee

"Sounds like this master plan amendment is to be pushed through and approved at light speed (for the DNR anyway).  I’m sure orders are to get it done quickly before “statewide” public opposition can grow too large for them to ignore."  

Comments on this DNR OPEN HOUSE  format from James Rowen, of the Political 

Environment Blogspot.

'Open house' format can smother golf course debate

[Updated from 8/13/17] A word of warning about the open house to which state officials are inviting the public to 'learn about' a proposal to redo the master plan for Kohler Andrae State Park and enable the construction of a privately-owned high-end golf course partially inside the park and on 247 adjoining, privately-owned acres.
"Open house."
Sounds great. Neighborly. Real informal. 'Stop by for cheese and crackers and a Leinie's or a glass of Cabernet, and let's just talk...'

I have been to many such public policy open house presentations, and they can put the sponsoring authorities in command of the room by spreading out poster boards and maps and staff members to answer the public's questions, and they direct people to disparate public comment stations where court reporters can take down or accept written comments - - but open houses do not provide an opportunity for people to address concerns or voice questions to the entire room so that everyone can hear the same answers and to spark follow-up inquiries.
And in the open house announcement I linked to, above, I see a lot of language that puts the public in a passive position vis-a-vis the powers that be:

The public will have an opportunity at an upcoming open house to learn about the scope and objectives of the proposed master plan amendment for Kohler-Andrae State Park related to a golf course proposed for property adjacent to the park. The public will also have an opportunity to identify pertinent issues to be evaluated in the planning amendment process.

Passive especially since the DNR has assigned staff to work closely with the developer for a couple of years to address pertinent issues behind closed doors.

I have actually posted about a couple of such events, and I'll add the links below, but unless the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board are going to allow amplified questions and answers, this is going to be a dog-and-pony show designed to let the state say they were transparent when the exact opposite is the intention.

Kohler's land and Kohler Andrae Park are part of the same ecosystem and rare coastal landscape listed as a Wisconsin Wetland Gem. The ridge and swale dune and wetland complexes have been created by the lake action in this area over a 5000 year period. They are the same dunal and wetland systems designated as globally significant by the Ramsar Convention at the Ridge Sanctuary in Door County. Kohler's proposed deforestation of 160 of 247 acres will seriously impact the migratory bird path in this important bird area. The deforestation opening the wetlands to the sun will indirectly affect many acres beyond the 30 acres of wetlands Kohler intends to fill directly. The deforestation, filling of wetlands, and reconstruction of the topography will remove all natural filters of run off into Lake Michigan and the Black River Watershed.  The deforestation will reduce the wildlife habitat to what Kohler's Wetland Permit application describes as that of a residential subdivision. The deforestation of this forest will destabilize the Kohler Andrae Park forest which is a part of this system. Kohler Andrae beaches and the shore will be  be affected by runoff and pesticide contaminants. Currently the shore of Lake Michigan has only 29 out of approximatley 285 miles which are NOT CONTAMINATED. Please take a stand.

Jess Barley quote, Kohler Forum May 16, 2017

WE ARE CELEBRATING THE DUNES!

This is a dune, Jess, and putting a green or tee on it is not celebrating it.

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