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Cherish trails

To the Journal editor:

The South Trails of Marquette are under threat of development. This acclaimed trail system is highly valued by residents and visitors and is the reason many of us live here.

The city of Marquette is soliciting development proposals for five parcels of the Heartwood property that contain critical portions of the trails. View the map at www.marquettemi.gov/projects/surpluspropertydevelopment/.

The parcel of greatest impact rests between the Noquemanon Trail Network trailhead on M-553 and the Rippling River campground. It holds the gateway to the trail system and the popular GROM kids trail. Walkers, dog-owners, mountain bikers, runners of all ages heavily utilize this area.

The snowmobile trail and scenic descent off of Mount Marquette would be affected. A subdivision here destroys the purpose of the land for a multitude of user groups.

The city is seeking to increase its tax base but risks consuming the reason the taxpayers are here in the first place. In addition, the land generates real cash flow into the city, much of which flows to the citizens.

The trails support the Northern Michigan University student waitressing downtown, the bike shop employees, the pet store owners, the brewpubs.

The city needs to recognize that the land has already been developed for its highest purpose — recreation. Other municipalities invest in building trail systems; here the trails have been built by volunteers and donated dollars.

At a value of $12,000 per mile, the trail infrastructure should be considered more of an asset than the land it occupies.

Ironically, the request for development references the trail system, stating “property is located adjacent to a regional recreation area that includes a hiking and bike trails system that is maintained by the NTN.

The trail system has received national acclaim as a premier mountain bike destination…” The city is promoting the trail system as a way to sell the land out from underneath the trails.

The property disposition needs to follow the city’s own Master Plan, which states, “Until a public planning process is conducted for property acquired through the purchase of “Heartwood Forestland” holdings, the land is to be kept in a conservation status.”

I call on the city to classify this land as recreation and not surplus. At minimum, a public planning process needs to be initiated.

And I call on all trail users, all lovers of the natural beauty of Marquette, to contact city commission with your concerns.

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