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Charlevoix County Issues and Resources
If you have an issue you'd like us to feature here or would like your organization listed as a resource, please contact Grenetta Thomassey via email at grenetta@watershedcouncil.org or call 231-347-1181.
CHARLEVOIX COUNTY ISSUES
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Charlevoix Stormwater Ordinance:
This item has been on the Aquavist page for a long time, but it is work that has not yet been accomplished; however, Charlevoix County Soil Erosion Control Officer, Marc Seelye, is working with Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council to get a county-wide stormwater ordinance enacted. In 2006, a letter from the Michigan Attorney General’s office to the Grand Traverse County Drain Commissioner resulted in most counties around the state rescinding their stormwater ordinances because of jurisdictional issues. In Charlevoix, the existing county ordinance was made voluntary as a temporary measure. As a permanent solution, the effort underway is aimed at getting county townships to all adopt the same ordinance, which includes giving administrative and enforcement actions to the county. When the county-wide ordinances were suspended, it proved to be a burden on townships. It is hoped that this work will alleviate that burden and improve stormwater control and protection across the county. For more information, you can contact Mr. Seelye at (231) 547.7236.
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Collaboration: Hard at Work on a Plan to Protect the Lake Charlevoix Watershed
Even in Northern Michigan, where the vast majority of land cover in a watershed is natural, water quality and aquatic ecosystems are threatened by pollution sources and other stressors. To effectively address all existing or potential problems, a plan is needed – a comprehensive, all-inclusive plan that involves local community partners and residents in the watershed.
To that end, a partnership of organizations, agencies, local governments, and individuals was formed to develop a watershed-wide plan for water protection. An Advisory Committee was created, and after years of work and coordination, the writing of the Lake Charlevoix Watershed Management Plan was completed in 2001. This was a great step toward protecting all waters important to the health of Lake Charlevoix.
From that point forward, a variety of plan recommendations were implemented. This was due, in large part, to the work of that Advisory Committee, which remains very active to this day. Early accomplishments included invasive species control efforts, shoreline surveys to reduce nutrient pollution, and monitoring of stormwater runoff. In spite of those important successes, it eventually became apparent that the plan needed updates to stay relevant, address emerging threats, and comply with regulatory standards.
In 2009, the Watershed Council received funding through the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) to update the plan and implement a project called “Lake Charlevoix Watershed: Local Government Solutions.” The update project included four components and four partners: Michigan State University Extension (MSUE), Antrim Conservation District (ACD), Northwest Michigan Council of Governments (NWMCOG), and Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council (TOMWC).
The outcomes produced by this project were:
- Local Zoning Ordinance Gaps Analysis. This comprehensive analysis of local water protection ordinances in the Lake Charlevoix Watershed was conducted by the Watershed Council. The research involved produced a comprehensive written report, with chapters devoted to every jurisdiction in the county, and a chapter devoted to the county, itself. NWMCOG also conducted Workshops for local government officials to familiarize them with this valuable tool.
- Social Indicators Survey. MSUE was responsible for this part of the project, which included formal mail surveys conducted at the beginning and end of the project to gauge attitudes and behaviors of watershed residents as a whole, as well as targeted local officials, riparian landowners, and seasonal residents.
- Rural Site BMP Demonstration. The ACD took the lead on this part of the project and installed something called a French Mattress at a difficult dirt/gravel rural road site that had erosion problems. This is a new Stormwater Best Management Practice (BMP), and once it was successfully installed and monitored, the ACD held a workshop for road commissions and others on how to use the new technique.
- Update the Lake Charlevoix Watershed Management Plan. The Watershed Council completed this update to include required criteria and obtain formal approval from the MDEQ and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Many sections from the 2001 plan were expanded to include broader material, and new information was added (e.g. shoreline survey data). The Watershed Council also relied upon Advisory Committee meetings and personal contact with members to obtain their insight regarding the plan update.
These activities took place during the life of the grant, which ended in March 2012. Today, the Advisory Committee remains hard at work, implementing the steps of the Lake Charlevoix Watershed Management Plan.
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Pharmaceuticals in Water Supplies:
This difficult issue is being addressed by Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council in partnership with many others across our 4-county service area. The following pharmacies participate in the Yellow Jug Old Drugs program:
Glen’s Pharmacy, Boyne City 231-582-4545
Central Drug Store, Charlevoix 231-547-2424
East Jordan Family Pharmacy 231-536-2207
Controlled substances including drugs such as amphetamines, narcotics, and codeine are NOT accepted at the pharmacies. For more information about the Yellow Jug Old Drugs program, visit http://www.greatlakescleanwater.org/
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