Our interest is in protection of Lake Texoma as a resource for the present and future. We are not opposed to development, but believe that development should be done in a coordinated manner based upon a full environmental impact statement and public input. The economic engine of Lake Texoma lies in its use for hunting, fishing, boating and senic beauty.

We are committed to the preservation of hunting, fishing and boating issues in every part of the lake. We invite your input on issues which should be addressed in every part of the lake.

At present, orderly development in Butterfly Cove, Pump House Cove and Little Mineral Arm are key to establishing development criteria for other projects on the entire lake. Therefore, we present the case for hunting, fishing and boating in those specific areas below.

City of Denison Park Proposal – Little Mineral Arm Properties

Developers are trying to take protected public property to line their own pockets on Lake Texoma. Developers have set their sites on some 474 acres of property on Little Mineral Arm that is prime habitat for deer hunting, turkey hunting and fishing. But this land is zoned such that only a public entity can gain rights to it and even then must be rezoned before it can be developed for golf courses. See additional information and a map of this area on this Site at the home page under “Hot Issues” entitled “Why We Are Losing Prime Boating, Fishing, Hunting and Outdoor Recreation Areas?”.

The developers have sold the City of Denison a bill of goods to persuade the City to obtain this land under the guise of a public park, change its “protected” zoning status and then lease it to the developers. This “park” status is misleading because this is not a public park and because it is not for public access to the lake. It is two golf courses and an exclusive yacht club to which the average citizen will have no access. What this project does is destroy prime hunting and fishing areas that have been designated as “protected” and not for development under the Lake Texoma Shoreline Management Plan (“SMP”) since the lake was built. The project will also likely leave the City of Denison with a life cycle liability when the developers flip the property and/or go bankrupt.

This is a bad project and should be stopped at hearings held by the Corps of Engineers for the following reasons:

Deer Hunting : State biologists find this 500 acre plus area of gravel pits and forest to be the best deer habitat on the lake. In fact, it was on this very property that a farsighted Texoma citizen named Joe Dopied (sp) started a deer heard in the early 1960’s. It is hard to believe now, but at that time there were no deer left in the Lake Texoma area. Deer had been hunted and driven off to extinction. Joe’s deer heard started the current bountiful Texoma deer population. Deer still need this property as habitat. To lose this habitat is a large step in loosing the deer population in the Texoma area again.

The property remains a prime bow and shotgun hunting area for over 100 hunters every year. The land was designated as “Protected” and not for development in the SMP over 40 years ago because it is special. It should not now be handed to developers.

Turkey Hunting : Several large groups of wild turkeys regularly forage through this area. Golf courses and public pressure will force this game off the land and prevent hunting unless developers and the City are stopped.

Fishing : State biologists helped designate this area as “Protected” many years ago because it contains a creek, marshland and shallow areas difficult to find anywhere else on the lake. Nesting fishes need this area to repopulate the lake. Boat houses, clubhouses and dredging will destroy these marsh areas and hurt fishing on the lake. This will result in loss of tourism and revenue.

Hunting/Scenic Beauty : People do not come to Lake Texoma for views of houses and golf courses. People bypass many other large akes and travel hundreds of miles to come to Lake Texoma precisely for unspoiled natural shoreline and wildlife that can no longer be found at these other lakes. Unspoiled shoreline will attract more economic development in the long term than houses and golf courses. The long term economic value of Lake Texoma lies in retaining unspoiled shoreline, not the short term destruction of it.

Shoreline Is Limited : Less than 5% of the shoreline around Lake Texoma has natural hunting habitat, fishing and coves like those of this area. That is why this area was given the highest status of protection years ago to protect it from development. Developers should not now be able to change those rules to the detriment of the public. This property deserves the protection it has had for 50 years.

Some have been quoted as saying that there is 580 miles of shoreline on Lake Texoma and that only 5% of the available shoreline on the lake is dedicated for boathouses. We find this misleading for two reasons. First because over 60% of the that shoreline is not useful for boathouses. Second because 80% of what is left has been used for boathouses. Developers what the tiny bit of property that is left where boathouses cannot be built. Thus, in keeping with the quote, some 95% of the shoreline on the lake designated for boathouses is already used for boathouses. In fact, very few deep coves are left because of all the development. The remaining deep coves should be protected.

Texoma Is Not Protected : Developers have changed the status of property for development on Lake Texoma every time they have asked. The lake has seen 40 years of erosion of protection originally built into the SMP. Part of this important area in Little Mineral Arm was “temporarily” rezoned to allow limited development in 1996 to please developers and the public was not there. The Corps wanted to return the area to “Protected” status in 2001. Again only the developers were there. Now developers want even more. The public must voice its demands to stop this erosion of its hunting, fishing and natural areas or they will be lost for our children forever.

Developers Poor Track Record : The City of Denison believes that once it obtains a lease for this public shoreline in Little Mineral Arm that it can sit back, collect revenues and let the developers do all the work. In fact, the developers are simply promoters who will sell the property to others, none of whom will be privy to promises to the City for management, upkeep and security for the area. The developers may well go bankrupt and leave lawsuits and judgments that will not be satisfied. What the City and its citizens will end up with is management liability for half finished or bankrupt golf courses and no revenue. Citizens will lose hunting, fishing and recreational habitat that cannot be replaced.

Loss of Tax Revenue/Bankruptcy : The several hundred condominium boat spaces the developers have planned for this property will not pay the same taxes marinas on the lake must pay. This is not only unfair to existing marinas, but taxpayers and governments will lose revenue. The City nor the Corps have sufficient personnel to monitor construction or modification of these boathouses for safety or pollution violations. The life cycle costs of this property has not been adequately analyzed by the City.

Economic Disaster : This project is an economic disaster waiting to happen for the entire region. Within 10 minutes of this project there are four golf courses. All are begging for golfers and are barely able to survive. Full marina facilities are available at four marinas within two miles of this property. For some time there has been an excess supply of over 1000 boat slips on the lake. Marinas may not survive and should not have to compete with condominium boathouses that pay less taxes and fees. There are many campgrounds and parks on the lake. Many are underutilized. Island View park even had to be closed due to lack of use, crime and the expense of its maintenance. More boat slips, golf courses and parks are not what this area needs. Let private developers take that risk on their own property and not convert special protected public property for their use which may be lost.

Environmental Impact Statement Necessary : This study examines hunting, fishing, boating, economic, environmental and recreational development on the lake and the entire surrounding area. A full environmental impact statement (“EIS”) as required by law has never been done on the lake. It has been 28 years since even a limited operational and maintenance EIS was done. A full EIS will provide a factual basis upon which public debate can determine what kinds of development should be allowed on the lake and where that development should be. This project and several others elsewhere on the lake will have such a cumulative and significant impact on the lake that a whole lake EIS, not a mere environmental assessment urged by developers, must be done. Further development of the lake should be stopped until an EIS is completed.

Environmental and Archeological Concerns : There are two early homestead sites on this property. Their artifacts should examined and preserved, not lost to bulldozers and golf courses. Furthermore, the water in Little Mineral Arm has a very high bacterial count due to sewage from local cites and subdivisions. A sewage treatment plant planned by the City, as well as waste and gasoline from boathouses, will significantly reduce the water quality in this area which is already in danger.

Buoys/Boathouses: Some 24 buoys have been placed in Little Mineral Cove East by development interests. Additional buoys and condominium docks have been placed by developers in Butterfly. More boathouses are planned for Pump House Cove. Buoys can be placed 1/3 the distance out in these coves from each shore and essentially monolopize the entire cove. These coves are so filled that fishing, navigation and anchorage is difficult. Shoreline access has been limited. Permit holders for buoys have the apparent right to build boathouses in these coves. And even more buoys and boathouses are planned. This will virtually eliminate use of shorelines and anchorages.

The moratorium on buoys should be continued. Boathouses that have not been built should be allowed in these coves. Any buoys given up should not be replaced and existing buoys should be purchased for public use. These deep coves are essential to hunting, fishing, boating and the economic engine of this lake. They must be preserved.

Shoreline Southwest of Grandpappy’s Launch: This area is designated limited development. See additional information and a map of this area (Cove #1 and Cove #2) on this Site at the home page under “Hot Issues” entitled “Why We Are Losing Prime Boating, Fishing, Hunting and Outdoor Recreation Areas?”. It has deer, turkeys, eagles, fish nesting areas, coves and beautiful beaches. This area should be designated as “Protected” similar to the property next to it which the City and developers intend as a park. This entire streach of Little Mineral Arm is the most natural and senic on the lake. It should be protected.

Conclusion On Little Minearl Arm Property Proposals:

The proposal by the City of Denison and developers constitutes short term gain by a developer at the expense of long term profit by the community. Let the developers build and risk their development with their own funds and their own land. This is nothing more than conversion of public land for private profit and quick sale. There are no guarantees for the City or its citizens. The life cycle of this project will be a liability for the community.

Deep coves must be protected from development pressure of buoys, boathouses, development and pollution.

Unless we act now, special hunting and fishing areas will be lost for our children forever. We urge you to voice your opinion to your representatives and at Corps hearings in March 2005, and thereafter. Conatct us an get involved.