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Tollbrige Inn Zoning Eichman Lt19 November 2002 Planing and Zoning Commission Dubuque City Council Dubuque Park and Recreation Board To whom it may concern: It would not be in the best interests of our beautful Eagle Point River front and Park to allow the rezoning of the present Tollbridge Inn property for the proposed building of a condominium complex. Such a structure would certainly detract from the unique view of the Eagle Point bluffs from the entire area above, below and across the fiver from the locks and dam. It would also detract from the river view we presently enjoy from the Shiras Memorial, the Tri- State Picnic Shelter and other viewing points in our Eagle Point Park. Other communities along the upper Mississippi, in Wisconsin and Minnesota are curreafly forming conservancy groups to preserve our fiver bluffs. An excellent article about the success of these preservation efforts is in the September-October issue of the "Big River Magazine". I have enclosed a copy of this article with this letter. Sixty-five years ago, civic minded individuals and groups stepped forward to stop further encroachment of the Eagle Point Bluffs by various quarry owners. The city of Prescott, Arizona, has regretted ever since allowing a high rise building to be built infringing on their view of the forested bluffs on the western edge of the city. We allowed Urban Renewal to destroy so many of our historic beautiful Victorian homes and other period structures in our downtown area, and lost much of the character of our It would be tragic to build the proposed complex at this location in Dubuque. Let us learn from our past mistakes. Please take appropriate action to ensure that our Park, our Bluffs and oar River Front will be preserved for all citizens to view and enjoy. Sincerely, Bob Eichman 3080 Karen Road Dubuque, Iowa 52001 Phone: 563 582 8520 e-mail: travel_cam@mwcLnet Exploring the Mississippi from St. Cloud, Minnesota, to Davenport, Iowa September-October 2002 Big River fall Festivals Should you get a better Outboard Saving the Bluffs Mississippi Valley Conservancy By Ty Webster A huge house is being built on the bluff above the river. Trees are cut, habitat destroyed, and the gentle curve of the bluff is blemished bv another mono- lith. For one family, this is the attainment of the American Dream. For the multitude who cherish the natural beauty; of the Mississippi Valley, howev- er, it is another step in a sad decline. Thanks to the Mississippi Valley Conservancy (MVC), this story may become less common in southwest Wis- consin. The conservanc~ a pri- vate, non-profit land trust, works to conserve diverse landscapes in Buffalo, Trem- pealeau, La Crosse, Vernon, Craw- ford and Grant counties. The Mississippi River bluffs are one of its six priority areas, as evi- denced by two recent acquisitions: 190 acres of bluffland along the riv- er south of Cassville and a 12-acre addition to the Hixon Forest on bluffiand above La Crosse in part- nership with the City of La Crosse. The Roe Preserve, near Cassville, is ecologically rich, with rare species of plants and animals. It is also archeologically important, con- taining a bird-shaped effigy mound with a 270-foot wingspan. Its large tracts of pristine upland and low- land forests are topped by a goat- prairie bluff offering a stunning view of a sublime stretch of the Mississippi River Valley. Above; The Roe Preserve at Cassvilfe, Wis., offers magnificent views of the fiver valley, fly Webster) Left: Lawrence and Kathryn Roe are former owners of the Freserve, Cynthia Olmstead (/,) is the executive director of the MVC. (MVC) The Wisconsin Depat [merit of Natural Resources (DNR) and MVC teamed to purchase the 244-acre property from Lawrence and Kathryn Roe of Madison last April The conservancy bought 190.6 acres of the former farm for $300,000, and the DNR bought the remaining 53 acres for $100,000. The Roes helped with an $82,000 lan&value dona- tion to the conservancy. The proper- ty is now the "Roe Preserve," or Roe Unit of the Cassville Bluffs Nat- ural Area. Small Start Before a small group started MVC in 1997, Wisconsin had over 40 land trusts, but none in the southwestern corner of the state. Conservancy president Maureen Kinney is an attorney with Johns and Flaherty, SC, in La Crosse. She has lived in the city since 1975. "There were 12 on the initial board of directors," she recalled. "That was essentially the entire group at that time." (Conservan~/ continues on page 23) (Conservancy continued from page 21) They formed MVC with guid- ance from the Gathering Waters Conservancy, of Madison, Wis., and the Blufflands Alliance, a partnership of conservation orga- nizations. By 1999 it was more than 200 members strong, and currently it has more than 440 members and four paid employ- ees. They quickly figured out how to attract funds from charitable organizations and foundations, in particuIar the McKnight Founda- tion of Minneapolis, Minn., and the Philip M. Gelatt Foundation of La Crosse, Wis. More importantly, they turned the money into con- served lands. To date, the MVC has protected over 1,100 acres. In addition to protecting lands, mem- bers enjoy field trips and group work days. Cynthia Olmstead, MVC's execu- tive director since I998, sees the group's activities as an expression of local sentiment: "I've lived here four years now, and people here more than any- where else I've lived just seem to have a love for the area." Conservancy Toolbox MVC works with a variety of tools, including a Landowner Reg- istry Program, conservation ease- ments, land donations and land ac- qnisitions. The Landowner Registry Pro- gram is essentially a "handshake" agreement with landowners, who agree to conserve their land to the best of their ability. The conservan- cy provides them with information about natural features and steward- ship. The agreement is not legally binding, and may be canceled at any time. The owner determines the amount of public access to the Iand. "I consider it our outreach pro- gram," Olmstead said. "It doesn't offer permanent protection, but it is a great way to get to know people in the area; and it's a good way to reward people for good steward- ship practices." A conservation easement is a le- gal agreement with landowners who promise that the majority of Top: The Fitzpatrick addition to Hixon Forest in La Crosse has great views of the river and the hi/is. This view looks toward West Salem. Right: Tom Fitzpatrick. (Ty Webster) their property will remain unde- veloped. They retain ownership of their property but may use it only for purposes compatible with sustainable conservation. The easement is a charitable dona- tion, for tax purposes. The easement value, determined by an appraiser, is essentially the difference between the property value with full devel- opment potential and the value with easement restrictions. The tax benefit can be taken over a span of up to five years. Owners decide the amount of public access to their land. "It mainly restricts development rights and mineral rights," Olm- stead explained. "There can be some limited development. But the majority of the land is permanently restricted from development. These are perpetual. You can sell it. You can give it to your kids. You still own the land. We just go Ln and monitor it each year to make sure that the restriction is still in place." Through land donations and ac- quisitions, IVIVC actually takes ownership of properties. Gifts of land can provide landowners with a charitable tax deduction and avoid capital gains taxes. In an outright sale, the owner can gain tax benefits by selling the land below its ap- praised value. "If they do that, they can use the amount between the appraised val- ue and what they sell it to us for as an income tax donation, and that tan be pretty significant," Olmstead said. "For many landowners, thev do need some income off of the land for retirement or other purposes," she said. "This is a way they can get a fair price. We pay full market val- ue. But they know that it is going to be protected for future generations to enjoy." All of the conservancy's land is open to the public for Iow-impact recreation. Many of the properties are designated as nature preserves. "Sometimes the perception is 'Oh, you're an environmental group, you just want to shut lands off,'" Olmstead explained. "We're very much the opposite. We're try- ing to provide more lands for the public to recreate on.' In general, MVC focuses on properties with at least a portion in relatively natural or restorable na- tive habitat or that possess high scenic value. "We're not as strict as some of (Conse~,anQ! continues on page 25) September-October 2002 / B~c R~w~ 23 (Conservancy continued from page 23) the organizations, like the Nature Conservancy, where you almost have to have some sort of rare species or natural area," Olmstead pointed out. "But you know what? Crosse River wetlands in 1998, and came about as the result of a mutu- al desire to protect the city's bluffiands Eom rampant develop- ment. Most of the lands wind up having The city 4t~iitonev to buy those things anyway, because this is /4~MVC then a~e~n4vts such a rich area ecolodcallv." ~ ~ / City Conservancy [ that million-dollar view \ The conservancy generally con-/ Of the Mississ~ -i River. siders only sites of 20 acres or [ o_ r rne Il pp ,, ,, more. One notable exception is th~ From my perspective, I CwiO.~e~:n~..c~'s p~rtu~ership progran~ think that view belongs u~ry or l,a urosse -- the Lak , Crosse Blufflands Protection Pro- ~x to the public. / gram. Because of the high cost of 'N, the prime real estate in town, small- t~x~dd donations from members,// er parcels are considered. The main priv~undations and pub~/ focus is land along the bluff be- grants. Tf~e'c-c~o, servancy...badkers tween County Highway B, on the the deals with landowners, then northern end of La Crosse, and U.S. Highway 14/61, on the city's south side. The program began in December of 2001. It followed a joint project transfers the parcels to the dty, which designates them as parkland and provides the maintenance. "It was a real syn~' Olm- stead said. "We're lucky to have a Kirch. He was a driving force be- hind the project." Kirch, a W'mona State University alumnus and La Crosse's planting director for the past nine years, had the same idea. "I wanted a program where the city wasn't the purchas- er,'' he said. "The city itself doesn't have the expertise, per se, to nego- tiate conservation easements or do purchases. And Cynthia and her group, that's what they do. I thought this would provide city re- sources but at the same time re- move the city from the acquisition ~rocess, because ! had obsezved that the sellers always think that the city's going to pay more; and I want our dollars to go as far as they can... I suggested that we put $200,000 a year aside for the next 20 years or as long as it takes to pro- tect the bluffiand.' The program's goal is to inczease the size of Hixon Forest, a large, blufftop city park laced with trails. that conserved over 350 acres of La very visionary city planner, Larry .................. ~(~qn~_rvan~EEE continues on ~_~,~ A number of other non-profit organiza- wildlife. Since its founding in I979, the National Organizations tions put at least a portion of their efforts and resources toward preservation of the Mississippi Valley. Several of these groups work together in a loose partnership known as the Blufflands Alliance. Bluffiands Alliance Members: Mississippi Valley Conservancy P.O. Box 2611 La Crosse, WI 54602 (608) 784-3606 Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation P.O. Box 6 Scales Mound, 1L 61075 (815) 7774011 A non-profit, charitable and educational organization dedicated to enlightened land management; its mission is to protect the natural heritage, scenery and agricultural character of Jo Daviess county and the sur- rounding area in northwest Illinois. Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation 505 5th Ave., Suite 444 Des Moines, IA 50309 (515) 288-1846 A member-supported, non-profit organi- zation that protects land, water and INHF has protected more than 70,000 acres including prairies, wetlands, woodlands, g~enways, trails, and river corridors in Iowa. Minnesota Land Tntst 2356 University Ave. W., Suite 400 St. Paul, MN55114 (65I) 647-9590 A private, non-profit organization work- ing with land owners and communities to protect Minnesota's land ar~'water re- Wisconsin Farmland Conservancy 500 Main St., Suite 307 Menominee, WI 54751 (715) 235-8850 A regional land trust i~ west-central Wisconsin protecting the character of the rural countryside. Gathering Waters Conservancy 21I S. Patterson, Suite 180 Madison, WI 53703 (608) 251-9131 A land conservation organization found- ed to assist land trusts, landowners and communities in their efforts to protect Wis- consin's land and water resources. ~he Trust for Public Land (TPL) 116 New Montgomery St., 4th Floor San Francisco, CA 94105 (415) 495-4014 Midwest Regional Office 2610 University Ave., Suite 300 St. Paul, MN55114 (651) 917-2240 A national non-profit working to protect land for human enjoyment and well-being. TPL helps conserve land for recreation and spiritual nourishment and to improve the health and quality of life of American com- munities. The Nature Conservancy 4245 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100 Arlington, VA 22203-1606 Midwest Office ~3~3 5th St SE, Suite314 Minneapolis, MN 55414-1588 (612) 331-0700 Aims to preserve plants, animals and natural communities by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. Helped preserve the the 592-acre Weaver Dunes Scientific and Natural Area near Kellogg in Wabasha County, Minn., a criti- cal habitat for Blanding's turtles. September-October 2002 / BIG RIVER 25 (Conservancy continued from page 25) "It's simple," Kirch said. "You just take that Hixon Forest concept and expand it. Instead of 800 acres it "We did a survey of about 3,000 households .... it was clear from the responses that people value the river and the bluffs and the scenic beauty of the La Crosse area.' will be 3,000 acres... We can look back to 1911, when the Hixon Forest was created, and say 'What a won- derful idea and great gift to the community that was.' Maybe 100 years from now people will look back at this and appreciate it just as Kirch points to a survey taken by the city's planning commission for its comprehensive plan. "We did a survey of about 3,000 households,' he said. "It was dear from the re- spouses that people value the fiver and the bluffs and the scenic beauty of the La Crosse area and that pro- tection of the skyline was a real concern... What people want is that million-dollar view of the Mississip- pi River. From my perspective, I think that view belongs to the pub- lic? The 12-acre addition to Flixon Forest in February 2002 was the program's first land acquisition. Be- cause the land is in a desirable loca- tion with phenomenal views of the river and Lake Onalaska, the price tag was a hefty $168,300. The seller, La Crosse attorney Tom Fitzpatrick, recalled "I was having it divided into three parcels and almost immediately had offers from private buyers who wanted to build on them. At about the same time, I heard about the Bluffland Preservation Project. At that point it had not been adopted, but I decid- ed to wait and see if it would be adopted." Fitzpatrick, a La Crosse native and Aquinas High School graduate, has fond memofie~ of exploring the dty's bluffiands. "I thought the Bluffiands Preser- vation Program was a program with unusual vision," he said. "If the City of La Crosse and the con- servancy can realize this vision, to preserve a corridor of blufftop lands, I think it would be a wonder- According to Olmstead, they are. ''We've had a tremendous response. We're akeady working on another 1,000 acres. There are lots of willing sellers out there. Of course now we have to raise all that money." ~ ~ Ty Webster is a freelance writer and river enthusiast who lives in Trem- pealeau, Wis. His last story was "Alma Hotel -- a Classic Diner with a Histo- ry," November-December 2001. (Dinos continued from page 35) shape of all the bone joints with those of Deinonychus. Every single bone is exactly similar in shape to those of the Maniraptorans. Os- trom's drawing of Archaeopteryx shows it in a running pose to illus- trate the similarity to dinosaurs. It is likely that birds arose from the Maniraptorans in the late Jurassic. Deinonychus is one example of an animal that links dinosaurs with birds. LEARNING TO FLY ONE STEP AT A TIME The young eagles we enjoyed watching practice their flying come at the task from a different perspec- tive than their predecessors. Eagles and other modem raptors are pushed from the nest into the air it- self. They must fly to survive. Earlier raptors started the task from a safer position, with the terra firma underfoot. They used their arms, covered with small feathers, to run faster. The grabbing stroke of the arms in running Maniraptorans is exactly the same as the power stroke in bird flight. Feathers on the arm and hand added the thrust of grabbing to their running speed, al- lowing them to catch prey and giv- The grabbing stroke of the arms in running Maniraptorans is exactly the same as the power stroke in bird flight. ing Archaeopteryx the ability to run its way into flight. After Archaeopteryx, birds became more modem very rapidly. They grew a homy beak and lost their teeth, bones became hollow, the front several tail vertebrae were in- duded in the hipbones, and the oth- er tail vertebrae were greatly short- ened. All of these measures saved weight. The easiest way to go faster (or save energy) is to lose weight. They also added more muscle pow- er to the wing stroke, greatly in- creasing the size of what we call the breast of the bird. Ail of these changes occurred more than 130 million ago, and are documented at the site in northeast China. There we find modernized birds (but still with teeth) as well as some of their dinosaur Manirap- toran cousins with feathers, that could not fly. By this time birds had certainly spread all over the world, including this area, but their re- mains were not preserved. This "new improved" dinosaur seems to work pretty well, at least after the young ones soar beyond the steep learning curve of flight training. Perhaps fledglings will still be leaping awkwardly out of nests 100 million years from now. ~ Robert E. Sloan was a professor of pa- leontology at the University of Min- nesota for 44 years. He now lives on the big river near Winona. His last story was "A Tale of Two Cities and a Water- fall," November 2000. 38 BIG RIVER / September-October 2002