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   For Pine Cone Press-Citizen readers keeping tabs on the proposed Howard Lake RV park, the next meeting of the Cass County Planning Commission to address this is April 14th, 9:30 am at the Backus Land Department. The proposal has me wondering again - “What would Will Dilg do?”  Howard is a wonderful little lake in western Cass County. Long and skinny, at only 365 acres, it still harbors ciscoes with a 60 foot maximum depth.  It is a lake of Outstanding Biological Significance and it comprises part of the headwaters for the Shingobee River, which grows wild rice as it meanders into Leech Lake.  Howard is like many of the little lakes in our area.  

The company proposing the relatively large 41 unit RV park has plenty of development experience, considering this is one of many undertaken by the company.  What the developers do not have is understanding or empathy for the people and the ecology of Howard Lake. 

With about 90 residences already on the lake, 41 RV tenants would increase the lake population by 45%, creating strain on the lake and its people similar to developed metro lakes.  The nature of this 16 acre proposal makes it very difficult to place 41 RV pads with parking and septic due to common sense setbacks from bluff areas, the river (which divides the property), and the lake.  Nearly 3000 feet of creek and lake frontage would stand exposed to runoff from steeply sloped areas of newly paved surfaces and the influx of people.  An astonishing 14,000 cubic yards of earth moving would be needed to make this RV park according to plan, along with a pressurized sewer line directionally bored under the river.  Property values around RV parks are typically much reduced while demand for services are increased (fire, ambulance, police), making this a losing proposition for county tax payers, especially the neighbors.  

Will Dilg was a consummate conservationist.  It is quite probable that he would say this is an ill-advised project in our clean water-based economy, that the siting could not be much worse, and that it is time to address development by changing the land use ordinances.  He might also say this 16 acres with all its sensitive water resources would be ideal for preservation as an Aquatic Management Area.  There are places in Cass County that verge on degrading high quality waters due to lakeshore modifications, building densities and overdevelopment.  To be sure, a proposal like this could be put upon any of the lakes in our county right now.  Hunters, fishers, birders and outdoors-minded folks of all stripes helped Will with conservation efforts in his day, as today’s sportsmen and women we also will rally for conservation.  Will Dilg, with his common sense, would advise saying no to this development and following up with county folks to revise land use ordinances.  We should be able to tell county government what we do want instead of waiting for something we don’t want to make our voices heard.

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