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   How much development is appropriate for a lake? I own property on the lake and enjoy recreating both on the property and the lake. I believe in being a responsible steward of the land and water, and therefore, treat it so that what I pass to my children will be better than when I received it. I also fully support landowner rights within county regulations. 

   Howard is a 385 acres lake spring feed water and no invasive species; far too many nearby lakes are already infested. On a long defunct resort, a commercial developer plans 47 RV campsites and dockage for 14 boats; an order of magnitude larger. It will not have on-site personnel controlling their launch facility for number of boats or preventing the spread of invasive species. The increased  human activity generated from this development will have irreversible effects on this lake and the environment.

   Cass County Planning Commission (CCPC) must balance merits of development with its duty to “protect, preserve and enhance the quality of lakes, rivers, forests, wetlands, watersheds, natural land forms, and open spaces of Cass County for Future Generations”.  The Board’s record of approvals for development (https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/08/16/take-a-deep-dive-into-lakeshore-data) shows the Commission to be the most pro-development of shoreline in all counties in the state of Minnesota.

   This project will be reviewed by CCPC on March 10th. If you value the environment and wish to help protect Northern Minnesota lakes, contact CCPC [email protected] to voice your concerns about how the Commission makes their decisions.

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