Sunday, December 16, 2007

12/16 - Jekyll isn't broken, doesn't need 'repair'

ajc.com > Opinion
Click-2-Listen
LETTERS: By Dory Ingram
For the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 12/16/07

Jim Langford's op-ed piece ("Jekyll Island development: More vacationers could enjoy park," @issue, Dec. 10) makes the same tired, phony assertion that others have made ad nauseam, others who would force an agenda that exploits "Georgia's Jewel." That assertion is that beautiful Jekyll Island State Park is somehow broken and in need of repair.

Has anyone stopped to consider whether visitation is down because several hotels are literally down, demolished due to poor lease management practices by Jekyll's stewards, the Jekyll Island Authority? And has anyone mentioned lately that replacement of those properties is imminent, independent of Linger Longer?

Rebuild those hotels, count the revenues and ask yourselves if the average Georgian really needs a 63-acre, nouveau-riche multi-story village blocking the view of what was once pristine beachfront, and gutting the interior of pristine maritime forest and natural wetlands. Give it up, Linger Longer. The citizens of Georgia are much too smart to fall for this.

DORY INGRAM

Ingram is Atlanta metro coordinator of Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island.

12/15 - Jekyll Island: Responses to "Jekyll Island development," Issue: Dec. 10

ajc.com > Opinion
Saturday Talk
By Peggy Cozart, Martin McConaughy, Elizabeth Walton, Pat Royalty, Christine Martens, Cindy Tarrant, Lee Sweetapple, Al Michaud, James Cool, Barbara Szydlowski
For the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 12/15/07

Jekyll Island: Responses to "Jekyll Island development," @issue, Dec. 10

State park should be placid

My family has visited Jekyll Island since the early '80s, drawn to the natural beauty, slow pace and lack of man-made "attractions." We fill our days biking, enjoying the beaches and historic sites.

Many folks lament, "there's nothing out there," when they drive past pristine countryside and feel cheated by the lack of billboards and fast-food establishments. Jekyll Island isn't for them.

Why one would expect or want to find regular distractions of modern life in a state park baffles those of us who seek relief from our fast-paced routines. Perhaps, like city kids sent off to summer camp, the uninitiated might be pleasantly surprised to find they have a recessive gene for enjoying having too little to do.

PEGGY COZART, Decatur

More honesty, legality necessary

In this time when Georgia's leadership has a bias towards Lexus lanes and not trains, and fights the garden clubs to protect the big billboard industry, it is not surprising that they are preparing to allow the creation of an elite club on one of our most prized possessions, Jekyll Island. I'd like to commend state Sen. Jeff Chapman (R-Brunswick) for his letter to the legislative oversight committee pursuing legality and honesty in the revitalization of Jekyll. It is my hope that we will take the time to work together and create a vibrant and enduring environment for all the people of Georgia.

MARTIN McCONAUGHY, Tucker

—-

12/10 - JEKYLL ISLAND DEVELOPMENT: Natural treasure must be protected



Image: In planning for Jekyll Island, developers shouldn't ignore concerns and destroy a state jewel, the guest columnist argues.

ajc.com > Opinion
By David Kyler
For the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 12/10/07

From news coverage of the redevelopment plan for Jekyll Island, you might get the uneasy impression that the major makeover project is nearly ready for the surveyors and construction crews to start working. As impressive as these plans may appear, far more analysis is needed if the public hopes to retain Jekyll's unique purpose —- and environmental qualities —- as a state park.

It would undoubtedly strike most people as odd that no one has calculated the number of visitors that could be expected on a peak day once the proposed plans are implemented, or how that number of visitors would affect the experience of being on Jekyll. Proposing an extensive development design for such a unique place as Jekyll Island without knowing the answers to these questions borders on the bizarre, and is well within the realm of suspicion. To proceed without such information would be irresponsible, given the significance of the outcome.

To Jekyll Island Authority's credit, in October it agreed to conduct a capacity study for the island —- something we had recommended. Yet, under their supervision, the chosen "private sector partner," Linger Longer Communities Inc., moved forward in holding public meetings where LLC's original design served as the basis for soliciting comments. Surely if a capacity study is to be used to guide Jekyll's revitalization, it should be done prior to any further advancement of a development plan.

Evidently, it has been unwisely assumed that building high-quality, well-designed structures and facilities alone will guarantee that the island's redevelopment is a success. But we need to take a serious look at how success for a state park is defined, which is presumably much different than it would be for that same kind of coastal real estate in the hands of the private sector.

Unfortunately, those in charge of the island's redevelopment seem to be driven by the unfounded assumption that the private sector should determine the best use of all resources, including a state park. By treating this environmentally sensitive barrier island state park the same as any private coastal real estate, the Jekyll Island Authority will be doing a major disservice to the people of Georgia and the leaders who established the area for recreational use by all citizens almost 60 years ago.

Some may assert that the adopted limit on the proportion of the island that can be developed will prevent undesired consequences. But important though that constraint may be, honoring the 35 percent development limit does not ensure the public will be best served.

Is it really appropriate and in the public interest for a state park to feature deluxe hotels, restaurants and condos? This question is even more provocative given the historically relaxed, slow-paced atmosphere of Jekyll, which remains the essence of its appeal to most visitors.

A survey conducted by the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island , a nonprofit group representing the park's visitors, found that all but a few of the nearly 6,000 Jekyll visitors who responded did not want to see more than 100 condominiums built on the island. Most respondents do not want to see any condos at all. Yet the proposed development features 560 condos and time-share units, including the work of both Trammel-Crow (another developer replacing worn-down hotels) and the 65-acre Linger Longer project.

While it is true that Jekyll Island, unlike most Georgia state parks, must generate the revenues needed to support the island's infrastructure, administration and natural environment, it does not follow that the private sector should be given free reign, nor that luxury facilities are desirable. In fact, even if the purpose of the redevelopment proposal was to maximize revenues, without any market plan or well-researched business analysis, there is no basis for predicting that such a goal could be met.

It is obvious from responses to the IPJI survey that there are fundamental disagreements between the Jekyll Island Authority board —- not to mention the considerable political forces behind it —- and the general public, whom the park is meant to serve and for whom it was created. There are also important unanswered questions about unnecessary disturbance of critical wildlife habitat that would be caused by implementing the proposed development scheme. This includes nesting grounds for the seriously threatened loggerhead sea turtle.

Until public officials, both elected and appointed, recognize their obligations to the citizens of Georgia, we face the risk of losing a state treasure to the totally inappropriate motives of private development. More thoughtful analysis needs to be done to prevent unwise development in the guise of "redevelopment" causing a calamity that Georgians would regret for generations.

> David Kyler is executive director of the Center for a Sustainable Coast on St. Simons Island.

12/10 - JEKYLL ISLAND DEVELOPMENT: More vacationers could enjoy park

ajc.com > Opinion
By Jim Langford
For the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 12/10/07

If you haven't been to Jekyll Island lately, you're not different from most Georgians. Over the past two decades, visitation to Jekyll has dropped 47 percent. Hotels are just half-full, and the causeway is used at 20 percent of capacity.

This is a shame. Georgians are blessed with a beautiful state-owned 5,900-acre island —- more than 75 percent of it protected from development by a combination of laws. Jekyll has a charming historic district and hotel, over 400 acres of golf courses and a new educational Sea Turtle Center. Georgians should want to come to Jekyll as they did years ago. In truth, the most consistent visitors to Jekyll aren't really visitors at all; they are homeowners. About 850 people live on about 210 acres on the island, and most of the roads and other infrastructure serve these residents. Jekyll is our only state park that allows full-time residents.

Vacationers and conventioneers don't return to Jekyll because they find better facilities elsewhere. Jekyll's existing hotels are decades old. Three former hotels are now vacant lots. Acres of asphalt give Jekyll a blighted look —- like an old shopping center waiting for crowds that will never come.

Georgia law requires Jekyll Island to be economically self-sustaining. As visitation declines, so does revenue that pays for things like environmental and cultural preservation.

In September, the Jekyll Island Authority board unanimously selected Linger Longer Communities of Greensboro as its partner to help revitalize the island. Georgia has similar public/private partnerships in other parks, as do other states and the federal government.

On land that is mostly parking lots and outdated buildings, Linger Longer proposes a small 63-acre beach village with three hotels, 79 cottages that include units for rent, a vacation club, a town center and 23 acres of green space.

With assistance from the nonprofit Southface Energy Institute, the village will feature Earthcraft and LEED construction standards. This means recycled water runoff systems, green roofs, multiuse trails and porous surfaces. We believe Jekyll can become a model for sustainable building practices in coastal environments.

The plan envisions a Jekyll for all Georgians: no gated communities, no condo towers and no restricted access to beaches. Seventy-two percent of all new accommodations will be priced below $139 per night per room, and about 50 percent will be priced below $96 per night per room. The village will not displace any existing hotels. Beach access will be enhanced with a new beachside path and 520 public parking spaces within a two-minute walk of the beach.

Dunes will be protected and insulated from development, and state-of-the-art lighting techniques will shield potential turtle nesting habitats.

Though occupying only about 1 percent of Jekyll's total acreage, the village will provide a sustainable economic engine for the rest of the island.

Over the first 15 years, the village will return to the Jekyll Island Authority an estimated $115 million in revenues. Instead of looking for any handouts, Linger Longer proposes paying the Jekyll Island Authority $8 million over the first four years to assist with the transition and investing another $350 million in private funds in the project.

The Authority will use these funds to pay off bonds for a new convention center, if the state decides to make this investment, and to fund other priorities like beach re-nourishment, new multiuse trails, historic preservation, and police and fire protection.

Opponents contend that revitalization will make visiting Jekyll Island more difficult for average Georgians. The opposite is true. The improvements will make Jekyll once again "Georgia's Jewel" and a favored destination that Georgians want and deserve.

> Jim Langford is project executive, Linger Longer Communities.

12/06 - Millions pledged for green space

By Stacy Shelton
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 12/06/07

The state of Georgia on Wednesday committed $34.7 million toward the purchase of green space, the biggest pot of money for land conservation since Gov. Sonny Perdue took office nearly five years ago.

Nearly half the money will help pay for a 6,873-acre forest in fast-growing Paulding County, a hilly oasis sliced by the popular Silver Comet biking trail.

Perdue, standing beside a woodland pond in the heart of Paulding Forest, said "We can give views like this one behind me of the rolling hills of timber for many generations to come."

Two other large land deals announced by the governor Wednesday are the purchase of an 8,430-acre timber research property near Lake Seminole in southwest Georgia, which will be handled in phases, and the acquisition of a 4,162-acre tract on the Georgia coast near a bombing range used for practice by military aircraft.

The proposed purchases total 19,465 acres.

The Paulding deal, however, most perfectly epitomizes the way Perdue wants to conserve green space in Georgia. The purchase, which has not yet been finalized, has brought together multiple partners, all doing what Perdue refers to as "putting skin in the game," otherwise known as coughing up the dough so state taxpayers aren't left holding the entire check.

The forest's total price tag is $45.9 million, or about $6,673 an acre. Of that, the state and Paulding County both are chipping in one-third for a total of more than $30 million.

The rest is from: Atlanta-based Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, which committed $7.5 million; federal grants totaling $4.2 million; and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, based in New York, which donated $1 million through the Conservation Fund, a national land conservation group.

That leaves about a $3 million gap, which the state says will come from proposed federal grants.

Perdue mentioned Paulding Forest in last year's State of the State address, when he announced his budget proposal would include money to preserve some of Georgia's disappearing landscapes.

This year's final budget for land conservation, after cuts from the General Assembly, was about $43 million.

T. Ruben Jones, whose father began acquiring the Paulding land in the 1920s as part of his sawmill and timber business, said he preferred to sell his family land to the state rather than slicing it up for more tract houses.

"We like it being preserved and used as a park so everyone could use it," said Jones, who now lives in Blue Ridge in North Georgia.

The Jones family has been leasing the property to the state for public hunting, fishing and hiking for more than 10 years. State officials intend to continue providing access to the public for those purposes.

Before the governor's news conference in Paulding, the Board of Natural Resources and Georgia Land Conservation Council approved spending the state funds for the land purchases.

At the land council meeting, several members criticized the rushed announcement, hard on the heels of a vote whose outcome was still uncertain.

Wade Shealy, a coastal developer who is suing a state authority over losing a bid to redevelop Jekyll Island, said the vote felt like a rubber stamp.

12/05 - State to buy, conserve 3 large tracts. Areas include 4,018-acre parcel that is part of Paulding Forest

By STACY SHELTON
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 12/05/07

The state of Georgia on Wednesday committed $34.7 million toward the purchase of 19,465 acres of green space, the biggest pot of money for land conservation since Gov. Sonny Perdue took office nearly five years ago.

Nearly half the money will help pay for a 6,873-acre forest in fast-growing Paulding County, a hilly oasis sliced by the popular Silver Comet biking trail.

Perdue, standing beside a woodland pond in the heart of Paulding Forest, said "We can give views like this one behind me of the rolling hills of timber for many generations to come."

Two other large land deals announced Wednesday are the purchase of 8,430-acre timber research property near Lake Seminole in southwest Georgia, which will be handled in phases, and the acquisition of a 4,162-acre tract on the Georgia coast near a bombing range used for practice by military aircraft.

The Paulding deal, however, most perfectly epitomizes the way Perdue wants to conserve green space in Georgia. The purchase, which has not yet been finalized, has brought together multiple partners, all doing what Perdue refers to as "putting skin in the game," otherwise known as coughing up the dough so state taxpayers aren't left holding the entire check.

The forest's total price tag is $45.9 million, or about $6,673 an acre. Of that, the state and Paulding County are each chipping in one third for a total of more than $30 million.

The rest is from: Atlanta-based Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, which committed $7.5 million; federal grants totalling $4.2 million, and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, based in New York, $1 million through The Conservation Fund, a national land conservation group.

That leaves a gap of about $3 million, which the state says will come from proposed federal grants.

Perdue mentioned Paulding Forest in last year's State of the State address when he announced his $50 million budget proposal to preserve some of Georgia's disappearing landscapes. This year's final budget for land conservation, after cuts from the General Assembly, was about $43 million.

T. Ruben Jones, whose father began acquiring the Paulding land in the 1920s as part of his sawmill and timber business, said he preferred to sell his family land to the state rather than slicing it up for more tract houses.

"We like it being preserved and used as a park so everyone could use it," said Jones, who now lives in the north Georgia town of Blue Ridge.

The Jones family has been leasing the property to the state for public hunting, fishing and hiking for more than 10 years. State officials intend to continue providing access to the public for those purposes.

Before the governor's news conference in Paulding, the Board of Natural Resources and Georgia Land Conservation Council approved spending the state funds for the land purchases. At the land council meeting, several members criticized the rushed announcement, hard on the heels of a vote whose outcome was still uncertain. Wade Shealy, a coastal developer who is suing a state authority over losing a bid to redevelop Jekyll Island, said the vote felt like a rubber stamp, giving the fact that the press conference was organized days ago.

"It's the presumption that I don't like," Shealy said.

12/15 - Area faces some 'gritty' issues

Date: December 15, 2007
Section(s): Frontpage
By BRANDEE A. THOMAS
The Brunswick News

With an economy supported heavily by tourism, local officials know it is important to maintain attractions that draw visitors to Glynn County, including its waterways.

But getting the federal government to agree is a whole other matter, U.S. Jack Kingston, R-1, told attendees at the annual Grits and Issues breakfast Friday on St. Simons Island.

So far, attempts to get funding to deepen shallow areas caused by unchecked silting in the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway have been for naught.

"The reality is that the Army Corps of Engineers' interests are confined to navigable waterways," Kingston told the audience at Epworth by the Sea for the event sponsored by Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce.

It will take more than $2 million to dredge some of the shallow areas. That's more than the federal government is willing to spend on a channel that is used mostly by recreational boaters in the South.

Kingston, whose district includes the waterway, said it may be time to look for other sources of revenue - someplace more local than Washington, D.C.

"Georgia needs to set up state and local funding sources for the continual dredging of recreational waterways," Kingston said.

"The message we're getting from Washington is that they are not concerned about continually dredging recreational waterways, but there are local reasons why we need to ensure that the waterways stay clear."

The economic impact of recreational boaters is tremendous, which is why the waterway should be kept clear, he said. In some areas of the Intracoastal, the water is barely 2 feet deep at low tide.

Along with Kingston, other elected officials fielded questions at the breakfast meeting. State Sens. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, and Tommie Williams, R-Lyons, were in attendance, as were state Reps. Roger Lane, R-Darien, and Cecily Hill, R-St. Marys, and Jerry Keen, R-St. Simons Island.

Members of the state delegation were asked to comment on the proposed $441 million redevelopment of Jekyll Island, a state-owned park.

Keen, who is House majority leader, said he is in favor of breathing new life into Jekyll and Williams rebutted claims that the island will become unaffordable to average Georgians.

12/14 - Attack on senator unfair

Date: December 14, 2007
Section(s): Letters

As I read the attack that Terry Carter wrote about Jeff Chapman, I wondered if Mr. Carter has been absent from Georgia and unable to receive headlines from home.

Mr. Carter claims that Jeff Chapman does not care about Jekyll Island. Here are some recent things that my senator has done on behalf of Jekyll Island.

* Mr. Chapman wrote HB214 that protects Jekyll's south end and it passed unanimously. Not bad for someone Mr. Carter claims doesn't work well with others!

* Chapman's letter to state Attorney General re: the legality of the JIA board plans for redevelopment.

* Chapman's attendance at JIA board meetings to question the board's wisdom on their plans for revitalization.

I am proud to have Jeff Chapman as my senator. He is one of the few in government who seems to remember that Jekyll Island is a state park.

Laura Renke
Brunswick


Chapman refuses to be a pawn to his 'peers'

In regard to the critique of Senator Chapman by Terry Carter, there may be at least one excellent reason why he is not a favorite of his peers.

Many of his legislative "peers" in state government apparently want resort-style mega-development on Jekyll Island State Park.

Jeff Chapman is endeavoring to follow the will of the common folk of Georgia (Republican and Democrat), who do not want resort-style mega-development of Jekyll Island. In such circumstances, conflict with one's peers is not only inevitable, it is highly desirable.

He refuses to be a pawn in the grand scheme of state leadership to hand over Jekyll Island State Park to politically connected private developers. I, for one, think that is a very good thing.

Joan Lardin
Hawkinsville

12/11 - Developer - Jekyll plans on track

Date December 11, 2007
Section(s) Local News
By ELLEN ROBINSON

The Brunswick News

The proposed redevelopment of Jekyll Island remains on track despite opposition, a lawsuit and the soon-to-be-loss of the state park's executive director, those close to the project say.

Obstacles include opposition to the plan, an outspoken force that includes state Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, a lawsuit filed against the company guiding the development and the announced departure of Bill Donohue, head of the Jekyll Island Authority.

Some may view opposition to the revitalization project as a barrier to progress, but not Jim Langford, project executive director of Linger Longer Communities.

Having just completed a series of public meetings on the proposed plans, Langford said citizen feedback is essential to the refining process. In fact, Linger Longer is looking forward to the public providing more input on the process once the refined plan is presented, he said.

Linger Longer, partnering with the Jekyll Island Authority, will oversee the $441 million makeover that includes new hotels and a convention center.

"The public input plays a major part in refining the plans," Langford said. "We had a lot of good input and good public response, and we are still receiving input from phone calls and emails."

Themes that surfaced during the process have been exactly what Linger Longer anticipated, he said. The company expected the public to address the questions that it did, including whether roads are in the right places and whether the pricing of future accommodations is right.

"These are the same areas we knew would be important to the public," Langford said. "We will be looking at the plans to revise them to see how things need to change to meet the needs."

Once revisions are made, another round of public input meetings will be required to further refine plans.

Chapman, whose district includes Jekyll Island, is asking the state attorney general to look into several components of the plan, including whether it would be in violation of the legislature's directive that Jekyll Island remain affordable to average Georgians.

As for the lawsuit, Langford is not worried.

The Jekyll Island Authority and Linger Longer Communities are confident the judge will dismiss the lawsuit filed against them by Wade Shealy Jr., accusing the JIA of unfairly awarding the project.

Linger Longer, which joined JIA in the lawsuit, doesn't anticipate any stumbling blocks with the progress of the revitalization plans.

The Georgia General Attorney's office, which represents the governor-appointed authority, is expected to file motions this week on the lawsuit.

"There is no indication that the lawsuit filed will change our schedule," Langford said. "It hasn't stymied the progress, it has had no effect on us.

"I think the judge will agree the lawsuit has no merit and I don't think it will slow us down."

Donohue will be missed, but his departure at the end of this month shouldn't make a difference in carrying out the wishes of the authority, said Eric Garvey, senior marketing director of the Jekyll Island Authority.

Donohue, executive director of the authority since September 1997, was named director of the Lake Lanier Islands Development Authority in North Georgia effective Jan. 1.

A replacement for Donohue has yet to be announced.

"We aren't viewing this as a challenge because we have a great team to keep the process moving forward," Garvey said. "We will select a qualified new executive director.

12/07 - Jekyll needs more input

Date December 07, 2007
Section(s) Letters

Having followed the Jekyll Island development controversy for the last few months, I had the occasion to read letters lauding Senator Jeff Chapman for his efforts on behalf of the citizens of Georgia concerning this issue. Whether I agree or disagree with his stance on the Jekyll controversy is not at issue here. I feel that Mr. Chapman has, in fact, failed to represent us adequately.

First, Mr. Chapman is not a participant on the oversight committee, stating that because he would be involved as our local representative it would be a waste of a seat on the committee were he to occupy one. However, the work of this committee is crucial to developing a solution that Georgians can live with. I feel that if anyone should have insisted on sitting on the oversight committee, it should have been Mr. Chapman. And I suspect a contributing factor to his not being named to the committee is his historical inability to work with his peers in state government to resolve issues.

Second, Mr. Chapman has been outspoken about the Jekyll Island issue since the oversight committee convened, but his attention to the issue has taken the form of finger-pointing. Mr. Chapman has taken great efforts to voice his dissension both publicly and in the media, but I see little evidence that he is willing to roll up his sleeves and contribute to the effort of bringing resolution to the issue.

Senator Chapman has failed us on this issue because he has failed to do the work of government. I feel we should be much better served in the State Senate by someone who is willing and able to take action on important issues rather than using the media to communicate with his peers and to make his constituents think he is involved.

Terry Carter

Brunswick

11/30 - Lanier Authority votes in Donohue

Date November 30, 2007
Section(s) Local News
The Brunswick News

It's official: Bill Donohue, executive director of the Jekyll Island Authority, has a new job and a new title.

The board of the Lake Lanier Islands Development Authority voted to accept a recommendation of Gov. Sonny Perdue and named Donohue head of the north Georgia authority.

The vote was unanimous, said Eric Garvey, marketing director for the Jekyll Island Authority.

All members of the Jekyll Island and Lake Lanier Islands authorities are appointed by the governor.

Donohue, who has served as the Jekyll Island Authority's executive director since September 1997, will officially assume his new position Jan. 1, 2008.

Donohue will replace Kevin Clark, named interim state property officer. Clark will lead the Georgia Building Authority and State Properties Commission.

When announcing the appointment Nov. 20, Perdue said Donohue had a wealth of experience that included a stint as executive director of the North Georgia Mountains Authority.

Donohue will be packing his bags at a time when Jekyll Island is at the threshold of a $441 million redevelopment that includes new hotels, a new shopping district and new conference center.

His new job may be just as challenging, though. He will be taking over at a time when Lake Lanier is at its lowest level, due to the protracted drought in north Georgia, dropping as much as 16 feet since May.

Created in 1962 by the state General Assembly, the Lake Islands Development Authority manages Lake Lanier and oversees its development. In addition to the lake itself, recreational features include a water park, the state's largest wave pool, a resort hotel, camping and an 18-hole golf course.

Marshall Guest, deputy press secretary for Perdue, said during the initial announcement that there was no set timetable for replacing Donohue.

Michael Hodges, a member of the board of the Jekyll Island Authority, says the plan to rejuvenate Jekyll will continue as planned.

"I believe redevelopment plans for Jekyll Island, which are in the formative stages, will continue unimpeded through the combined efforts and commitment of the fine staff, which Bill assembled, as well as the board of the Jekyll Island Authority," Hodges said in a statement Sept. 20.

Donohue is also chairman of United Way's fundraising campaign. He could not be reached for comment.