jekyll island news

03/29 - Bid to stall Jekyll fails

2008-03-29T21:58:00.000-07:00

Date: March 29, 2008
Section(s): Local News
By ANNA FERGUSON
The Brunswick News

A backdoor legislative attempt to keep hotels and condos away from the main beach on Jekyll Island has failed.

While that is good news for backers of a $342 million revitalization plan for the state park, it is bad news for government agencies counting on approval of the Coastal Zone Management Act to which the construction ban was attached.

Stopping the amendment on Jekyll Island also means stopping the legislation to which it was attached. The primary coastal management legislation would have extended the 2009 expiration date of the act that allows the state the receive federal funds for coastal projects.

The total measure fell by the wayside when Sen. Ross Tolleson, R-Perry, declined to push to have it added to the House Rules Committee calendar because of Rep. Debbie Buckner's, D-Columbus, amendment on Jekyll Island.

Tolleson had sponsored the original legislation to remove a sunset provision in the coastal management act that would allow it to expire in July 2009. All legislation must pass through a House or Senate rules committee in order to get a floor vote in the full body.

Buckner had added the amendment earlier this month in an attempt to halt the redevelopment of Jekyll Island, said Rep. Roger Lane, R-Darien.

The amendment included conditions that would block construction near a half-mile portion of open beach.

"Sen. Tolleson was very upset with Rep. Buckner's addition to his bill," said Lane. "He just threw his hands up, I guess."

House Majority Leader Jerry Keen, R-St. Simons Island, said he expects Tolleson to reintroduce the measure during next year's legislative session, sans Buckner's amendment. Keen is a member of the rules committee.

Waiting a year to pass the legislation could be a risky move, but the redevelopment plans for Jekyll Island are too important to endanger and Buckner's amendment would have done just that, Lane said.

As a member of the Natural Resources and Environment Committee, Lane said he voted against the amendment earlier this month.

"The Coastal Zone Management Act is very important legislation, and it's disheartening that this amendment got in the way of it," Lane said. "But the revitalization of Jekyll Island is too serious to jeopardize."

The Coastal Zone Management Act works with the Federal Coastal Management Act to generate funds for conservation, rehabilitation and education efforts along Georgia's coastline.

Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, a supporter of Buckner's legislation, said he was disappointed with the bill's fate, but said "all kinds of things can happen during the legislative process."

Chapman introduced measures of his own in the Senate to accomplish the same objectives as Buckner sought earlier in the session, but his proposals failed to make it out of committee.

Eric Garvey, spokesman for the Jekyll Island Authority, said the failure of Buckner's amendment means the redevelopment project, which includes hotels, condos and a new convention center, is still on go.

"The Jekyll Island Authority has felt that the amendment was completely unnecessary," Garvey said Friday. "And it's regrettable that it has jeopardized an important piece of environmental legislation."

03/28 - All need access to Jekyll

2008-03-29T21:53:00.000-07:00

Date: March 28, 2008
Section(s): Letters
The Brunswick News

We have subscribed to your paper for the last three years since moving here permanently from Atlanta.

We have been visiting Jekyll Island for over 35 years.

Your editorial published Monday, "Sneaky tactic affects Jekyll Island's future," has finally pushed me over the edge.

I have tried to rationalize your reasons for endorsing Linger Longer, and it has now become obvious.

The Brunswick News advertising revenue would increase greatly with having Linger Longer as well as having the hotels, condo rentals, sales, new retail establishments, etc. as prominent advertisers.

If you will look closely at the Linger Longer development plan, you will see that access to the primary beach areas will be monopolized by those staying in the hotels and the condos, and that readily available parking does not exist adjacent to the beach anywhere.

As a result, day visitors or those staying off the beach will have some serious hiking to the water's edge.

Jekyll is our state park and accessible to all.

Martha Lang
Darien

Preserve Jekyll Island as a natural resource

Sometimes, government decisions take on a symbolic value and make a statement about public priorities and values.

Certainly, that is the case with decisions involving Jekyll Island State Park.

The absolute top priority should be to preserve this extraordinary natural resource.

If we give any other goal a higher priority, it says something less than flattering about us as a state.

Your editorial (March 25) promotes killing the goose that laid the golden egg - again!

Celia Gruss
Sea Island

Developers destroying natural beauty of state

Today's (March 25) editorial was totally off base.

The sneaky ones are not the citizens hoping to protect their public beaches on Jekyll Island, but the "poor" developers who continue to destroy the natural beauty of the state of Georgia, be it marshland or river front.

Jane Fulcher
Sea Island

Thousands of Georgians are against development

In response to your editorial decrying Rep. Buckner's amendment to the House bill to extend Coastal Zone Management, I'd like to point out that thousands of Georgians have been polled about this proposed development and have overwhelmingly expressed a negative attitude towards it.

Most Georgians support the revitalization of Jekyll Island.

Indeed, the upgrading of Days Inn, the complete makeover of the Jekyll Estates Inn into the Beachview Club, the upgrading of the Jekyll Island Club Hotel and Crane Cottage, the tearing down of the Holiday Inn and Buccaneer in preparation of new resort facilities with many new condos are all actions which were needed and applauded.

Rep. Buckner did not oppose these projects, nor for that matter did the "average Georgian."

The majority of those polled were very much opposed to development along the beach area, which would be occupied by Linger Longer proposed project.

They would like to see this part of the pristine beach remain pristine and not blocked off by hundreds of condos/vacation homes and three new hotels.

This is not a "pretense" - it's real.

Those people occupying the condos and hotels would hog this portion of the beach, a "scarce resource" in terms of available beach at high tide.

Preserving this beach is not "micromanagement," it's good ecological sense.

Howard Sculthorpe
Jekyll Island

* For additional letters about Jekyll Island, see our Web site at www.thebrunswicknews.com.

03/26 - Jekyll bill awaits uncertain fate

2008-03-29T21:49:00.000-07:00

Date: March 26, 2008
Section(s): Local News
By ANNA FERGUSON
The Brunswick News

An amendment that would force a major change in plans to revitalize Jekyll Island awaits legislators when they return to Atlanta, but Glynn County's top-ranking House member is refraining from predicting an outcome.

House Majority Leader Jerry Keen, R-St. Simons, has supported the redevelopment plans for the state park as chair of the Jekyll Island Legislative Oversight Committee, but he said he could not speculate on the fate of the amendment.

Keen is a member of the House Rules Committee, the next body that will consider the amendment and determine wether the House will take it up.

Introduced last week by Rep. Debbie Buckner, D-Columbus, the amendment, piggy-backing Senate legislation that would remove an upcoming expiration date of the Georgia Coastal Zone Management Act, is aimed at halting the $342 million renovation project planned for the state-owned island by Linger Longer Communities. It squeaked by the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee Thursday by a single vote.

The amendment would block construction of condominiums and luxury accommodations on a half-mile stretch of beachfront property on Jekyll Island, a vital part of Linger Longer Communities renovation blueprint.

Buckner and her supporters, including Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, say the amendment is an effort to preserve the island.

"Thousands of people from around the state are following this day by day and are in support of responsible rebuilding," said Chapman, adding that supporters have started an e-mail campaign to legislators.

"The folks at Linger Longer would be wise to embrace this amendment and listen to the people. This is what they want."

Susan Shipman, director of the Coastal Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, says the measure puts the state Coastal Management Act in jeopardy and is distressed about the overall ramifications of the legislature's failure if an extension to the act is not passed.

"I am very concerned about this amendment," said Shipman. "It puts area conservation efforts at risk."

The act was created in 1997 to allow the state to participate in the Federal Coastal Management Act.

It provides grants and funding for area organizations to rehabilitate and conserve sensitive areas of the coast. A sunset provision calls for the act to expire July 2009, and cease to exist if the measure is turned down in the current legislative session.

03/25 - OUR OPINIONS: Develop right priorities for Jekyll

2008-03-26T18:45:00.000-07:00

ajc.com > Opinion
By Jay Bookman
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/25/08

Sometimes, important government decisions do more than determine the outcome of a particular controversy. They take on a larger symbolic value and make a statement about public priorities and values.

Certainly, that's the case with decisions involving Jekyll Island State Park, which state officials are trying to redevelop without diminishing the island's unique appeal. While there's broad agreement that redevelopment is necessary and overdue, the extent of redevelopment is very much a matter of debate.

As legislators ponder Jekyll's fate, they ought to ask themselves a question:

What would it say about Georgia and its priorities if we took the last open stretch of public beach in the state —- a half-mile stretch of property that is supposedly protected as a state park —- and convert it to condo units and hotels, as is now being proposed? What would that say about the things that Georgia holds dear, and about its commitment to preserve assets for future generations?

Under an amendment approved last week in the House Natural Resources Committee, development would be barred along roughly 2,500 feet of now open beachfront north of Jekyll's convention center.

However, chances of that provision being enacted into law are mixed at best, because that property is so highly treasured by developers. It plays a key role in a redevelopment project proposed by Linger Longer Inc. and approved in draft form by the Jekyll Island State Park Authority.

If enacted into law, the development ban —- sponsored by state Rep. Debbie Buckner (D-Junction City) —- would force a significant redesign of the Linger Longer project. Expected revenue from the project would decline, as would the number of overnight visitors the project is likely to attract.

However, the intent of a redevelopment plan for Jekyll Island should not be to maximize revenue or even visitation. The No. 1 priority should be to preserve and enhance the natural resource. If we give any other goal a higher priority, it says something less than flattering about us as a state.

-- Jay Bookman, for the editorial board

03/23 - Jekyll Island redevelopment: Responses to "Jekyll Island deserves a planned, professional upgrade," issue: March 17

2008-03-26T17:54:00.000-07:00

ajc.com > Opinion
Click-2-Listen
LETTERS
By Frank Mirasola, David Kyler, Jody Butler, Mary Shepherd, Charles Busfield
For the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/23/08

Lift the lid of the stew pot and find some very unsavory ingredients bubbling

Everything Jay Bookman says about Jekyll Island deserving a planned, professional upgrade is on target. Why is that not happening now? Lift the lid on the stew pot and you can see the ingredients: politicians, developers, bankers, lobbyists, hired toadys and big-time professional "bag men." Nary a conservationist, preservationist or steward for the common good in the crowd.

Even a cursory look at the numbers tells you they are bogus. If they are willing to lie about the small stuff, what are they not telling you about the big stuff? Remember the $10 million tax abatement for a hotel project, the $11.3 million "rainy day" fund, the $25 million to fix infrastructure to facilitate the private partner's revitalization effort? All this bears looking into. It's time to call a halt to this land grab. Let's go back to square one and do it the right way.

FRANK MIRASOLA
Mirasola is president of the Jekyll Island Citizens Association.

Transparency lacking

Jay Bookman's insightful recommendations for planning Jekyll Island prior to redeveloping it parallel our own recommendations for analysis of visitation capacity. Having a reliable capacity target is essential for the state park's revitalization effort to be successful.

Like developing private property, determining the scale, location and composition of development depends on analysis of needs, options and limitations. Unlike developing private property, an important goal for Jekyll Island is fulfilling a thoughtfully defined public interest. By proposing to commit millions of dollars in public funds to support private development without knowing what is needed, the Jekyll Island Authority has accomplished neither.

The great potential legacy for all involved, including the governor, is being squandered by the JIA's aversion to transparency and meaningful public involvement.

DAVID KYLER
Kyler is executive director of the Center for a Sustainable Coast.

Current proposal is one beaut of a sellout

Thanks to Jay Bookman for highlighting the problems with the Jekyll Island Authority's plan to revitalize Jekyll Island. The current proposal calls for considerable development on the island and changes that would impact Jekyll's ecology and the ability of average Georgians to stay in their own state park. State Sen. Jeff Chapman (R-Brunswick) sponsored a bill to protect Jekyll's beaches from private development and preserve the island's affordability. The bill was killed in committee in a quick vote. The authority should listen to citizens concerned with keeping Jekyll affordable for average Georgians and protecting its rare beauty, rather than selling out to the highest bidder.

JODY BUTLER, Carrollton

Island authority time and again ignores wishes of the majority

The Jekyll Island Authority has disappointed our constituents time and time again in favor of high-density development, which has been proved to be unnecessary and detrimental to that island's delicate ecology. The authority seems absolutely determined to ignore the wishes of the majority.

Speaking for citizens of Georgia who will not have access to the kind of development planned, and who seem to have no voice in this matter, I urge everyone to rally against this planned desecration of one of our most valuable natural resources!

MARY SHEPHERD, Atlanta

Aggressive plans aren't in line with Georgians' best interests

I appreciate the articles published by the AJC over the past weeks informing Georgia citizens about aggressive development plans for Jekyll Island. While Jekyll needs improvements, the current plans are aggressive in the extreme and threaten what Jekyll has long been about. Its fate should be in line with the rightful wishes and best interests of millions of Georgians, not just a nine-member supervisory board whose judgment and practices on this issue have raised serious worthwhile debate.

CHARLES BUSFIELD, Marietta

03/21 - Jekyll Island gets boost

2008-03-26T17:51:00.000-07:00

By Dan Chapman
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/21/08

Protection of Jekyll Island's pristine main beach received a legislative boost Thursday when the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee voted to keep the 1/2 mile stretch of sand development-free.

However, many legislative and political hurdles remain for those who want to prevent condos and hotel rooms from lining the beach near the entrance to the state park, as a developer proposes.

"Part of our coast is under attack right now," said Rep. Debbie Buckner (D-Junction City), whose amendment to Senate Bill 367 passed 9-8. The coastal management measure "would keep open the only remaining beach on Georgia's coast that citizens can drive up to."

Now, some of the island's hotels, shops and recreational offerings wear the worn look of an old couch. Developer Linger Longer proposes a $352 million "town center" project —- condos, hotel rooms, time-share units, shops, restaurants and green space —- on 64 acres between Jekyll's dunes and maritime forest.

But public opinion is mixed on the developer's plans for the 7.5-mile-long barrier island. Linger Longer says it will unveil soon a scaled-back project.

The Jekyll Island Authority, which manages the state park, must approve any development and sign a contract with Linger Longer. Buckner and other legislators, however, don't trust the authority to do the public's bidding.

"It's the public's park. It's their land. It's their property rights," Buckner said. "So it's our responsibility to help them in their efforts to protect what they hold dear."

The legislation prohibits development along 2,500 feet of beach north of the island's convention center.

The bill's next stop is the House Rules Committee, whose members typically vote with the House leadership, most of whom already have given public support to Jekyll redevelopment.

Sen. Ross Tolleson (R-Perry), who sponsored SB 367, vowed to fight the amended bill in House Rules as well as later on the Senate floor, if necessary.

"I'd like to see Jekyll Island redeveloped," Tolleson said in a brief interview. "A lot of people just don't go there anymore."

If stymied in Rules, Buckner said she might play another legislative card by taking a similar measure to the House floor, in a ploy used successfully last year to protect Jekyll's south end from development.

"If we get it to the floor, we'll have a majority of votes in both houses" to protect the beach, Sierra Club lobbyist Neill Herring said. "Yeah, I'm optimistic."

03/20 - Jekyll Island beach protection clears House committee

2008-03-26T17:50:00.001-07:00

ajc.com > Metro
UPDATED: 6:57 p.m. March 20, 2008
By DAN CHAPMAN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/20/08

Protection of Jekyll Island's pristine main beach received a legislative boost Thursday when the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee voted to keep the half-mile stretch of sand development-free.

However, many legislative and political hurdles remain for those who want to prevent condos and hotel rooms from lining the beach near the entrance to the state park, as a developer proposes.

"Part of our coast is under attack right now," said Rep. Debbie Buckner (D-Junction City), whose amendment to Senate Bill 367 passed 9-8. The coastal management measure "would keep open the only remaining beach on Georgia's coast that citizens can drive up to."

Now, some of the island's hotels, shops and recreational offerings wear the worn look of an old couch. Developer Linger Longer proposes a $352 million "town center" project -- condos, hotel rooms, time-share units, shops, restaurants and green space -- on 64 acres between Jekyll's dunes and maritime forest.

But public opinion is mixed on the developer's plans for the 7.5-mile-long barrier island. Linger Longer says it will soon unveil a scaled-back project.

The Jekyll Island Authority, which manages the state park, must approve any development and sign a contract with Linger Longer. Buckner and other legislators, however, don't trust the authority to do the public's bidding.

"It's the public's park. It's their land. It's their property rights," Buckner said. "So it's our responsibility to help them in their efforts to protect what they hold dear."

The legislation prohibits development along 2,500 feet of beach north of the island's convention center.

The bill's next stop is the House Rules Committee, whose members typically vote with the House leadership, most of whom already have given public support to Jekyll redevelopment.

Sen. Ross Tolleson (R-Perry), who sponsored S.B. 367, vowed to fight the amended bill in House Rules as well as later on the Senate floor, if necessary.

"I'd like to see Jekyll Island redeveloped," Tolleson said in a brief interview. "A lot of people just don't go there anymore."

If stymied in Rules, Buckner said she might play another legislative card on the House floor, in a ploy used successfully last year to protect Jekyll's south end from development.

"If we get it to the floor, we'll have a majority of votes in both houses" to protect the beach, Sierra Club lobbyist Neill Herring said. "Yeah, I'm optimistic."

03/17 - Jekyll Island deserves a planned, professional upgrade

2008-03-26T17:48:00.000-07:00

ajc.com > Opinion
By Jay Bookman
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/17/08

After a few days playing golf at Jekyll Island State Park this month, two things became painfully clear:

My golf game needs some major rehabilitation.

So does a lot of the island.

Jekyll is a special place, with lots of history and natural beauty, not to mention reasonably priced golf courses. And although it is hardly unspoiled, it is far less commercialized than other coastal resorts such as St. Simons and Hilton Head.

It is also a lot less expensive, the only resort along the coast that is still affordable to the majority of Georgians.

However, much of Jekyll's infrastructure —- its motels, its commercial district and restaurants, its convention center —- is outmoded and in decline. Visits to the island have been falling slowly over time as a result.

In response, the Jekyll Island Authority —- charged with running the park —- has committed to upgrade those facilities. Its goal is "to revitalize the island in a comprehensive way," says Eric Garvey, the authority's director of marketing.

Unfortunately, that's not what's happening. There is no comprehensive, overall plan for revitalizing Jekyll. Instead, it is occurring in a slapdash, piecemeal, unplanned fashion that endangers what makes the island special.

How many more hotel rooms can the island sustain without compromising its laid-back charm? How many peak-season visitors can it handle? What proportion of rooms should be priced for economy visitors? There are no answers to those and other important questions, a fact that has raised understandable alarm among those who love the island.

According to Garvey, the authority has plans to commission a company to conduct a study and then write a report to address such questions. But while preparations for plans to study are under way, the authority has already committed to major projects that have the potential to dramatically alter the island's character, including construction of more than 1,000 new hotel rooms and condominium units near the island's most popular beach. Several other expansions are also under way or planned, with others yet to come.

Taken separately, those projects may have merit. But on a small island such as Jekyll, they will not be experienced separately. Those developments and subsequent projects will have a cumulative and unknown impact. And while state law does limit development to 35 percent of the island, there is no limit on the density of that development.

The slapdash, amateurish nature of the revitalization effort is also apparent in how the authority has handled criticism of its efforts. The authority's nine-member board of directors is a public body, entrusted with a cherished public asset, and as such it has to expect to be the target of criticism. If some of that criticism has seemed unfair to authority members ... well, that comes with the territory. But rather than lance such suspicion with openness, it has reacted with anger and denial.

At the moment, that suspicion is being fueled by data purportedly showing a 47 percent decline in car traffic to the island since 1996. The number is cited often to justify major changes.

However, even a cursory look at the source of that number tells you it is bogus. Nonetheless, board members and authority staff have responded angrily and unprofessionally to those who have challenged it. Even now, the authority refuses to acknowledge that the number is wrong, as if any concession to their critics is impossible.

"I can't say it is and I can't say it isn't," Garvey said last week.

In itself, the number isn't all that important. But the way it is being mishandled explains a lot about the suspicions generated in this controversy.

Everyone agrees that visits to Jekyll are down; everyone agrees that its infrastructure needs updating. An authority more open to the public, more professional in its approach and less arrogant in its operations would be able to build on that agreement and accomplish something important.

> Jay Bookman is deputy editorial page editor. His column runs Monday and Thursday. (jbookman@ajc.com)

03/16 - OPEN GOVERNMENT HEROES: BABS McDONALD and MINDY and DAVID EGAN, Jekyll Island activists: How many visitors does island get?

2008-03-26T17:46:00.001-07:00

ajc.com > Opinion
By Lori Johnston
For the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/16/08

Babs McDonald realizes that open government comes with a price.

Earlier this year, McDonald, who lives in Athens, requested documents from the Jekyll Island Authority concerning sharp declines in the number of people visiting the island.

The information she wanted was not in one file, the authority responded, but she was free to examine all the files she wished —- 186 boxes containing 1,000 pages each, at a cost of $425. Or she could order copies of everything, which would come to $46,500.

"I could just imagine myself walking into a room with a monitor, i.e. guard, and looking at these boxes. Where would I begin?" said McDonald, who works for the U.S. Forest Service. "As a citizen of the state and as a scientist, I believe they ought to be held accountable for sharing how they arrived at those figures. I can't imagine that the information would be on 180,000 pieces of paper."

Eric Garvey, senior director of marketing and business development for the authority, said the authority's staff was not able to reasonably fulfill McDonald's request.

"She wanted all these archived documents. It was unfortunate that it did seem like a lot of money," he said.

McDonald and others involved in the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island, which claims 10,000 members, are concerned about plans for a giant $352 million redevelopment of the island by Linger Longer Communities. The plan envisions a "town center" built on 63 acres on Jekyll with hotels, condominiums, time shares, a convention center and a retail center. It also calls for park space and an environmental education center.

Opponents say the authority, known as the JIA, has not been forthcoming in responding to requests for information related to the project.

Garvey dismisses those charges.

"Not only does the Jekyll Island Authority take its responsibility to open government seriously with respect to documents, we also answer any correspondence we receive," he wrote in an e-mail to the AJC. "We understand we are a public entity, and if someone requests a document, most often times it is just handed to them. We do get more formal requests from time to time, and those we log and coordinate responses with our representative from the attorney general's office."

David and Mindy Egan are the founders and co-directors of the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island. Part of the Egans' argument about the Linger Longer redevelopment plan is that the JIA has understated the number of visitors to Jekyll as a way of showing that the island is in need of redevelopment.

David Egan says visitation has not declined by 47 percent between 1996 and 2007, as the JIA reported, but by 15 percent.

In addition, the group is often told that information it wants from the JIA is not available, Egan says, or the information is not provided in a timely fashion.

The activist said he has not received a response to questions submitting in writing earlier this year about the original master plan for a 24-acre development, which now has more than doubled in size. When he asked that question at a board meeting in January, he says he was told to submit the request in writing.

"You get a question that people don't want to answer, and the response is, 'Stick it in writing.' You stick it in writing, and it dies," he said.

Garvey, the JIA's marketing chief, said the authority has "no record of receiving this question in a letter or in e-mail." He added that "we reject the charge that the JIA is not responsive to the public, and we are prepared to demonstrate our responsiveness with copies of our log, copies of correspondence, etc."

The Egans have set up a Web site —- savejekyllisland.org —- and have become lightning rods in the debate over Jekyll's future. They joined forces with McDonald in Athens and also found an ally in Atlantan Dory Ingram, a frequent Jekyll visitor who worries about the barrier island.

"Mindy and David have been completely dedicated to seeing that the visitors to Jekyll Island and the people of Georgia get their say" about development on the island, Ingram said. "This year, we've become a pretty prominent voice. It's obvious that somebody out there is listening and is aware that the people are trying to make their voice heard."

Babs McDonald, meanwhile, believes the Georgia Open Records Act is a vital tool. It was passed "so that government can be accountable, even when it doesn't really want to be accountable," she said.

"I guess I wish that the people of the state would demand, because it is their state park, that the JIA open up its records," McDonald said. "If they can't, I think we ought to say, 'Uh-uh, you can't do this kind of project and not be accountable for the numbers.' "

03/13 - Jekyll Island figures just don't add up

2008-03-26T17:41:00.000-07:00

ajc.com > Business
State auditor reports that visitor figures are good
By DAN CHAPMAN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/13/08

Image: The Jekyll Island Authority seeks the massive construction of hotels and condos to boost visitation, while residents oppose. An audit shows the island already turns a profit. - Keith Hadley/AJC Staff

Jekyll Island — depending on who's talking — is either in danger of financially slipping into the Atlantic Ocean or is competently keeping its nose above water.

Jekyll's governing body and development partner Linger Longer say the state park is in dire straits, showing a precipitous decline in both visitors and revenues over the last 15 years. Only the construction of hundreds of condos and hotel rooms can save the state park, they say.

"A significant revitalization is something that will make Jekyll a compelling destination," said Linger Longer's Jim Langford.

But wait just a minute.

According to the state auditor, the region's top legislator and a citizens' group, Jekyll Island's condition isn't that critical. The park still makes money. Visitation drops, on average, only one percent a year. With a few new hotels and shops, Jekyll will be as good as new, they say.

"The Authority and Linger Longer are crying wolf and painting this picture of a rundown Jekyll so they can maximize their commercial activity," said Sen. Jeff Chapman (R-Brunswick), whose district includes Jekyll.

Authority officials and Linger Longer repeatedly cite a 47 percent drop in visitors to Jekyll as justification for large-scale development of the state park.

Jekyll officials say that car traffic, hotel occupancy and convention-center business have dropped significantly the last decade. And, for the first time in years, the state park registered a deficit in fiscal 2006, according to the Jekyll Island Authority's annual report.

It's a bleak picture. Problem is, it's not quite accurate.

In its 2006 annual report, the Authority stated it was $210,575 in the red. But the Authority actually turned a profit of $1,950,081 that year, according to the state auditor's office.

In all, the Authority's annual statements under-reported revenues by $11.3 million since fiscal 1997, according to a state auditor, John Thornton.

Nobody accuses the Authority of misappropriating the money. The Authority didn't include federal grants for historic preservation, or local sales tax revenues used for sewer projects, as overall earnings, according to Eric Garvey, the Authority's marketing and business development director. Instead, the money went into capital reserve accounts not listed in annual reports.

Chapman said the reserve account kept the information from being easily available to the public.

"The JIA Annual Reports are not prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles," Thornton wrote to Chapman on Feb. 14. "As such, we do not believe the JIA Annual Reports from 1997 through 2007 provide an accurate picture of JIA's annual revenues or expenditures."

Garvey denied that facts and figures are misused to portray a negative impression of Jekyll. He likened the annual reports to "marketing" documents and "snapshots of our annual performance.

The 7.5-mile long barrier island near Brunswick is poised for massive redevelopment by Linger Longer and others. Langford's company proposes a $352 million "town center" project with hotels, condos, shops and parks running from the dunes to the maritime forest. Langford said a revised project — "with significant changes" — should be unveiled by early April.

Chapman, along with a statewide citizens' group, has tried to thwart Linger Longer's plans. The senator introduced three bills this legislative session to keep new development off the beach, as well as to ensure the affordability of most new lodgings for middle-class Georgians, as state law intends. All bills were roundly defeated in committee last month.

Chapman first grew suspicious of the Authority's redevelopment plans last June when the island's governing body hurriedly granted the Trammell Crow Co., builders of a beachside hotel and condo project, a $10 million rent abatement. Chapman earlier this year asked the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts to investigate the Authority's books.

"JIA has given the distorted impression that it was on the brink of financial insolvency," Chapman said in a Feb. 26 statement.

Said Garvey, "We want our annual earnings statement to be reflective of what we're able to generate through normal business activity. Our full financial accounting is audited each year and, as far back as we know, we've received clean management reports from state auditors."

Thornton concurred.

The drop-off in visitation claimed by the Authority and Linger Longer is another dispute. Between 1996 and 1997, the number of estimated visits to Jekyll plummeted from 3.5 million to 1.9 million — a 44 percent drop, according to data compiled by the Authority.

But that year, the counting method was flawed, according to Ken Cordell, a U.S. Forest Service expert on park visitation. Cordell compared the count gathered by Jekyll with one compiled by the Georgia Department of Transportation. The DOT figures showed only a slight drop-off in traffic that year.

State auditors also reported that parking fee revenues in 1996 and 1997 barely changed. Authority records show that hotel occupancy rates dipped only 1.9 percent during that time period. And the number of visitors taking historic district tours actually rose 10 percent.

"It is a relatively safe assumption that something about the JIA method of counting and estimating visitation changed between 1996 and 1997," Cordell concluded.

David Egan, co-director of the nonprofit Initiative to Protect Jekyll, the citizens' group opposed to large-scale redevelopment of the state park, said the Authority stopped counting decals affixed to cars owned by island residents or frequent visitors. In all, Egan said, visitation has declined by 15 percent — not the 47 percent claimed by the Authority and Linger Longer — between 1996 and 2007.

Garvey said he didn't want to haggle over statistics.

"We're much more interested in the future," he said.

03/06 - Jekyll Island falls victim to GOP and its corporate cohorts

2008-03-26T17:37:00.000-07:00

ajc.com > Opinion
READERS WRITE
By Dennis Rice
For the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/06/08

In spite of tremendous public opposition, the Republican members of the Jekyll Island Authority have voted to whittle away a portion of Jekyll Island with unnecessary and unwanted condominiums and other developments along the beachfront. This giveaway is all about Republican politics solely for the benefit of Linger Longer Corp.

Regardless of their efforts to change the public's mind, I have not heard anyone, other than the corporation and its supporting Republican politicians, who is in favor of the developments proposed by Linger Longer. No doubt, this is politics as usual. What's good for the natural environment of Jekyll Island and those who enjoy its naturalness doesn't count for a thing in the eyes of those who only see money. Shame is not a word they know.

DENNIS RICE, Athens

03/22 - Jekyll defense now up to Plan B

2008-03-26T17:29:00.000-07:00

The Florida Times-Union
March 22, 2008
By CAROLE HAWKINS
Times-Union correspondent

Image: CHRIS VIOLA/The Times-UnionA group of 20-foot tall pines in the parking lot of the Jekyll Island Convention Center is considered a boundary for development on the beach.

JEKYLL ISLAND - Two days before a House committee voted to ban development along Jekyll Island's main beach, a state agency delineated a large portion of the same area as an environmentally sensitive zone.

With the ban standing little chance of passage, laws designed to protect sensitive dunes inside that zone may be conservationists' best recourse in curbing development along the beach.

While Linger Longer Communities, Jekyll Island's development partner, said it can make design changes to meet the environmental standards and permit requirements, conservation groups say it's going to be tougher than they think.

The state Department of Natural Resources' survey showed nearly half of Jekyll's proposed beachfront village will fall within Georgia Shore Protection Act jurisdiction. The Jekyll Island Authority, the island's governing body, had anticipated portions of the development would be affected and had requested the survey in January.

"We take our charge to protect the unique and unspoiled beaches of Jekyll Island very seriously," authority board Chairman Ben Porter said in a statement released Tuesday.

Georgia's Shore Protection Act restricts construction on the landward side of dunes in order to protect the natural flow of the sand that maintains them. The dune system, in turn, protects people and property from storm surges and erosion, said Susan Shipman, director of the DNR's Coastal Resources Division.

To determine the area that falls within the act's jurisdiction, survey crews find the first trees 20 feet and taller west of the dunes and then draw lines between them. Anything on the ocean side of the resulting line is considered to be under the Shore Protection Act. In order to be granted construction permits, buildings within the jurisdictional area must be hurricane resistant and a third of the land must remain in a natural state, Shipman has said.

An official from developer Linger Longer Communities says the company is taking the news of the jurisdiction line in stride.

"We know this is just part of working on the coast," said Jim Langford, project executive for Linger Longer. "We had already planned some significant changes [to our proposed design] based on public input. We are comfortable working with the Shore Protection recommendations and will take the jurisdiction line into account."

Langford said part of the beach village's convention center hotel site, part of the retail district, condominiums and time-share units will be affected by the Shore Protection delineation. He believes his company can accommodate the one-third no-build restriction, because the overall development incorporates 40 percent green space already.

"It might mean moving things around a little bit. It might mean setting things back from the beach," he said.

David Egan of the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island, a grass-roots group advocating restrained development on Jekyll, noted the restrictions will affect one of the densest portions of the Linger Longer development.

Much of the beach village's proposed green space was planned for the island interior, not the beach, he said.

Egan says the Jekyll Island Authority did developers no favor by choosing a beachfront parcel for development.

"What did they expect they would put there, a park?" he said. "A developer is going to put hotels and condos to maximize their profit. You can't blame them for doing that."

Officials with Center for a Sustainable Coast, an environmental watchdog group, agree that Linger Longer will need to change its design to comply with Shore Protection requirements.

"You have hardened structures, houses, walls and condominiums in a highly erodeable area," said Wesley Woolf, managing director of the organization. "That's not a smart business decision and it's not a smart natural resource preservation decision."

David Kyler, executive director for Center for a Sustainable Coast, says the requirement to protect shoreline areas within the act's jurisdiction is more complex than a simple one-third no-build requirement.

"The DNR has a responsibility to protect the dunes. They can require two-thirds or more if they believe there will be an impact to the sand sharing system," he said.

This story can be found on Jacksonville.com at http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/032208/geo_260460871.shtml.

03/21 - Close win in Jekyll fight

2008-03-26T17:27:00.000-07:00

The Florida Times-Union
March 21, 2008
By Brandon Larrabee
The Times-Union

ATLANTA - A narrow vote by a House panel rejuvenated efforts to protect a half-mile of open beach on Jekyll Island, but the measure approved Thursday faces a steep uphill climb before it becomes law.

On a 9-8 vote, the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee attached an amendment barring condominiums and other high-end accommodations on the popular beach to a Senate measure that would remove the expiration date of Georgia's Coastal Management Act.

The amendment was sparked by concerns over a $352 million plan by Linger Longer Communities, developer of the posh Reynolds Plantation resort on Lake Oconee, to redevelop the state park.

"This would be a way for us to protect what is open beach, and it would be an opportunity as our population grows for there to always be an open access to public beach in a public park that's owned by the public," said Rep. Debbie Buckner, D-Junction City, who offered the amendment. "It'll give us an opportunity to have this as a first-class amenity for our citizens in their park."

Residents and visitors who had fought for the protections were guardedly optimistic after the first win after a series of defeats for similar measures in the House and Senate.

"I'm pleased that the public still has an opportunity to get protections for the island," said Dory Ingram, a volunteer lobbyist for the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island.

Lawmakers opposed to the measure, though, said the amendment trampled on the work done by the Jekyll Island Authority to revamp the state park's sagging tourist infrastructure.

"We have given the responsibilities to the Jekyll Island Authority of overseeing the development of that state property, and for us to go in and do something like this, I think, purely is micromanaging ...," said Rep. John Heard, R-Lawrenceville.

Eric Garvey, a spokesman for the authority, said the agency had already asked the Department of Natural Resources to clearly mark the area where no new construction could take place without a permit.

"The Jekyll Island Authority is committed to complying with all those limitations," Garvey said. "We embrace that, and we don't think there needs to be additional limitations added."

Buckner said the public outcry over building on the beach should carry the day.

"It is their park," Buckner said. "It is their land. It is their property rights that are being violated if it's developed in a way other than what they would prefer. And so it's our responsibility, I feel, to help them in their efforts to protect what they hold near and dear."

Opponents also raised concerns that the maneuver could endanger the Coastal Management Act, which brings federal funds and coastal protections to the state.

"We are commingling a lot of stuff here, and I think there is confusion," said Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee Chairman Ross Tolleson, R-Perry, who sponsored the original bill.

The measure still faces several challenges. The amendment still has to survive the House Rules Committee, which controls the bills that go to the House floor. The panel can also rewrite measures to its liking.

Even if the protections get through the House, they still have to gain Senate approval to be sent to Gov. Sonny Perdue for his signature or veto.

"We just have to keep taking a bite at the apple and hoping something's going to get to the core," Buckner said.

brandon.larrabee@morris.com, (678) 977-3709

This story can be found on Jacksonville.com at http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/032108/geo_260147524.shtml.

03/19 - Protect Georgia's resources

2008-03-26T17:26:00.000-07:00

The Florida Times-Union
March 19, 2008
Special to the Times-Union

From scenic mountains, through dense pine forests, along rushing rivers and to our spectacular coast, Georgia has a diverse landscape that is home to an abundance of plants and animals.

Safeguarding our wild places for future generations is a priority for Georgia, and the General Assembly must ensure funding to protect our natural landscapes.

In his 2009 proposed budget, Gov. Sonny Perdue has requested $35 million for the Georgia Land Conservation Program. This program, created in 2005 and funded each year by the state legislature, helps enhance the state's natural and cultural legacy by permanently protecting strategic parcels of land for conservation.

Our barrier islands, such as Ossabaw and Jekyll, are wonderful examples of natural areas in our own backyard that provide families in our community with a connection to nature.

If appropriated, these funds will allow communities across the state to continue protecting areas around them for recreational uses, such as hiking, hunting and fishing.

As the population of Georgia continues to grow at a rapid pace, we must act now to set aside and protect areas from development that compromise the integrity of our wild places.

Supporting the allocation of funds in the budget for the Georgia Land Conservation Program will give local governments and conservation organizations a tool to owffset the loss of land to development.

With the recent drought, water quality and quantity has become a top concern for many Georgia residents.

We cannot neglect the role that land protection has on our freshwater resources. Land protection can ensure lower population density and limit the harmful effects of polluted runoff in sensitive areas.

Georgia is home to many major corporations.

Our abundance of natural resources is one of the primary reasons our state is such a good place to do business.

To continue enjoying this smart economic growth across the state, we must ensure thoughtful and informed land management strategies that benefit the quality of life and continue to attract business and industry to Georgia.

Supporting the Georgia Land Conservation Program will help us reach this goal and demonstrate that we consider land stewardship a top priority for all areas of our state, especially coastal Georgia.

MARTIN MELAVER
chairman,
Georgia's Conservancy Board
Savannah, Ga.

This story can be found on Jacksonville.com at http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/031908/opl_259090763.shtml.

03/07 - Bill to limit building on Jekyll dies in House

2008-03-26T17:20:00.000-07:00

The Florida Times-Union
March 7, 2008
By Brandon Larrabee,
The Times-Union

ATLANTA - A proposal that would have restricted new development on Jekyll Island's beachfront and set up new standards to protect its traditional role as an affordable getaway essentially died in committee Thursday.

But supporters, convinced that the measure reflects what Georgians want for "the people's island," said they would scramble to find another way to push the regulations through the General Assembly, perhaps by tacking the measure onto another bill before the legislative session ends in early April.

"The citizens have spoken," said Rep. Debbie Buckner, D-Junction City, who sponsored the measure. "We haven't listened. The island belongs to the people of Georgia, and as a landowner, they should be able to have a voice on what happens on the island."

Under House Bill 1289, an open beachfront on the Atlantic Ocean side of the island would have been largely shielded from development. And at least 50 percent of new hotel rooms built in an effort to revitalize the island would have to have rates "comparable" to the nightly rate state employees get for hotel rooms when on official business, or about $128.

Citing a lack of time before a crucial legislative deadline, a House subcommittee set up to consider H.B. 1289 decided to take no action on the measure.

Members of the panel said it would be too late to get the bill through the full State Institutions and Property Committee and to the House floor by Tuesday, the 30th working day of the legislative session, when bills must either pass one chamber or die.

"Day 30 is Tuesday," said Rep. Mike Cheokas, D-Americus. "And we won't be able to make a committee meeting until after Day 30."

A similar measure was killed last week by the Senate Economic Development Committee.

The Jekyll Island Authority, which manages the island for the state, has argued that the measure would kill a planned $352 million development by Linger Longer Communities, developer of the posh Reynolds Plantation resort on Lake Oconee.

Instead, committee members said the House might be willing to consider a nonbinding resolution urging the Jekyll Island Authority to follow some of the standards Buckner's bill would have put in state law.

Supporters of Buckner's measure accused the subcommittee of intentionally moving slowly, delaying the subcommittee meeting for several days before taking it up Thursday.

"They dragged their heels on setting a date for the subcommittee," said David Egan, head of the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island, a grass-roots organization that has been critical of the Linger Longer proposal.

But the battle over Jekyll isn't completely over, Buckner said, noting the end of the session doesn't come until the close of the 40th working day.

"I'm not going to give up hope yet," she said. "We have at least 10 legislative days."

brandon.larrabee@morris.com, (678) 977-3709.
This story can be found on Jacksonville.com at http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/030708/geo_254596943.shtml.

03/04 - Opponents set sights on 'the people's beach'

2008-03-26T17:13:00.000-07:00

The Florida Times-Union
March 4, 2008
By Brandon Larrabee
The Times-Union

Image (top): CHRIS VIOLA/The Times-Union: On the beachThirty-year residents of Jekyll Island Ann Stephens (left) and Fran Cerrato take their daily walk on the beach past the Jekyll Island Convention Center on Monday. Both said they wanted to see the development of commercial properties including hotels and a shopping center, but they are concerned that beach access might be limited by the condominiums.
Image (bottom): Brandon Larrabee/The Times-Union: Sen. Jack Murphy, R-Cumming, holds up an aerial photograph of Jekyll Island and a sketch of Linger Longer's planned development along a popular beachfront. The beachfront is at the center of this year's battle over Jekyll redevelopment.

ATLANTA - In the fight over the direction of Jekyll Island redevelopment, the battlefield keeps shifting from one part of the barrier island to another.

Last year, the focus for those who wanted to shield the island from overdevelopment was the ecologically fragile south end, where sea turtles nested and where a 4-H Center and nationally known soccer field were located.

This year, ground zero has shifted to a patch of beach that is one of the first sights that visitors to the island see and is at the center of Linger Longer Communities' $352 million plan to revitalize Jekyll's sagging tourist infrastructure.

Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, chief sponsor of a measure aimed at prohibiting additional development along that beachfront, said he and supporters thought they were dealing with most of the land that needed specific protection when they pushed through legislation shielding the south end.

"But no one had any idea that, now, they were going to move and build condos on the most popular public beach area," he said.

The reason the beach is precious, supporters say, comes from its position. The beach is the one most open to the public along the Atlantic Ocean side of Jekyll. Go south, and there are hotels and the protected south end. Go north, and the beach narrows and gets swallowed up during high tides.

"There just isn't another place to go like that," said David Egan, head of the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island.

Opponents of restrictions on the beachfront say it would hamper Linger Longer's efforts and prevent the developer and the Jekyll Island Authority from moving the "footprint" of buildings in a way that might end up more favorable for Jekyll.

And the plan will only take up about 8 percent of the beachfront on Jekyll, while the beach on the other side of the buildings will still be just as open to the public.

"It's pure nonsense to think that you're going to have a beach accommodation but you're not going to have any structures on the beach," said Steve Croy, a member of the authority board who spoke at a recent Senate committee hearing where Chapman's bills were voted down.

Egan counters that there are already more beachfront rooms being added on other parts of Jekyll, and that the size of the land doesn't matter as much as its worth to the public - and others.

"There's something real special about it to the developer as well as to the visitor," Egan said of what's called "the people's beach."

Efforts to pass legislation like Chapman's aren't officially dead. A similar measure by Rep. Debbie Buckner, D-Junction City, is now in a special House subcommittee, though it would likely fare little better in the Senate panel than did Chapman's. Sponsors could try to amend the restrictions onto other legislation if they can find a bill that would make the amendment relevant.

This story can be found on Jacksonville.com at http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/030408/geo_253374600.shtml.

03.25 - Sneaky tactic affects Jekyll Island's future

2008-03-26T17:08:00.000-07:00

Sneaky tactic affects Jekyll Island's future
Date: March 25, 2008
Section(s): Commentary

It is a common practice among politicians, but that doesn't make attaching unwanted amendments to popular legislation right. It's a sneaky, back-door tactic that is tantamount to trying to shove something distasteful and unnecessary down the throats of Georgians.

This is what Rep. Debbie Buckner, D-Columbus, is doing. She's resorting to this old-time political trick after running into a brick wall when trying earlier this session of the General Assembly to get legislation through that would throw a wrench into plans by Linger Longer Communities to rejuvenate Jekyll Island.

Rep. Buckner tacked her bill in the form of an amendment onto legislation that would extend the life of the Coastal Zone Management Act by removing the act's expiration date.

Because of the amendment, the legislation narrowly escaped defeat in the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee Thursday, passing 9-8. Now, those who depend on the Coastal Zone Management Act for funding to protect coastal resources are apprehensive about the future of CZM.

Rep. Buckner's amendment seeks to block certain development from certain areas of the Jekyll Island waterfront. It's built upon the pretense that the public will no longer have access to the beach if the $342 million revitalization plan is allowed to go forward as is.

To begin with, no one knows what the final version of the plan will be. Secondly, why would anyone spend or invest $342 million in a project that would deny people access to the one drawing card that Jekyll Island has, which is the beach? It just wouldn't make sense.

What Rep. Buckner is attempting to do is micro-manage the repair and long-overdue overhaul of Jekyll Island.

Jekyll Island has gone nowhere but downhill over the past two decades. It will continue the current rate of descension unless politicians stop trying to crush or maim every plan that professional consultants come up with to improve the island.

03/22 - Fight flares anew to stop Jekyll plan

2008-03-26T17:07:00.001-07:00

Date: March 22, 2008
Section(s): Local News
By ANNA FERGUSON
The Brunswick News

Jekyll Island and state officials are concerned about the impact an amendment attached to a House bill will have on the Georgia park and coast.

The amendment, attached to Senate legislation that seeks to remove the upcoming expiration date of the Georgia Coastal Zone Management Act, takes aim at the $342 million revitalization project planned for state-owned Jekyll Island by Linger Longer Communities.

Introduced by Rep. Debbie Buckner, D-Columbus, the amendment bars condominiums and other luxury accommodations - as proposed in Linger Longer's plan - on a half-mile section of beach on the island.

It would block from development the beach area at the existing convention center.

The House Natural Resources and Environment Committee narrowly passed the amendment in a 9-8 vote Thursday.

Buckner's amendment stems from some fears that the redevelopment project will block public access to the open beach area.

"I'm very concerned about (Jekyll Island) becoming overdeveloped," Buckner said. "It is a public beach and a public park. It seems to me since this is the only open public (state park) beach left on the Georgia coast, it should stay the way the people want it. And the people have spoken."

The amendment would not do harm to Jekyll, Buckner said. Instead, it could make Linger Longer rethink plans, which in her opinion, is not a bad thing.

"The only plausible thing it could do is make the developers go back to the drawing board," Buckner said. "And that's not a bad thing."

Measures introduced earlier in the session by Buckner and by Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, to accomplish the same objective were withdrawn or defeated. That's why Buckner decided to attach it to another bill.

Susan Shipman, director of the Coastal Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, is concerned about what might happen to extending the Coastal Zone Management Act if the legislation fails to pass because of the amendment.

"I am very concerned with the reaction to the bill from under the gold dome," she said, referring to state legislators in the Capitol. "Based on past Jekyll bill track records, bills (to halt renovation) have not made it very far. It concerns me greatly."

Created in 1997, the Georgia Coastal Zone Management Act allows the state to participate in and to receive funds from the federal Coastal Management Act. The act has a sunset provision and is set to expire in July 2009 unless legislators take action.

Under the act, area organizations receive funds to help conserve, research and rehabilitate sensitive areas of the coast, as well as work to develop outreach and education initiatives for 11 counties in the region.

"This act is multifaceted and very diverse," Shipman said. "It allows for better management of the coast and the federal grants provide a substantial portion of our annual funding."

Shipman is not the only one who is concerned. Linger Longer project manager Jim Langford said he is disappointed by Buckner's actions.

"It's unfortunate that the Coastal Georgia Management (Act) extension was encumbered by this Jekyll legislation, that it is an attempt to restrict our renovation efforts," Langford said. "It's not good legislation and it puts unnecessary restrictions on Jekyll."

Similar thoughts about the amendment were echoed by the Jekyll Island Authority. As the agency that oversees island development and preservation, the authority sees the amendment as unnecessary, said Eric Garvey, senior marketing director for Jekyll Island.

"(We) hope that it can be stopped without affecting the Coastal Management Act, which is important environmental legislation," Garvey said.

The amendment faces obstacles. It's next stop is the House Rules Committee, which includes House Majority Leader Jerry Keen, R-St. Simons Island. Keen supports revitalization plans for Jekyll Island.

Chapman feels differently. If the amendment is not adopted, public access to the open beach will be lost, he said.

"It would be wise of Linger Longer to accept and embrace this amendment and move forward accordingly," Chapman said.

Chapman predicted that the amendment would easily pass through the upcoming floor and Senate votes to become law.

"My colleagues are all very excited about it," he said. "This amendment is the right thing to do."

03/05 - Attorney General OKs deal

2008-03-26T17:01:00.000-07:00

Slugline Attorney General OKs deal
Date: March 05, 2008
Section(s): Local News

When the Trammell Crow development deal surfaced last year, state Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, had questions.

He was concerned about a possible $10 million tax abatement between the Jekyll Island Authority and the developers.

But what Chapman referred to as "abatement" turned out to be a mere rent agreement between the authority and the developers, the state Attorney General's Office said Tuesday.

Chapman had asked for the opinion of the Attorney General.

"It was erroneous of Sen. Chapman to call it an abatement," said Russ Willard, director of communications for the Attorney General's office.

"It was a rent agreement that is reflective of the base amount of rent. It's a standard rent plan."

- Anna Ferguson,

The Brunswick News

03/05 - Jekyll hotel construction set to begin

2008-03-26T16:59:00.000-07:00

Date: March 05, 2008
Section(s): Local News
By ANNA FERGUSON
The Brunswick News

The building has been demolished and the blueprints have been submitted.

It's now a waiting game for Trammell Crow's proposed development on Jekyll Island.

"Everything is moving forward," said Eric Garvey, spokesman for the Jekyll Island Authority. "It's been a very normal, smooth process with the project."

Trammell Crow's new hotel, Canopy Bluff, will take the place of the Buccaneer, demolished at the end of 2007.

Groundbreaking on the new hotel is planned for April, Garvey said.

The only snag in the project came earlier this year, when original designs exceeded height restrictions of the Jekyll Island Authority. New designs have been created and will be submitted to the authority this week, said David Deshong, a representative of Global Accents and Trammell Crow.

"We're finalizing plans right now to submit new renderings of our design," Deshong said.

As it stands now, Canopy Bluff isn't much to look at. Mostly, it's a fenced-in field of fresh dirt stirred alongside downed tree limbs and leftover patches of landscaping.

The $120 million Canopy Bluff hotel will feature 301 rooms and 127 condominium rentals, plus a conference center, five swimming pools, a full-service restaurant and spa.

Affordability has been a top concern for most Jekyll Island redevelopment plans and was taken into consideration when planning on the new hotel began, Garvey said. Falling between a four-star and economy rate hotel, Canopy Bluff is slated to be one of the islands higher-end options.

"It's not set to be an economy hotel, but it also won't be exclusive," Garvey said.

Construction of Canopy Bluff is expected to take about 16 months, Garvey said.

03/01 - Legislative hurdles to Jekyll plan flattened

2008-03-26T16:58:00.000-07:00

Date March 01, 2008
Section(s) Local News
By ANNA FERGUSON

The Brunswick News

A House bill that could have halted redevelopment plans for Jekyll Island has been dismissed for now by a committee in the lower chamber of the Georgia General Assembly.

Introduced by Rep. Debbie Buckner, D-Columbus, House Bill 1289 faced a hearing in the State Properties and Institutions Committee Thursday and was promptly returned to sender when members said they had too many questions about the content and impact of the legislation.

The proposed legislation called for stricter beachfront building requirements. Were it to be enacted, it would greatly alter the $341 million revitalization plan proposed by the Jekyll Island Authority and Linger Longer Communities, said Eric Garvey, senior marketing director for the Jekyll Island Authority, which oversees the state-owned island.

The bill was the last of four measures introduced in the General Assembly that threatened to derail plans for Jekyll Island's revitalization that a legislative committee repelled Thursday. Three proposed by state Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, were struck down by a Senate committee.

The language in Buckner's legislation was strikingly similar to wording used in the three measures proposed by Chapman, who opposes the Linger Longer blueprints. All three measures were rejected by the Senate Economic Development Committee.

Buckner withdrew her measure, requesting that the House committee not vote on it. She said she wanted to rework the language.

The plan to revitalize the state park calls for new hotels, condominiums, a new convention center and town center.

02/28 - Bills meant to block Jekyll redevelopment are killed

2008-02-29T15:37:00.000-08:00

ajc.com > Metro
By JIM GALLOWAY
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/28/08

A Senate committee on Thursday killed three bills intended to block a redevelopment plan for Jekyll Island.

Members of the Jekyll Island Authority, in charge of reconstructing the state park, accused state Sen. Jeff Chapman (R-Brunswick) of lying to make his case for the legislation.

The trio of bills would have prohibited residences from being built in state parks across Georgia, and would have restricted new construction on Jekyll Island to sites where development has already occurred.

The hour-long hearing was held in one of the smallest conference rooms in the Capitol, forcing spectators into the hall. It came only days after Chapman accused the authority of fudging visitor numbers and under-reporting its revenue by $11.3 million over the past 10 years.

"That is an absolute untruth, and the senator knew it when he said so," said Ben Porter, chairman of the Jekyll Island Authority.

Chapman didn't back off. The authority's claims, he told his colleagues, "are not exactly accurate, to put it in nice terms, regarding revenue, regarding visitation."

Chapman and residents of the island say the redevelopment, approved by the Legislature last spring, has ballooned — without sufficient public input — from 24 acres to a 64-acre project that would add 1,100 hotel, condo, cottage and time-share units to the state park.

Specifically, the plan would do away much of the parking immediately adjacent to the island's most popular beach.

Chapman repeatedly pointed to the origins of Jekyll Island's acquisition as a state park intended for the enjoyment of average Georgians. "Jekyll Island needs to be rebuilt — not destroyed, not expanded," said Chapman.

Porter and another authority member, Steve Croy, testified that the legislation would kill the public-private redevelopment now underway, by unfairly capping the profits of its private partner, Linger Longer Communities.

"We understand that Jekyll Island is a state park. but people don't come there for a state park experience. They come there to be in a beach atmosphere," Croy said.

In three votes, the Republicans on the Senate Economic Development Committee defeated the bills. Democrats provided Chapman with his only support.Afterwards, Chapman said the outcome was a victory for "the powers that be" — pointing out that the Reynolds family, which controls Linger Longer, is a significant donor to Republican causes.

Find this article at:
http://www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/stories/2008/02/28/jekyll_0229.html

02/27 - Senator: Jekyll misrepresented revenue, visitor numbers

2008-02-29T15:35:00.001-08:00

ajc.com > Metro
By STACY SHELTON
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/27/08

A state senator on Tuesday accused the Jekyll Island Authority of misrepresenting revenue and visitor numbers to make the case for more development in the state park.

Sen. Jeff Chapman (R-Brunswick), whose district includes the barrier island, said his research showed the authority under-reported revenue by $11.3 million over the past 10 years. He said it had not reported a reserve account until recently.

"The picture is not as bad [as the authority wants] people to believe it is," he said. "This attitude that they've got to build hundreds and hundreds of condominiums and sell those condominiums and this big commercial hub, and building it on the people's open parking and beach area, is not necessary. It's unwise."

Authority Chairman Ben Porter, a businessman who has developed coastal property, said Tuesday he had not had a chance to review Chapman's numbers.

"I have no idea what he's talking about," Porter said. "I couldn't comment on anything until I see what he said."

Chapman said he has not run his figures, which he got through research in the State Archives, by the authority, which he said had not responded to earlier requests for information.

Chapman is pushing three bills to let the island's hotels and conference center be rebuilt on their existing footprints but not allow more homes or condominiums.

The authority approved a developer's $352 million, 64-acre project to add 1,100 hotel, condo, cottage and time-share units to the park, which would require demolishing the convention center and a parking lot.

"I'm sure everybody would like to have a condo or home in a state park," Chapman said, "but that's simply not the right thing."

Find this article at:
http://www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/stories/2008/02/26/jekyll_0227.html

02/27 - Jekyll Island counters senator's claims. Park authority says it didn't fail to report revenues

2008-02-29T15:32:00.000-08:00

ajc.com > Metro
By STACY SHELTON
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/27/08

The Jekyll Island State Park Authority on Wednesday counter-punched a state senator who accused the authority of withholding financial information to make the case for developing and refurbishing the barrier island.

In a statement, authority chairman Ben Porter said Sen. Jeff Chapman (R-Brunswick) "grossly and deliberately misrepresented facts" in a news release issued by the senator on Tuesday. Porter said the authority has not withheld financial information, nor did it fail to report $11 million in revenues over ten years as charged by Chapman.

The authority has cited lack of revenues and declining visitors to promote redevelopment.

"Mr. Chapman's repeated attempts to derail the revitalization of Jekyll Island have failed. Now, he has resorted to false claims to further his effort," said Porter, a Macon businessman who has developed coastal property.

Chapman last year led the charge to prevent development on south end of the island.

Last year, the authority approved a developer's plan to add 1,100 hotel, condo, cottage and time-share units to the park. The $352 million, 64-acre project would require demolishing the existing convention center and a parking lot on the beach.

In his Tuesday news release, Chapman also said a mid-1990s change in the way visitors are counted explains the big drop cited by the authority. Porter stood by the authority's numbers, saying convention business, hotel occupancy, golf courses, the Water Park and all visitation to Jekyll have declined in recent years.

Chapman could not immediately be reached for comment.

Find this article at:
http://www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/stories/2008/02/27/jekyll_0228.html

02/28 - Jekyll board stands by its numbers

2008-02-29T15:30:00.001-08:00

Date: February 28, 2008
Section(s): Local News
By ANNA FERGUSON

The Brunswick News

The Jekyll Island Authority is denying accusations by state Sen. Jeff Chapman that the authority is distorting its financial picture and the number of annual visitors to the Island.

Chapman, R-Brunswick, contends the authority failed to report more than $11 million in revenue over the past decade and under reported attendance as well.

"We are taking these charges very seriously," said Eric Garvey, director of marketing and business development for the Jekyll Island Authority. "But it appears that Sen. Chapman is trying to defame our reputation.

"This is nothing more than dirty politics."

In an e-mail released Tuesday to the media, Chapman accused the authority of withholding what he calls important financial information from public documents in its 2007 annual report.

"This new information is eye-opening," Chapman said. "I've been working on these numbers for weeks, checking and rechecking to make sure I was as accurate as possible.

"What I found just didn't add up. We discovered that the authority has underreported its revenue by $11,330,368 over the past 10 years in its earning statements."

The authority debunks the accusation, noting that the funds Chapman cites were given to the authority by the state, such as from sales tax grants, and do not have to be reported to state auditors. Adding in those grants would account for the funds Chapman is referring to as unreported, Garvey said.

"This is Sen. Chapman's misunderstanding," said Garvey. "He did not contact us for information and clarification. We have a clean track record."

The authority follows budgetary accounting practices common to nonprofit organizations, he said.

Chapman also claims that the authority misstated the number of visitors to the island. According to Chapman, the authority reported a drop of 1.5 million visitors since the mid-1990s, based on traffic counts.

That number is impossible because the number of individuals staying in island motels has not declined, Chapman said.

Garvey, noting the method of counting visitors was changed in 1997 by the Georgia Department of Transportation, said Chapman's accusations are merely an attempt to halt the Jekyll Island redevelopment plans and the authority's partnership with Linger Longer Communities.

"The senator's claim of improper reporting of Jekyll visitation by the authority is also false and misleading," Garvey said. "Mr. Chapman is well aware that conventions, hotel occupancy, golf courses, the water park and all visitation to Jekyll have declined in recent years.

"Mr. Chapman's repeated attempts to derail the revitalization of Jekyll Island have failed. Now, he has resorted to false claims to further his effort."

Not true, says Chapman. He said his examination of income reports is not an attempt to defame the authority but rather in keeping with the ideals of good stewardship.

"What is the definition of dirty politics? I'm aggravated to hear that," Chapman said. "That is what weak persons say to strong information.

"This is not about politics. It's about taking care of public trust."

Chapman is currently pushing three bills in the General Assembly that would drastically alter, if not altogether stop, a $341 million redevelopment plan.

Under the plan by Linger Longer Communities, a new convention center, new hotels, part-time residences and additional parking would be added to Georgia's only oceanfront state park.

The drive for redevelopment of the island has been spurred by the deterioration of some motels and a claimed drop in the number of visitors.

02/27 -Jekyll proposal is flawed

2008-02-29T15:24:00.000-08:00

Date: February 27, 2008
Section(s): Letters

The vast majority of those who have problems with the LLC Village Concept attended a public meeting presentation by Jim Langford, reviewed the scale model on display at Villa Ospo, scrutinized the printed copies of the LLC proposal and participated in discussions and debates held by the Citizens Association.

Not only have we "eyeballed" the plan, we have studied it in minute detail.

I believe you will find, if you take the time to ask us, that we are more knowledgeable than the city commission (except for Cornell Harvey), the county commissioners, the Chamber of Commerce and your editorial staff.

Yes it is true that the Village will only take up a fraction of the park, however that "fraction" is located on the prime beach area that is available at high tide and combined with existing and other planned development will take up over a mile and a half of beach front, a fact not noted in your editorial.

I sincerely invite you and the other LLC supporters to come to Jekyll and let us discuss the facts with you face to face.

Frank Mirasola
Jekyll Island Citizens Association

Opponents not against improvement of Jekyll

I must admit, I resented your editorial of Feb. 22 about Jekyll Island opponents. Most opponents that I have spoken to agree that Jekyll is in need of redevelopment and improvement; however, they simply disagree with how Linger Longer is planning to do this.

Before you accuse opponents of Linger Longer's plan of not knowing the facts, you learn the facts about the opponents of Linger Longer Communities proposal.

We are not anti-improvement; we want to see the island kept affordable for average Georgians who cannot afford a hotel room of $250 a night or a million dollar condo. We are the voice of the "average" Georgian.

Laura Powers
Brunswick

Rep. Kingston not friend to environmental causes

The League of Conservation Voters published their congressional rankings today.

Jack Kingston, Georgia's 1st district representative had a perfect score: 0%. Yes, you read right, zero percent.

What this means is that he did not vote for the environment or conservation on a single bill. What does this mean to you or me?

Judge for yourself. He: Voted against funding clean water programs. Voted against protecting consumers from fuel price gouging. Voted against increasing energy efficiency requirements on products, buildings and vehicles. Voted against funding clean air programs. Voted against investing in alternative energy sources and reducing our dependence on coal and foreign oil. Voted against repealing subsidies to big oil.

Representative Kingston is voting against more than just the environment: He's voting against you and me. With oil companies recording record profits, he continues providing them with subsidies while we pay at the pump. He won't fund clean air or water, necessities for us and future generations.

Neglecting to raise energy efficiency standards or fund alternative energy research hits you and I in the pocketbook and continues to keep us chained to the middle east for oil, and the fossil fuel burners for electric.

This year we have an opportunity to replace Mr. Kingston in Washington. It's about time that Georgia's 1st district had a representative who truly represented their constituents, not special interests and corporations. Remember, our government is by the people and for the people. Representative Kingston has not fulfilled this ethic.

Peter Krull
Darien

02/26 - Jekyll plan opposition taken in stride

2008-02-29T15:22:00.001-08:00

Date: February 26, 2008
Section(s): Local News
By ANNA FERGUSON
The Brunswick News

Jim Langford remains calm in the face of adversity.

Despite a row of hurdles tossed his way in recent weeks, he has yet to break a sweat.

As project manager for the revitalization Linger Longer Communities is proposing for Jekyll Island, Langford has met with supporters and opponents, backers and detractors.

The $341 million plan calls for new hotels, convention center and condominiums.

Opposition is not unexpected. And it's not as bad as it sounds, he said.

"We expected to have opposition to our plan," Langford said. "But everything is still very much on track. We're not deterred in the least."

Resistance to the plan as outlined by the Jekyll Island Authority and Linger Longer, its private sector partner, extends all the way to the Georgia General Assembly, where bills introduced in the House and Senate threaten to stop or alter the project in a major way.

The most recent legislation was introduced Thursday in the Georgia General Assembly by Democrats, who are calling for greater preservation efforts to be utilized in the redevelopment plan for the island. Introduced by Rep. Debbie Buckner, D-Columbus, House Bill 1289 calls for revitalization of the island to be energy efficient, affordable and away from Jekyll's sand dunes.

The Democratic bill comes several weeks after Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, announced a few measures of his own. Chapman, a long-time opponent to Linger Longer's $341 million revamping blueprint, introduced bills earlier this month that would essentially put an end to the project.

Despite the newly launched measures, the Linger Longer agenda is moving forward with overwhelming support from local government, the business community and the Jekyll Island Legislative Oversight Committee, Langford said.

"We still feel that we are being supported," he said. "These new bills are pretty unreasonable and we think that is pretty obvious."

Ed Boshears, former state senator and a member of the board of the Jekyll Island Authority, doesn't understand why debate over the new legislative measures is necessary. Linger Longer's plans are not set in stone and are in the process of being reworked, he said.

In other words, it's too soon to take sides, he said.

"I don't see what everyone is so worked up about," Boshears said. "The Linger Longer plan has yet to be finalized. We don't know what the exact plan will be yet.

Everyone is looking at this as if it's either-or. Either you are for Linger Longer or against it. But you can be for Linger Longer without being for every aspect of their plan."

02/25 - New bill addresses Jekyll

2008-02-29T15:18:00.001-08:00

Mon, Feb 25, 2008
By ANNA FERGUSON
The Brunswick news

Jekyll Island is Georgia's Jewel, and Democrats in the state House of Representatives want to make sure it stays that way.
A bill introduced Thursday in the Georgia General Assembly calls for keeping Jekyll Island a natural paradise, although it is not intended to halt Linger Longer Communities redevelopment plans, said the bill's sponsor, Rep. Debbie Buckner, D-Columbus.
The legislation, House Bill 548, would create energy efficient and green building practices on the island. It also would restrict building on the beachfront property and keep the island affordable to all Georgians.
"We want the redevelopment plan to be environmentally friendly, and we want it to be in the footprints of buildings that are already there," Buckner said. "We also want to know that this will always be a place families can afford to go, and right now, we have questions about that."
Plans proposed by the Jekyll Island Authority and its private sector partner, Linger Longer, call for a $341 million revitalization that will include new hotels and condominiums, as well as a new convention center and retail district.
Buckner's bill is not wholly dissimilar to legislation introduced earlier in the session by Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, who opposes the Linger Longer Communities blueprint for redevelopment.
The key difference, Buckner said, is that her bill coincides with Linger Longer plans for energy efficient development and is not calling for the halting of planned construction.
"The Linger Longer plans are in step with our request for green building practices," she said.
She added, however, that "This bill could impact the Linger Longer plans, but that is not the key purpose."
Ben Porter, chair of the Jekyll Island Authority, doesn't see it her way. He said the measure would drastically change their plans for the island.
"Like the Chapman bills, the proposed House legislation would prohibit the revitalization of Jekyll Island and prevent the improvements which will make Jekyll the most desirable, environmentally-friendly destination on the American coast," Porter said in an email.
Buckner said her actions come from a deep-rooted love for Jekyll, where she spent her childhood riding bikes along the island's sandy shores.
"My grandfather had a bike shop on Norwich Street and we would get bikes there and ride around Jekyll," she said. "We introduced this bill because we just want to keep Jekyll unique. We want it to be beautiful and enjoyed for hundreds of years to come."
Others signing HB 548 include Reps. Brian Thomas, D-Lilburn, Dubose Porter, D-Dublin, Barbara Massey Reece, D-Menlo, and Stephanie Benfield, D-Atlanta.
David Egan, founder of the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island, said he favors the legislation. He said Buckner's bill falls in step with many measures his organization is hoping to enforce.
"Buckner's bill seems promising," Egan said. "Any bill that seeks to keep the beachfront property protected, we support."

02/24 - Jekyll tug-of-war starts anew

2008-02-25T16:24:00.000-08:00

IMAGE: Critics of the Linger Longer plan to revitalize Jekyll Island worry that it will discourage visitors from seeing the beaches on the east side of the island.

The Florida Times-Union
February 24, 2008
By Brandon Larrabee,
The Times-Union

ATLANTA - The Battle of Jekyll Island is raging again at the state Capitol.

Lawmakers and residents frustrated with plans to revitalize the state park's sagging tourist infrastructure have returned to the site of their victory last year to try to win more protections for Jekyll's beaches and the middle-income Georgians they say are being forgotten.

This time, though, they face greater resistance than in last year's successful campaign and charges that legislative meddling could undermine an attempt to bring visitors back to a park some say is fading from the memory of many would-be vacationers.

Both sides paint the looming legislative battle as a struggle for the island's soul.

Backers of legislation sponsored by Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, say they're trying to preserve the island's historic mission to be open and accessible to people of all incomes and from all walks of life - the very Georgians they say would be discouraged from coming to Jekyll under the plans of politically connected developer Linger Longer Communities.

"If they manage to shoot this down, they will essentially have a free hand to do with that state park whatever they please," Chapman said.

Linger Longer counters that it is simply trying to renew interest in the island, where visitation has been headed downward, and to make it a prime vacation spot once more.

"We're just trying to make it what it should be," said Jim Langford, the executive overseeing the Jekyll project.

The steepest challenge facing Chapman and his supporters, though, might simply be getting a chance to be heard.

Return to the battleground

For Chapman, it's a return to an issue that brought him key legislative victories in last year's session. Holding a firm Senate majority, Chapman managed to attach a measure preserving the island's ecologically fragile South end onto a bill extending the Jekyll Island Authority lease.

That lease measure was a key goal of the authority, which said it needed a long-term agreement with the state to persuade developers to build on Jekyll.

Chapman's new proposals aim to do three things:

- Define certain terms in the agreement, like "lowest rates reasonable and possible," that have caused many of the clashes;

- Severely restrict new development on the island's beaches; and,

- Bar new residential leases at state parks like Jekyll.

One of the key battlegrounds has become the proposal to try to limit development east of Beach View Drive, a move that Chapman and his supporters say would keep one of the island's most popular beaches open to most visitors.

The Linger Longer plan would use some of that land for a new town center complex that is anathema to opponents of the developer's proposal.

"It's a million-dollar view for the family who doesn't have a million dollars," Chapman said.

Chapman's proposals would also limit prices at new hotels built on the island, a key concern for residents worried about the island shirking its traditional role as a low-price destination.

"What we're seeing is a steady trend upward with the price of the Linger Longer project," said Dory Ingram, a volunteer lobbyist for the grass-roots Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island.

But Langford said the seemingly benign bills advanced by Chapman really have another goal: To kill the development plan entirely.

"It's designed to shut down revitalization, essentially, or any serious attempt at revitalization," Langford said.

He said the proposals for hotel rooms amounts to a price control, and ignores the fact that 72 percent of the rooms brought to Jekyll under the Linger Longer plan would go for less than $139 a night.

And pushing new development west of Beach View Drive could put pressure on wetlands, the Historic District and similar key assets, Langford said.

"There are a number of things west of Beach View that I think should be avoided," he said.

Island access debated

Much of the resistance to the developers' proposals comes from residents who don't want to see the island revitalized and who, in fact, would like to keep the island from becoming a key tourist attraction again, Langford said.

"They really don't want more Georgians to come to Jekyll, and that's not the Jekyll Island that Jekyll was meant to be," he said.

Ingram and Chapman both said they would like to see the island's hotels and accommodations redeveloped. Chapman said that Linger Longer is essentially telling the state: Trust us.

"What I'm proposing is in black and white and easy to understand," he said. "What they're proposing is all verbal."

Critics of Linger Longer also note that the $139 nightly room rental figure comes from including every individual room in a condominium, for instance, as part of the average.

That's not an uncommon practice in the hospitality industry, Langford counters, and in fact accounts for the fact that some groups use time-share condos for a limited time when they go to stay on the beach.

Stuck in committee

For now, the priority for Chapman and his supporters is to get the bills out of the Senate Economic Development Committee, where they've been parked for more than two weeks.

Chairman Chip Pearson, R-Dawsonville, said last week he's asked the Jekyll Island Authority whether the proposals would harm attempts to revitalize the park.

"We want to make sure that we're not undermining completely those efforts that have already been determined," Pearson said.

Once the authority provides Pearson with the information he's asked for, the chairman said, he'll make a decision on whether to hear the bills.

Chapman said he's received no guarantees from Pearson or Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, who heads the Senate, on whether or when the proposals will come before Pearson's committee. He and others are aware that, unlike last year's lease bill, the Jekyll Island Authority and its supporters don't need any legislation this year.

"Having spoken to the lieutenant governor, I want to believe that the people of Georgia are going to have an opportunity to have their legislation heard and voted on," Chapman said.

But while Cagle left open the possibility Chapman's bills could be heard, he also made it clear last week that the Jekyll bills might not have enough leadership support to move forward.

"I don't know that the appetite among the General Assembly is real strong to try to micromanage the process," he said.

brandon.larrabee@morris.com,

(678) 977-3709

what they are saying Backers of legislation to preserve Jekyll Island's historic mission: "If they manage to shoot this down, they will essentially have a free hand to do with that state park whatever they please." - State Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick Backers of plans to develop the state park: "We're just trying to make it what it should be." - Jim Langford, executive overseeing the Jekyll project

This story can be found on Jacksonville.com at http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/022408/geo_250343374.shtml.

02/21 - Brunswick sees more protests

2008-02-25T16:21:00.001-08:00

The Florida Times-Union
February 21, 2008
The Times-Union

BRUNSWICK - From protecting sea turtle nests from a big oceanfront development to protecting Brunswick from a big jail, protesters are busy this week.

Dressed as a loggerhead turtle, Bonnie Newell stalked the sidewalk Wednesday in front of City Hall to argue against the City Commission's consideration of a resolution favoring plans to build condominiums and shops overlooking the beach on Jekyll Island.

The proposed commercial, hotel and residential center is intended to draw more visitors to the island while replacing an aging convention center and shopping center. Mayor Bryan Thompson said he liked the proposal as drawn by Linger Longer Communities, the Jekyll Island State Park Authority's chosen developer, because it is friendly to the environment. The commissioners were to consider the resolution Wednesday night.

Defend Downtown Brunswick, a citizens group, has promised to stage its third protest at 5:30 tonight at a Glynn County Commission meeting. The group wants the commission to abandon its plans to expand the Glynn County Detention Center downtown and instead relocate it.

The county already has bought up property across the street from the jail and torn down houses in preparation for the expansion. More than 300 people protested before and during the Feb. 7 meeting, in which the County Commission adopted a resolution confirming its plans to expand the jail.

This story can be found on Jacksonville.com at http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/022108/geo_249051883.shtml.

02/24 - Jekyll questions call for careful answers

2008-02-25T16:18:00.000-08:00

LETTERS
For the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/24/08

In his column "Jekyll Authority sensitive to public input" (@issue, Feb. 14), Eric Garvey states that "A small number of vocal critics have raised questions" about the authority's efforts and its mission.

Let's define some terms here. "A small number of vocal critics" shall be defined as 6,000 responses to surveys posted online by the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island. Ninety-five percent define revitalization of the island as rebuilding or refurbishing existing hotels, the convention center and retail district, and expanding family dining opportunities.

"Sensitive to public input" should be defined as listening to diverse public opinions, making plans based on input, and being willing to slow down, ask questions and alter your agenda if thousands are passionately opposed to it.

DORY INGRAM
Ingram is metro Atlanta coordinator, Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island.

02/19 - Jekyll developers rev their PR machine

2008-02-25T16:15:00.000-08:00

READERS WRITE
By Steve Lowe, Annie Frazer, Jeffrey Weaver, Diane Shearer, Fred Moss
For the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/19/08

Jekyll developers rev their PR machine

I disagree with Eric Garvey's disingenuous assertion that "only a small number of vocal critics have raised questions" about redevelopment on Jekyll and only since Linger Longer was chosen in fall 2007 ("Jekyll Authority sensitive to public input" @issue, Feb. 14). The issues first came to my attention when I read an article in the AJC in December 2006. Horrified to find the Jekyll Island Authority and various legislators speaking up for massive development, I have been speaking out ever since. The JIA and Linger Longer thought they could just bulldoze through whatever they deemed appropriate. Otherwise, why no environmental impact study in the beginning? Now that they have serious public opposition, they have gone into full-assault public relations.

DIANE SHEARER, Tucker

02/14 - Jekyll Authority sensitive to public input

2008-02-25T16:14:00.001-08:00

By Eric Garvey
For the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/14/08

The Jekyll Island State Park Authority is not accustomed to making headlines or stirring up controversy. Most of our work here involves things like protecting sea turtle nests, preserving historic sites, serving conventioneers, taking care of vacation guests and maintaining some of the country's most natural and pristine beaches.

But since last fall, when the authority chose a private revitalization partner to assist us in redeveloping the central area of the island, a small number of vocal critics have raised questions and, frankly, have spread misinformation about the authority's efforts and its mission.

The General Assembly created the authority in 1950 to manage Jekyll Island, a state-owned coastal treasure to be enjoyed by all Georgians. Each day we work hard to be trustworthy stewards, conserving the island's vast natural and cultural resources through the use of revenues generated by providing services, programs and amenities that maximize benefits to everyone on the island.

To accomplish our mission, we must attract visitors to Jekyll Island each year and generate enough revenue to keep state taxpayers from paying the substantial cost of running the island.

Faced with lagging attendance and declining revenue, the authority launched an effort to revitalize its aging hotels, shops and convention center. Because most of the structures were built in the 1960s, it was clear that the change was going to involve a great amount of redevelopment. The authority is not a real estate developer, and it made good sense to find a high-quality private partner to help us.

In September, the authority concluded a public Request for Proposal by selecting Georgia-based Linger Longer Communities as our revitalization partner. In its proposal, Linger Longer presented a beach village concept that would create a wonderful new destination on the island.

Understandably, there have been questions about the revitalization, but there are a number of key facts that the public should know:

> The beach village proposal is a concept plan. This is not a final plan, and public input is being used to change and enhance it. The authority, working with Linger Longer, will take as much time as needed to ensure we have a plan that limits impact on the natural environment, returns reasonable revenue to the authority and best serves the people of Georgia.

> The beach village concept plan is contained, for the most part, to previously developed areas, where the aging convention center and strip shopping center sit. It covers less than 2 percent of the island, and our final plan will improve both the view and access to this beach area.

> There are no plans to build on the beach. All construction will be behind the natural sand dunes and will comply with Georgia's Shoreline Protection laws.

> The beach village will be a model for environmentally sensitive development, using Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and EarthCraft standards for all new construction. Jekyll Island will be the first coastal area to do this.

> The authority has repeatedly committed to making sure that Jekyll Island (including the new beach village) will remain affordable and accessible to all Georgians.

The beach village plan was recently discussed in a series of public meetings throughout Georgia. Linger Longer and authority representatives have been touring the state talking with civic groups and environmental organizations, as well as many Jekyll Island and Georgia residents in their homes.

The authority's board of directors and the Jekyll Legislative Oversight Committee have also held public sessions, the most recent on Jan. 15 at the state Capitol. The bulk of these meetings have been dedicated to hearing public feedback.

Our critics, though vocal, are a minority. Many people across the state, from business leaders to island residents to regular guests, support the plan to enhance the offerings on Jekyll Island.

While recently in Brunswick, Gov. Sonny Perdue gave strong words of support for Jekyll Island's revitalization. The Legislative Oversight Committee, including its leaders, Senate Majority Leader Tommie Williams and House Majority Leader Jerry Keen, also have commended the progress to date.

The Glynn County Commission has publicly endorsed the plans, as has the Brunswick/Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce. The Tourism Development Alliance of Georgia voted to support Jekyll Island revitalization, and meeting planners from around the state have committed more than $25 million in new business if the plans progress.

Over the past 15 years, Georgians have voted with their wallets —- by not coming to Jekyll Island as they used to, instead spending their beach vacations in other states. That silent, but powerful, vote demonstrates a need for change.

Based on public input that we continue to receive, the authority, with Linger Longer, is making revisions to its plans, and we expect to release a revised version this spring. The revised concept will again welcome an additional round of public comment and review.

In addition, we will continue to welcome all Georgians to Jekyll Island, care for sea turtles and restore our historic sites. And to help provide ongoing facts, we will post updated information at www.jekyllislandfacts.com.

> Eric Garvey is senior director of marketing and business development at the Jekyll Island State Park Authority.

02/13 - COUNTDOWN 2008: McCain taps Bush donor base, fund-raiser

2008-02-25T16:11:00.000-08:00

By Elisabeth Bumiller
New York Times
Published on: 02/13/08

Washington —- Sen. John McCain began tapping into President Bush's prized political donor base on Tuesday as his campaign announced that Mercer Reynolds, who helped Bush raise a record $273 million for the 2004 re-election campaign, would be the national finance co-chairman for McCain.

The development was a major sign that the Republican financial establishment was coalescing around the Arizona senator, who has often been at odds with his own party, particularly conservatives.

It also signaled that Bush's political apparatus was moving into action for McCain, a onetime insurgent and competitor to Bush in 2000 who has had a difficult relationship with the president.

Reynolds is a wealthy Cincinnati executive and a former ambassador to Switzerland who with his family developed the Reynolds Plantation on Georgia's Lake Oconee and whose development company, Linger Longer Communities, is currently involved in a controversial plan for development on Jekyll Island.

McCain's advisers said Reynolds would be of enormous help in reaching out to the president's most valued contributors —- the Bush campaign called them Rangers and Pioneers —- on behalf of McCain.

"He knows them all, and hopefully we'll get them on board," said Charles Black, a senior adviser to McCain.

Advisers to both men said on Tuesday that the once-strained relationship between the president and McCain had improved and that Bush, who vouched for McCain as a "true conservative" in a television interview last weekend, would do whatever he was asked by his party's nominee.

Reynolds declined to be interviewed for this article.

02/11 - Jekyll Island: Revitalize, but sensitively

2008-02-25T16:09:00.000-08:00

ajc.com > Opinion
By DAVID EGAN
Published on: 02/11/08

On Feb. 6, state Sen. Jeff Chapman (R-Brunswick) introduced three bills on Jekyll Island. The bills, which prohibit development along Jekyll Island State Park's remaining open beachfront and help ensure that the park is revitalized in a responsible fashion, bring to a head a controversy that's been brewing for nearly a year. A brief review of "developments" on Jekyll in recent months shows why Chapman's legislative initiative has become necessary and is so welcomed by Jekyll's friends.

Everyone agrees that Jekyll Island State Park is in need of revitalization. Its oceanfront hotels have deteriorated, public dissatisfaction with its lodgings has grown, and visits have fallen off.

Unfortunately, the Jekyll Island Authority made a decision some months ago that revitalization requires not just hotel reconstruction but an oceanfront "town center" as well. Accordingly, the JIA is now considering a proposal by a private developer — Linger Longer Communities — that would create a condo/time share/hotel community along the island's most popular public beach.

Even though public opinion is running strongly against the proposed town center complex, LLC is marketing the project as something Jekyll needs and the people of Georgia want. Citing a 47 percent decline in visitation to Jekyll over the past decade, LLC says its Jekyll Village is necessary if Georgians are to "rediscover Jekyll."

Truth be told, most of the reported 47 percent drop in visitation comes from a change in the JIA's traffic-count method. Beginning in 1997, the JIA stopped including vehicles with annual passes as part of its traffic count, leading to an artificial drop of 40 percent in visitation (1.5 million people) in that year alone. The facts show that when the change in traffic-count methodology is taken into account, the real drop in visitation since 1997 has been 12 percent, not 47 percent.

Even if there were a 47 percent drop in visitation, there isn't any evidence that Georgians are longing for a town center and would "rediscover Jekyll" if only the island had a "commercial hub," as LLC claims. In fact, visitor opinion, as recorded in a series of surveys reaching more than 8,000 people, says "no" to a more commercialized Jekyll and "yes" to revitalization that is in harmony with Jekyll's feel and grace.

Visitor opinion also says hotel reconstruction will revitalize Jekyll and should be completed before the JIA thinks about more development. The hotels that have been rebuilt in recent years enjoy fill rates nearly double those of the hotels in disrepair and waiting for redevelopment. Five other hotels will be rebuilt over the next five years. When hotel redevelopment is completed, Jekyll will have nearly twice as many hotel rooms and condos as it does now, and a projected increase in revenue of more than $3 million per year for the JIA.

The JIA has labeled the critics of the town center proposal as "obstructionists" who are opposed to all change. The truth is that Jekyll's visitors stand for responsible revitalization. They support hotel and convention center redevelopment, the enhancement of the island's amenities and recreational opportunities, the further development of Jekyll's nature tourism potential and a ban on new development near Jekyll's environmentally sensitive areas, particularly the beachfront of this delicate barrier island.

In a representative democracy, elected leaders must be sensitive to the will of the people if democracy is to have any meaning at all. Chapman clearly understands this bedrock principle of representational government. His Jekyll bills were born in response to public sentiment, clear the way for the revitalization of public property and benefit the vast majority of our state's citizens.

A senator acting on behalf of the general will is what good government is all about. Now it is up to the people of Georgia to do their part by urging lawmakers to support Chapman's Jekyll bills. Please visit www.savejekyllisland.org for information on how to proceed in this regard.

• David Egan is co-director of the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island State Park.

02/10 -Jekyll Island: Responses to "A more constructive approach to the Jekyll Island issue," @issue, Feb. 5

2008-02-25T16:08:00.000-08:00

ajc.com > Opinion
Click-2-Listen
LETTERS
By Martin McConaughy, Joan Lardin
For the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/10/08

Get parties together so they can talk

Art Hurt is right on the mark with his opinion column on listening to public input. We need to sit down at the table to discuss things and not rely on meetings, hearings and forums, where so much furor can divide rather than bring together. Striving to meet the needs of all parties concerned with the Jekyll Island situation would be a great place to start.

MARTIN McCONAUGHY, Tucker

Keep the island a serene haven

The Jekyll Island Authority has gone ahead in juggernaut style with its plans to build a giant resort complex at Jekyll Island State Park. The outcry against this project has been tremendous, but mostly ignored or scorned as the ravings of people who don't realize what a fantastic "economic engine" such a development would be. And the Authority has strongly hinted to competing developers that the Linger Longer resort project is only the beginning of potential new construction on Jekyll Island.

Any honest sampling of public opinion would demonstrate that most Georgians do not want Jekyll Island to become an "economic engine" or a resort/shopping destination. They want it to remain the beautiful, natural, serene and laid-back state park and accessible beach haven for ordinary people that it has always been.

JOAN LARDIN, Atlanta

02/08 - Oversize project will harm Jekyll

2008-02-25T16:05:00.000-08:00

ajc.com > Opinion
READERS WRITE
By Greg Lowery
For the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/08/08

Oversize project will harm Jekyll

The opinion column by Art Hurt offers a reasonable solution to the Jekyll Island development controversy ("A more constructive approach to the Jekyll Island issue," @issue, Feb. 5). Up to this point, public input has been "invited" but seems to have had minimal impact. Jekyll Island is a tranquil place that needs revitalization. But why can't new construction be done within the current developed footprint? Why not utilize input from visitors who have no financial stake in the island's development? Several new hotels are already planned on the sites of declining and razed properties. The proposed Town Square Center, however, is an exercise in the excessive. The hundreds of condos and timeshares in that plan would forever alter the serene character of a fragile barrier island. It would destroy what Georgia loves most about Jekyll.

Will Gov. Sonny Perdue and the Legislature allow this oversize, profit-driven plan to proceed? Do they have more dollars than sense?

Rev. GREG LOWERY, Rentz

02/07 - Bills would crimp Jekyll development

2008-02-25T16:03:00.000-08:00

ajc.com > Metro
By ANDREA JONES
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/07/08

State Sen. Jeff Chapman (R-Brunswick) again is making a pitch to fellow lawmakers to restrict development on Jekyll Island.

Chapman, whose district includes the 7.5-mile-long barrier island, introduced three bills in the General Assembly on Wednesday that would effectively quash major development.

The state-owned island is poised for hundreds of millions of dollars in redevelopment in a proposal that has angered environmentalists and some longtime residents.

During the fall, the Jekyll Island Authority selected Linger Longer to develop a $352 million "town center" project. The builder, based in Greensboro, wants to build 1,100 hotel, condo and time-share units along Jekyll's beach. The authority would cover $84.5 million in bonds for new roads, parking and a convention center. The project would be east of Beachview Drive.

Chapman said most Georgians want to preserve the island as it is. He said he wants "responsible revitalization:" rebuilding of old hotels that have fallen into disrepair and fixing of existing properties. He also said he wants construction built west of the coastal roadway so that Jekyll's public beach remains accessible to all.

Jim Langford, the project executive for Linger Longer, said Chapman's plan "is not reasonable or in the best interest" of the island. Langford said that Chapman is trying to derail the redevelopment proposal.

02/05 - A more constructive approach to the Jekyll Island issue

2008-02-25T16:00:00.000-08:00

ajc.com > Opinion
By ART HURT
Published on: 02/05/08

The heated controversy over the master plan for Jekyll Island redevelopment was so unnecessary, so predictable and so avoidable that we must ask ourselves, "What were they thinking?"

It is a fact of life that, when redevelopment is considered in an environmentally sensitive area, there will always be differences of opinion, with the developers, architects and engineers on one side and the environmentalists and conservationists on the other. They will differ in mind-set, in goals and in perception of what is to be accomplished by the redevelopment process.

This is often a problem in private property zoning matters but is a far greater problem when it involves public property — Jekyll Island, for instance.

When public property is involved, the end product, the final plan, is going to have to be seen by both sides as a satisfactory amalgamation of acceptable compromises, resulting in not exactly what each wanted but in a plan each side can accept and support.

From the beginning, this simple concept has gone right over the heads of members of the Jekyll Island Authority, the managing body for the island, as they have missed opportunity after opportunity to form a cooperative and helpful alliance with the public, which owns and uses the property.

With regard to the master plan for redevelopment, JIA has willfully and systematically excluded the public from any participation in the planning process. They have neither sought, nor allowed, any input from the public, and they have ignored pleas from the public for information and for opportunities to submit ideas for consideration for Jekyll's future. They have sought council only with the real estate developers. The public has reacted to being ignored and dismissed. Thus, JIA has created this ugly squabble.

A logical way to begin such an endeavor would be with widely distributed questionnaires, town hall meetings, hearings, requests for letters of suggested plan components, and the appointment of a citizen committee to collect and compile the wishes of the public into a coherent contribution to the master plan. Then this should go to the developers, architects and engineers in the form of a guideline as to what should be accomplished.

Without such a guideline, the developers will naturally proceed in their own mind-set and design a project to maximize their bottom line, something unacceptable to the public. With such guidelines, project development could proceed without the rancor, without the useless waste of time and money and without all the destructive political infighting.

Having been active participants, the public, when a plan is finally rolled out, could not quarrel about it, the developers would be seen in a positive light, the architects would have saved money by avoiding unrealistic designs, and the JIA would have done its job.

To steer the JIA toward this type of approach would take a directive from the governor and from our Legislature.

Those who want to see a more reasonable approach taken by the JIA should contact Gov. Sonny Perdue and their state legislators and request a change of direction.

Maybe, just maybe, it is not too late. Jekyll Island is worth the effort.

02/01 - How does one become a board member of the Jekyll Island Authority, and how does one become chairman of this board?

2008-02-25T15:58:00.000-08:00

ajc
Metro
02/01/08

Q: How does one become a board member of the Jekyll Island Authority, and how does one become chairman of this board?

MELINDA McKINNON, Atlanta

A: The authority's board has nine members; one is either the head of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources or someone designated by him. The other eight are selected by the governor and serve four-year terms. Two of the eight must be residents of Chatham, Bryan, Liberty, McIntosh, Glynn or Camden counties. Jekyll is part of Glynn County.

The chairman can chair two consecutive one-year terms or two terms in four years. The current chair is Ben Porter of Macon. Board members don't get paid for their service but can be reimbursed for expenses.

Staff researchers Sharon Gaus and Richard Hallman wrote this column.

Do you have a question about the news? Our news researchers will try to get an answer. Call 404-222-2002 or e-mail q&a@ajc.com (include your name and city). Sorry, individual responses are not possible.

02/25 - New bill addresses Jekyll

2008-02-25T15:55:00.000-08:00

Mon, Feb 25, 2008
By ANNA FERGUSON
The Brunswick News

Jekyll Island is Georgia's Jewel, and Democrats in the state House of Representatives want to make sure it stays that way.

A bill introduced Thursday in the Georgia General Assembly calls for keeping Jekyll Island a natural paradise, although it is not intended to halt Linger Longer Communities redevelopment plans, said the bill's sponsor, Rep. Debbie Buckner, D-Columbus.

The legislation, House Bill 548, would create energy efficient and green building practices on the island. It also would restrict building on the beachfront property and keep the island affordable to all Georgians.

"We want the redevelopment plan to be environmentally friendly, and we want it to be in the footprints of buildings that are already there," Buckner said. "We also want to know that this will always be a place families can afford to go, and right now, we have questions about that."

Plans proposed by the Jekyll Island Authority and its private sector partner, Linger Longer, call for a $341 million revitalization that will include new hotels and condominiums, as well as a new convention center and retail district.

Buckner's bill is not wholly dissimilar to legislation introduced earlier in the session by Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, who opposes the Linger Longer Communities blueprint for redevelopment.

The key difference, Buckner said, is that her bill coincides with Linger Longer plans for energy efficient development and is not calling for the halting of planned construction.

She added, however, that "This bill could impact the Linger Longer plans, but that is not the key purpose."
Ben Porter, chair of the Jekyll Island Authority, doesn't see it her way. He said the measure would drastically change their plans for the island.

"Like the Chapman bills, the proposed House legislation would prohibit the revitalization of Jekyll Island and prevent the improvements which will make Jekyll the most desirable, environmentally-friendly destination on the American coast," Porter said in an email.

Buckner said her actions come from a deep-rooted love for Jekyll, where she spent her childhood riding bikes along the island's sandy shores.

"My grandfather had a bike shop on Norwich Street and we would get bikes there and ride around Jekyll," she said. "We introduced this bill because we just want to keep Jekyll unique. We want it to be beautiful and enjoyed for hundreds of years to come."

Others signing HB 548 include Reps. Brian Thomas, D-Lilburn, Dubose Porter, D-Dublin, Barbara Massey Reece, D-Menlo, and Stephanie Benfield, D-Atlanta.

David Egan, founder of the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island, said he favors the legislation. He said Buckner's bill falls in step with many measures his organization is hoping to enforce.

"Buckner's bill seems promising," Egan said. "Any bill that seeks to keep the beachfront property protected, we support."

02/22 - Jekyll plan opponents need to learn the facts

2008-02-25T15:52:00.001-08:00

Date February 22, 2008
Section(s) Commentary
It's easy to get people to object to a project, especially when they allow someone to define it without studying or, at the very least, eyeballing the plan themselves. That tends to happen quite often.

It's happening right here, in Brunswick and the Golden Isles. Opponents of the proposed major redevelopment of previously developed property and public facilities on Jekyll Island claim the plan will rob Georgians of what is rightly theirs.

Not true. What has been proposed by the Jekyll Island Authority and Linger Longer Communities will take up only a fraction of the state park. For the most part, it will replace what is already there. The difference is that it will be newer, better, more attractive - and hence, more likely to be used by citizens of the Peach State.

Here's another fact: It is still well within the 35 percent development mark established and set by the state legislature decades ago.

Fortunately, city and county officials in this community, most of whom are aware of Jekyll Island's difficulty in drawing a crowd these days, understand this. Fortunately, they are familiar with the plan to improve and strengthen the state park's magnetism. And fortunately, the majority are willing to say so in an official vote. City commissioners endorsed the concept during their regular session Wednesday. County commissioners, already on record as backing revitalization, did likewise Thursday, passing a resolution reaffirming their support.

What Linger Longer Communities is planning is something that would be nice for everyone, for all Georgians and for every visitor and guest who crosses the state line to vacation here. In addition to having a nice place to spend with family, they would have a destination that they could enjoy, as well as learn about, nature and the coastal environment.

And if, in the meantime, their presence in greater numbers yields jobs and higher incomes for individuals and families - well, that's a good thing, right?

Honestly, it's hard to see what all the fuss is about. As has been stated frequently in previous editorials, there is no way on earth that Jekyll Island could ever become another Myrtle Beach or Hilton Head Island. Those who make such claims are speaking without thinking. There is that 35/65 development ratio, for starters.

Besides, that is not what Jekyll Island is all about. It's about family, enjoying the outdoors, sipping on nature. That is the island's greatest asset and the very asset that any prudent developer would ardently protect.

02/22 - County approves Jekyll resolution

2008-02-25T15:51:00.000-08:00

Date: February 22, 2008
Section(s): Local News

The Glynn County Commission has confirmed its support for the redevelopment of Jekyll Island and given the residents of the Nottinghill Subdivision an opportunity to work out their differences with Lamar Outdoor Advertising.

The commission approved a resolution supporting the Jekyll Island Authority's efforts to make the island self supporting during its regularly scheduled meeting Thursday.

The meeting was held at the Historic Glynn County Courthouse, 701 G St, Brunswick.

Who was there: County commissioners Cap Fendig, Howard Lynn, Uli Keller, Tony Thaw, Jerome Clark and Carl Johnson. Commission chairman Don Hogan was also present.

What happened: The commission deferred a request from Lamar Advertising Company to raise the height of an existing sign along Interstate-95 from 25 feet to 70 feet because it is being covered from view by a noise retention wall being constructed by the Department of Transportation.

The current sign is directly behind, and is visible from, the Nottinghill Subdivision. Representatives from the subdivision's homeowner's association attended the meeting protesting the request.

Instead of acting on the request, the commission deferred taking action for 30 days to allow the residents and advertising company an opportunity to reach a compromise independently.

The commission also:

* Approved rezoning properties at 5102 and 4972 Highway 99 from forest agriculture to planned development.

Thoughts on the Lamar Advertising sign: "I understand that there is opposition from the residents of Nottinghill. I understand they fought hard for the retention wall and want to protect their property value, but I'm here because we want to protect the value of Lamar's property also."

- Linda Storey, general manager of Lamar Outdoor Advertising

- Report by Brandee A. Thomas

02/21 - City gives support to Jekyll plan

2008-02-25T15:50:00.001-08:00

Date: February 21, 2008
Section(s): Local News
By BRANDEE A. THOMAS
The Brunswick News

The Brunswick City Commission has joined the ranks of Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue in voicing support for Jekyll Island revitalization plans.

At its regularly scheduled meeting Wednesday, the commission voted to approve a resolution stating that "the City of Brunswick fully supports the revitalization of Jekyll Island as envisioned by the Jekyll Island State Park Authority."

"My opinion is that they have a very solid plan," said Mayor Bryan Thompson during the meeting at Historic City Hall, 1229 Newcastle St. "This resolution is our way of saying we support (the Jekyll Island Authority's) efforts toward responsible redevelopment."

Commissioner Cornell Harvey, who is the human resources director for the Jekyll Island Authority, recused himself from the discussion and subsequent vote concerning the resolution.

Commissioners Mark Spaulding, Jonathan Williams and Thompson voted in favor of the resolution, but Commissioner James Brooks voted against it.

"Sen. (Jeff) Chapman has just introduced some legislation in the Senate and personally I don't want to jump the gun on this," Brooks said.

"I would like to have a dialog with our senators and representatives about what's going on in Atlanta first, before we vote on this."

Although Brooks was against the vote, other members spoke in defense of passing the resolution.

"What happens in Atlanta (in the General Assembly) will play out whether or not we pass this resolution," said Spaulding. "But I think it's important we take a stand and support the work that the (Jekyll Island Authority) has done to revitalize Jekyll."

Before the meeting, island resident Steve Newell passed out literature protesting the passing of the resolution.

His wife Bonnie, dressed as "Caretta the loggerhead turtle," carried a sign that read "Don't build on our public beach."

"I just think this plan is unfair to the public and we wish the mayor wouldn't support it," said Steve Newell, a retired doctor from The Marine Institute on Sapelo Island.

In other business Wednesday, the commission:

* Deferred action on adopting a firearms ordinance in the absence of city attorney Lynn Frey.

* Denied a General Commercial rezoning request for 3321 Gordon St.

02/20 - Plan is all about money

2008-02-25T15:47:00.000-08:00

Date: February 20, 2008
Section(s): Letters
The Brunswick News

As a 30-plus year visitor to Jekyll Island, I feel I must weigh in on the plan to develop the island. I believe it can be summed up with the statement, "It's all about the money."

If ones look at those in favor of the town center plan, you will see that they stand to make a considerable amount of money or political favor from the development.

Linger Longer gains access to very valuable beach property at little direct cost. But, in addition, Glynn County and Brunswick will reap significant tax dollars without having to give any services in return. Certain business owners will see increased sales volume.

The JIA, certain elected officials, as well as Gov. Perdue gain political favors and possibly contributions from those parties who profit.

Consider those who are against the plan. Certainly the Jekyll leaseholders would gain if the plan comes to reality, as their holdings would become more valuable; but they, as well as the Georgia Conservancy and others, have put their personal priorities behind the good of the Island and the visitors who come for the simple pleasures that Jekyll offers.

I urge the citizens of Georgia to speak out and put pressure on your politicians so that the island, which belongs to all citizens, is not stolen from you for the benefit of a few. Once developed, it will be forever lost.

Jon Stevenson
Jefferson, Ohio

What would motivate visitors to development?

My wife and I just returned from our first visit to Jekyll and St. Simons islands. We had a wonderful time, patronized several excellent restaurants and shops, and especially loved the open, beautiful paths and views at Jekyll Island.

Then I picked up a local paper and read about the proposed "Linger Longer" development. I am sorry, but I just don't get it. Why do people think Jekyll Island needs to be "developed"?

What would motivate us to return to the island if this development happens? We might as well just stay in Florida where there is already lots of "development."

Jekyll Island currently offers tranquil beauty and miles of shoreline areas that are accessible even to handicapped people. Yet some people want to toss this away, and for what? Sorry, I just don't get it.

Maybe the developers could be sent elsewhere (to build floating hotels at Niagra Falls or maybe cliff-side condos at the Grand Canyon).

Richard Loehr
Titusville, Fla.

Article on Jekyll Island needs a correction

The lead article in Saturday's Brunswick News is one of the best pieces of balanced reporting I have seen in a long time. You almost got it right. One small error: The president of the Jekyll Island Citizens Association is Frank Mirasola, not Tise Eyler as reported. However, I am in agreement with the remarks he made.

Frank Mirasola
Jekyll Island

Why a double standard on Jekyll, St. Simons?

It was intriguing to read the editorial in the Feb. 14 edition of The Brunswick News. The title entreats residents to be active in determining the future direction of development on St. Simons Island.

How interesting, then, that on Jekyll Island, where residents are actively doing the same regarding the future direction of development on that island, they are frequently attacked by the state, media, and developers as being selfish, self-serving carpetbaggers, or worse.

Yes, Jekyll Island is a unique situation. As a state park, it has to be managed with all of the 8 million residents of the state in mind.

Of course, the future residents of Georgia should also be taken into consideration, as we will be passing this island along to them, hopefully in a condition that is at least as wonderful as it was when given to us.

Unfortunately, the state government has allowed the well-being of a commercial enterprise take precedent over the well-being of the island.

The second line in the Feb. 14 editorial asks, "Concerned about more and more land disappearing under the bulk and weight of mortar and bricks?"

It's funny that Jekyll Island residents can answer "Yes!" to this question, yet the editorial board at The Brunswick News does not give them the same consideration that it is apparently willing to give the residents of the island to the north. Why the double standard?

Geoffrey Hatchard
Washington, D.C.

02/20 - Commission may OK Jekyll resolution

2008-02-25T15:45:00.000-08:00

Date: February 20, 2008
Section(s): Local News
By BRANDEE A. THOMAS
The Brunswick News

Brunswick Mayor Bryan Thompson feels it should come as no surprise to anyone that the city would favor improvements recommended for Jekyll Island.

"We have always been supportive of the redevelopment of Jekyll Island," Thompson said.

Today, though, the City Commission will make it official if a resolution proposed by Thompson is approved by the majority of the four other commissioners when they meet at 6:30 p.m. at Old City Hall on Newcastle St.

Thompson feels that strongly about the $341 million project proposed by the Jekyll Island Authority and its private partner, Linger Longer Communities.

"Many of us on the commission see this as an opportunity to go on record as saying that we are supportive of the plan that the Jekyll Island Authority has been working on for a number of years," Thompson said.

"We are very impressed with the way they have involved the public with meetings and in listening to their concerns."

If the resolution is approved, the city commission will join the ranks of Gov. Sonny Perdue and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle in vocalizing support for the redevelopment of Jekyll Island.

As proposed by Linger Longer Communities, the plan will include new hotels and condominiums. It will also include a new convention center and shopping district.

But not everyone is in favor of what has been proposed. The plans have faced opposition from residents of Jekyll Island and state officials, including Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick.

"Since Jekyll Island is a state park, we all have the option of weighing in on whether or not the redevelopment plan is a good idea or not a good idea," Thompson said.

"But the commission seems to feel like this is a good opportunity for Jekyll (Island) and the surrounding areas and the state as a whole."

The Glynn County Commission will be asked to adopt a similar resolution during its 6 p.m. meeting Thursday. That action would follow the announcement by Commission Chair Don Hogan in January during a meeting of the Jekyll Island Legislative Oversight Committee in Atlanta that the county commission supports the project.

02/18 - City, county weigh backing Jekyll

2008-02-25T15:43:00.000-08:00

The Brunswick News
Date: February 18, 2008
Section(s): Local News

City commissioners and Glynn County commissioners will consider adopting resolutions in support of the proposed multi-million-dollar revitalization of Jekyll Island when they meet separately this week.

The city commission will meet for its regular session at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Old City Hall on Newcastle Street. County commissioners will meet in regular session at 6 p.m. Thursday at the old county courthouse.

Brunswick Mayor Bryan Thompson will ask the city commission to endorse the Jekyll Island project, according to the city's published agenda.

County Commissioner Uli Keller is sponsoring the resolution on the county agenda.

The county commission is already on record of supporting the project. Glynn County Chair Don Hogan told members of the Jekyll Island Legislative Oversight Committee during a meeting in Atlanta in January that the county commission endorses the project.

Revitalization plans call for new hotels, new commercial district and a new convention center, as well as condominiums for full-time and part-time residents.

Park advisory board to meet

The Selden Park Advisory Board will meet Tuesday.

The meeting will be at 7 p.m. in the Selden Park Conference Room.

02/16 - The spreading fight over paradise

2008-02-25T15:37:00.000-08:00

Date February 16, 2008
Section(s) Local News
]By ANNA FERGUSON

The Brunswick News

David Egan is a traveling man. He has spent time on a host of islands along the eastern seaboard, from Nova Scotia straight down to Key West.

But when Egan and his wife Mindy first stepped foot on Jekyll Island more than 15 years ago, they knew they had found something special.

The soft lullaby of the ocean waves, the warm glow of the summer sun, the complete absence of whizzing traffic and rushed lifestyles - it all brought the couple back to the island time and again.

"There is just something spiritual about Jekyll Island that no other place has," said Egan.

The Egans eventually uprooted their lives to the beachfront island from New York, plunking themselves down in the sand to start living on island time.

Then something unexpected happened: the Jekyll Island Authority announced the Egans' sacred Georgia paradise was about to undergo a dramatic change.

Egan isn't opposed to the revamping of his beloved island. In fact, he agrees that Jekyll is long overdue for a makeover.

What he disagrees with is the way the change is happening - too quickly, he said.

When the Jekyll Island Authority began asking residents what they thought about plans and revitalization, Egan wondered why these same questions weren't being asked to Jekyll visitors. After all, he surmises, those are people who will be equally affected by the revitalization efforts.

"I had been a long-time visitor here and I thought it was only fair that the people who are coming here should have a say in the plans," said Egan.

To understand how easily Jekyll guests would swallow new plans, Egan founded The Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island State Park. Through the group's Web site, www.savejekyllisland.org, the grassroots association works to make the voices of non-residents heard with surveys and updates on the redevelopment project's progress.

It also has expanded the battlefield, to include the entire state and beyond.

When Egan launched the organization and the Web site, he expected a couple of hundred responses from people across the state wanting their two cents to be counted.

Turns out, Egan greatly underestimated the impact Georgia's only oceanfront state park has had on the nation. To date, Egan reports more than 10,000 responses on the site, coming from every state in the nation except North Dakota.

Locally, residents from some 300 Georgia cities and towns have replied to the site.

"I never anticipated this level of response. When I started getting e-mails from Hawaii and Alaska, I knew we were on to something," said Egan. "I guess everybody knows about the island except North Dakota. But my guess is, they'll find out soon."

From these thousands of responses, Egan has found that the overwhelming majority of individuals support some sort of revamping effort on Jekyll. It's just the specifics on which no one can seem to agree.

"It's been unfair that those who oppose the Linger Longer plan are seen as opposing all types of change. That's just not the case," Egan said. "We all agree that something needs to be done. Hopefully, we can find a middle ground."

Jim Langford said he hopes for the same thing. As project executive for Linger Longer Communities, the group responsible for the Jekyll Island redevelopment plans, Langford has felt the heat emitted from local groups not in agreement with the company's blueprints. And it's a heat he has seen light up the whole of the Southeast. From Jekyll to Atlanta to the Blue Ridge Mountains, individuals across the region are debating the pros and cons of renovating the state-owned island.

"Public debate is a healthy thing," Langford said. "People might think we're not listening, but we are. These plans are not locked in stone. We take in to account everything we hear and all the opinions of people who care about the island."

More than the project manager, Langford has personal ties to the island. With fervor, he recalls 1958, the year he was 15-years-old and first laid eyes on Jekyll's sprawling shoreline.

"I think we are all working toward the same goal, to make Jekyll Island the best place it can be," said Langford. "We can all agree that we want Jekyll to retain its uniqueness."

Equally as quick to recount a boyhood spent frolicking on Jekyll's sandy beach is state Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick. These fond recollections have fueled Chapman to stoke the fires of controversy in Atlanta during the Georgia General Assembly, where he has proposed legislation that would alter, if not altogether stop, the current Jekyll Island rejuvenation plan.

"I remember we had relatives from up North, and they'd come down and we'd spend the day showing them our Jekyll. Those were some of the funest times I ever had," said Chapman. "People across the state are working to be heard. I mean, I can hardly go anywhere without someone stopping me and wanting to talk about Jekyll Island.

"A lot of people have happy memories of Jekyll. That's what's motivating them to be speak out."

Whether to Chapman or Langford, Tise Eyler is determined to have his thoughts on the island redevelopment plans heard. Though he has never been one to participate in fights, Eyler, president of the Jekyll Island Citizens Association, is not content to watch his island slip away from him.

After spending much of his life traveling around the world, Eyler, a retired U.S. Navy captain, finally gained a sense of home on Jekyll 22 years ago. Now that he's found this gem on the Georgia coast, he's not willing to let it go.

"I've never been involved in anything like this before. And I'm not opposed to rejuvenation. I just don't want Jekyll to become another Hilton Head or Myrtle Beach," said Eyler. "There are few places left in the world where you can find the natural beauty that is here on Jekyll. I think the preservation of beauty is something worth standing up for."

Legislative front

In his second attempt to halt the Linger Longer Communities rejuvenation plan on Jekyll Island, state Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, recently proposed three bills in the Georgia General Assembly. The legislation would:

* Prevent additional full-time residences from being built on the state-owned island.

* Create restrictions that would prevent construction of the proposed Beach Village near the waterfront.

* More strictly define some legal terminology used in defining the redevelopment project, including "lowest hotel rates reasonable and possible."

What Linger Longer plans

"The overall goal of our Jekyll Island plan is to make the island a place families and conventions will again want to visit, but also preserve the natural state of the island," said Jim Langford, project executive for Linger Longer Communities, the group responsible for the Jekyll Island redevelopment plans.

The $344 million Linger Longer plan seeks to:

* Help the state-owned island generate revenue to maintain a state of self-sufficiency, as required by Georgia regulations.

* Create Beach Village, a hub of central activity within walking distances of hotels

* Create three new hotels, ranging in price from economy to mid-scale

* Create a new convention center

* Create more green space while adding additional parking

* Preserve sand dunes and maritime forest

Who's involved in the Jekyll Island battle

Friends of Linger Longer Communities redevelopment plan:

* Jekyll Island Authority

* Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce

* Jekyll Island Oversight Committee of the Georgia General Assembly

* Glynn County Commission

Foes of the Linger Longer plan:

* State Sen. Jeff Chapman

* The Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island

* Jekyll Island Citizens Association

02/14 - Jekyll should not be another Myrtle Beach

2008-02-25T15:33:00.000-08:00

The Brunswick News
Date: February 14, 2008
Section(s): Letters

Your headline of Feb. 7, "Legislation could hurt Jekyll," should have read "Legislation would save Jekyll." No one is saying that the island is not in need of some updating.

What the people of Georgia have been saying is don't turn the island into Florida or another Myrtle Beach.

The Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island's polls clearly state this fact.

What ever happened to the poll on this issue that the JIA handed out at the tollbooth at the entrance of the Island several years ago? I was a vacationer then and filled one out. I never heard the results.

It is very clear that Jekyll Island is a state park that the JIA and the governor want to run regardless of what the people of Georgia want. To heck with the average Georgian.

Laura Renke
Brunswick

02/13 - We all should support Chapman's legislation

2008-02-25T15:28:00.000-08:00

The Brunswick News
Date: February 13, 2008
Section(s): Letters

Didn't you mean to write "Legislation could help save Jekyll"? Thank goodness for Senator Chapman. We should all be supporting him, your paper included.

This money, power, and land grab paraded as positive for Jekyll Island is a ludicrous joke. I do not know of anyone who visits Jekyll Island regularly that believes this planned development will be a positive in any way.

Jekyll is all about being outdoors, with easy and direct access to public beaches, and unobstructed views of the coastline.

Fancy shopping, additional hotels, high-rise condos, traffic, etc. do not belong there. We have St. Simons for that.

Jekyll is one of the last undeveloped strips of coast left. It needs to stay that way. Do we really want Jekyll to turn into Hilton Head or Myrtle Beach? Anyone else who feels this way should visit www.savejekyllisland.org and help stop this madness.

Kevin Strasser
Brunswick

02/12 - Authority eager to move ahead

2008-02-25T15:26:00.001-08:00

Date February 12, 2008
Section(s) Local News
By ANNA FERGUSON
The Brunswick News

Two years after the idea of a modern Jekyll Island came to light, plans to redevelop the island are, for the most part, still just on paper.

That's not to say developers are dawdling. Currently, the Jekyll Island Authority is waiting for final plans from Linger Longer Communities, its private sector partner, to begin the framework for the $341 million redevelopment blueprint.

Those against the plan are continuing to speak out against it. Opponents include state Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, who last week introduced three bills in the Georgia General Assembly that would all but kill the project in its current form if passed. It is bound to ignite debate in Atlanta.

Meanwhile, the planning continues, said Eric Garvey, senior director of marketing for the Jekyll Island Authority.

Plans call for new hotels, a new commercial district and new convention center.

"The next step is to hear back from the Linger Longer attorney and the (state) Attorney General about changes to our plans," Garvey said. "We are expecting that anytime. We have received support from the Georgia General Assembly and the Jekyll Oversight Committee. We are getting ready to take our next steps."

Those steps include analyzing and confirming designs for Beach Village, the planned hub of activity under new island designs. The assessment is expected to be completed between mid-March and April.

This month, Jekyll Island Oaks, one of the new hotels charted to set up shop on the island, is expected to release plans for is development. Garvey noted that the hotel is on schedule to break ground by the end of the year.

He said by and large, people are very supportive.

"Now that people are hearing more about our plans, the negative feedback has lessened," he said. "People were worried about the unknown. But now the ideas are being talked about openly and people are more comfortable with our ideas."

Rumors of revamping the state-owned island began circulating in 2006, when the Jekyll Island Authority announced plans to begin a redevelopment project.

Garvey is expecting the plan to wrap up in 2011.

For his part, Jim Langford, project executive for Linger Longer Communities, is busy collecting and evaluating community input on the project.

"We're still talking to folks around the state to figure out what they like about our plans now and what they want to change," Langford said. "After we figure all that out, we'll change our plan to fit what we hear from the community. That time should probably come about March."

Of the responses he's compiled thus far, Langford has found overwhelming acceptance with current redevelopment ideas. Specifically, he has received positive feedback regarding price ranges for new hotels - an about-face from prior reviews.

One of the measures Chapman is sponsoring in the legislature seeks to control the pricing of new rooms in the state park. His argument that the island would become too expensive for "average Georgians" is also one of the points of opposition made by the citizens group, Save Jekyll Island.

"There are always people who don't want any kind of change and will find fault with everything," Langford said. "But most people are now saying they like that we will offer varying levels of prices for accommodations."

Community commentary regarding the variety of activities planned for the island has been overall positive, Langford said. Under the revitalization plans currently being discussed, visitors will be able to vacation without ever stepping foot in their car, thanks to the addition of new bike and pedestrian paths and a number of attractions within walking distance of hotels.

By law, 65 percent of the island must remain untouched. Of the 35 percent that is currently developed, only about 63 acres, or 1 percent, will be altered under the Linger Longer plans, Langford said.

"That is one thing I have heard a lot of people say they are happy with, is our effort to be eco-friendly," said Langford. "We have to find that right balance between building and conservation."

The Jekyll Island Citizens Association is conducting a market study with organizations and event sponsors who have previously used the Jekyll Island Convention Center. Participants are asked to share their opinions regarding the potential move of the center from its current location, to a larger facility closer to the proposed beachfront convention hotel.

02/08 - JEKYLL FOLLOW FOR FRI

2008-02-25T15:23:00.000-08:00

Date: February 08, 2008
Section(s): Local News
By ANNA FERGUSON

The Brunswick News

It's not that he is opposed to change. It's more that Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, disagrees with what he calls irresponsible change.

That's how he describes the $344 million revitalization project proposed for Jekyll Island, and now he's trying to alter or drastically stop the plan with three bills he introduced in Georgia General Assembly Wednesday.

The Jekyll Island project includes a new commercial center, new hotels and a new convention center.

"I support the revitalization of Jekyll Island," Chapman said Thursday. "No one disputes that (the island) has fallen into a state of disrepair, and it's sad the Jekyll Island Authority has let it get that way. But the project they are proposing is not responsible growth. It does not sit well with me."

The three measures Chapman introduced would prevent the building of new full-time residences on the state-owned island, prevent the construction of the proposed Beach Village near the waterfront and more strictly define legal terminology used in defining the redevelopment project.

Under the new definitions, Chapman would put a cap on rates charged by Jekyll Island hotels. He has defined "lowest rates reasonable and possible" to mean that the average annual daily rate charged by Jekyll Island hotels cannot exceed the annual average daily rate charged for rooms of the same occupancy at other state parks that are specified in the bill.

The legislation calls for 70 percent of the rooms in hotels to reflect the lowest possible rates, while 30 percent of the rooms can "be as luxurious as the hotels want them to be," Chapman said.

This, Chapman said, is a push to ensure that the island is accessible to all Georgians and not a select exclusive few.

Chapman said he is not looking to stop revitalization but is merely voicing the opinions of residents across the state, including those who fear the project may cause ecological disturbances on the island

"This is not the Jeff Chapman campaign," he said. "People stop me all the time telling me thanks for all that I am doing with Jekyll Island.

"It's like if someone has a candy jar on their desk. Some people lift the lid to take the candy, but some people break the jar to get a piece out. We just want to keep the jar from being broken."

Eric Garvey, senior director of marketing for the Jekyll Island Authority, doesn't see it that way. The bills proposed by Chapman are essentially an effort to end new construction and rebuilding on the island, he said.

"These bills are a far departure from the guidance given to us by the Jekyll Legislative Oversight Committee and the governor," said Garvey. "If this legislation were to pass, it would effectively stop our efforts to revitalize Jekyll Island."

Under state law, only 35 percent of Jekyll Island can be developed, while 65 percent must remain untouched.

02/07 - Slugline Legislation could hurt Jekyll

2008-02-25T15:21:00.001-08:00

Date: February 07, 2008
Section(s): Local News
By ANNA FERGUSON
The Brunswick News

Legislation proposed by state Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, would effectively derail the $344 million revitalization planned for Georgia's only oceanfront state park, the chair of the Jekyll Island Authority warned Wednesday.

"The legislation suggested by Sen. Chapman would effectively stop the revitalization of Jekyll Island, which is contrary to the direction given to the Jekyll Island Authority by the governor and General Assembly over the past five years and specifically conflicts with (House Bill) 214 signed into law last year," Ben Porter said in a prepared statement to the media.

That House bill extended the life of the Jekyll Island Authority, which operates the state-owned island, and created a Jekyll Island Oversight Committee of state legislators to monitor it.

Porter has some heavyweights on his side to block the legislation Chapman wants. Both Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, who presides over the Senate, and the oversight committee, which includes Senate President Pro Tem Eric Johnson, R-Savannah, are in favor of the renewal plan.

Among the plan's projects are new oceanfront hotels, a new commercial center and a new convention center.

Chapman did not return telephone calls made Wednesday to his cell phone and to his Senate office in Atlanta.

The legislation drafted by Chapman, an opponent of the proposed revitalization, would:

* Prevent additional full-time residences from being built on the state-owned island.

* Create restrictions that would prevent construction of the proposed Beach Village near the waterfront.

* More strictly define some legal terminology used in defining the redevelopment project, including "average income." It would be defined as the state-wide average wages for workers of all industries.

The measure attempts to define "an average Georgian," who Chapman and other foes of the project claim would be priced out of access to the state park.

Linger Longer Communities, spearheading the project in partnership with the Jekyll Island Authority, rejects that contention.

Chapman's proposals would seek to handcuff hotel operators in setting room rates through how it defines certain terms.

For example, "lowest rates reasonable and possible" would mean the average annual daily rate charged by Jekyll Island hotels could not exceed the annual average daily rate charged for rooms of the same occupancy at other specified state parks, including Unicoi in Helen. Rates for overnight double occupancy at the Lodge in Unicoi, which is operated by the state, range from $85 to $100.

Chapman did not include in the measure parks like Stone Mountain, near Atlanta, where overnight rates range from $149 to $449.

The legislation is a second attempt by Chapman to slow or stall changes on Jekyll Island.

He tried unsuccessfully during the 2007 Legislature to block additional full-time residences on the island.

02/06 - Commission is at fault for jail, Jekyll positions

2008-02-25T15:17:00.000-08:00

The Brunswick News
Letters

I found your editorials of Feb. 1 and Feb. 2 most reasonable and enlightening.

Both were about the arrogance and selfishness of builders (the commissioners' grasping of downtown real estate for jail expansion, and murdering of trees on St. Simons Island).

What a contrast there was between these editorials with your editorial of Jan. 18, lauding Commissioner Hogan for his encouragement of Linger Longer Communities' (LLC) construction of luxury condominiums blocking the central beachfront of Jekyll Island State Park.

Don Hogan is the same commissioner who is now pushing a downtown-jail resolution defying the commission's own paid consultant and many of Brunswick's citizens.

The most glaring fault with your Jan. 18 editorial was its contention that opponents of the LLC condominium village don't want anyone to visit the park, and "would just as soon leave the island as it is."

This is fallacious, unfair, and insulting. LLC's major opponent organization now has adherents numbering in the thousands from all across Georgia, and has always and openly been in favor of the rebuilding of the hotels in the park that were allowed to deteriorate.

There is no need to turn over the park's main beach to a private developer's self-enrichment efforts.

The park's budget has allowed capital projects even during the last few years of lost (demolished and not yet rebuilt) hotels.

When the new hotels (including condominiums of their own) begin operating on the footprint of those demolished, the Park Authority should have the funds that it needs.

Steven Y. Newell
Jekyll Island

01/30 - Reconsider one design in new Jekyll plan

2008-02-25T15:10:00.000-08:00

The Brunswick News
Letters

I am pleased with the authority's choice of Linger Longer Communities as the JIA's private partner for Jekyll Island revitalization. LLC smoothly integrates a 45-plus acre convention, vacation, educational, and service complex with "Historic Jekyll Island." The design also confines most increase in visitor motor traffic within the new complex. The plan seems ecologically sound and aesthetically pleasing. Apparently LLC considered the 2005 Cooper Gary Guidelines in their planning, again, seamlessly tying in with "Historic Jekyll Island."

With this in mind, I was surprised to see pictures of Trammell Crow's "Florida Beachfront Design" hotel with an 82-foot elevation as a replacement for the Buccaneer Hotel. These pictures are on an onsite Trammell Crow billboard and on the JekyllCitizens.org Web site. In my opinion, this structure does not fit Jekyll Island, and is not consistent design-wise with the LLC complex.

I hope the JIA board will encourage Trammell Crow to change their plans to meet the extant and future aesthetic vision of Jekyll Island consistent with the LLC design spirit.

James M. Coulter

Jekyll Island

01/25 - Letters to Editor

2008-01-28T08:41:00.001-08:00

Date: January 25, 2008
Section(s): Letters
The Brunswick News

Changes on Jekyll will mean replacing stores

I read with interest that some of Jekyll Island's businesses are for Linger Longer's plan. Don't they see that all the stores that we know and love will be replaced with more upscale, modern stores?

Say goodbye to Maxwells, IGA, Whittles and the drug store, as they will all be replaced with Walgreens, Publix and the like.

Laura Renke

Brunswick

01/23 - Commentary

2008-01-28T08:38:00.000-08:00

Date: January 23, 2008
Section(s): Commentary
The Brunswick News

Jekyll development plan still needs some work

I have read the editorial in the Jan. 11 edition and the accompanying article by Jim Langford concerning the proposed development of Jekyll Island.

There has been a lot of rhetoric on this project since its inception.

I am enclosing a copy of the aerial photo from the project documents that shows the area of great concern - the Town Center site.

The reason this is the area of great concern is a fairly wide beach area and the only accessible, useful area for public access.

The area to the north of this site has practically no beach at high tide.

The area to the south of this area is usurped by the series of four hotels or hotel sites.

Some of these are now under development. The area to the south of the hotel area is a dune area with practically no parking.

You have to give Senator Chapman credit for shepherding a bill through the legislature to save a soccer field and 4-H center south of the dune area from development.

This takes us back to the desirable beach area - the 4,000 feet of the so-called 9 miles of Jekyll beaches.

Some folks seem to be against any development - that ain't gonna happen.

The new hotels will be built. A new convention center and a new attached convention hotel will be built.

While they didn't ask me, it seems like a very reasonable location.

The village center will be built somewhere close to the convention center.

Whether it is on the beach or back off the beach probably should still be open for discussion.

The big item that seems to be problematic is the usurping of the public parking.

I have seen the statistics of 1-minute, 2-minute and 3-minute parking for beach access. In my opinion, ready access to the beach means 1 1/2 minutes to the beach.

I have seen many a large project outlined for construction. I have yet to see one come out with an opening plan that doesn't get worked over until it is even a better plan. This plan still needs some work.

Ross Miller
Jekyll Island

01/21 - Jekyll economy may get boost

2008-01-28T08:36:00.000-08:00

Date January 21, 2008
Section(s) Local News
By ELLEN ROBINSON
The Brunswick News

Everyone's talking about what's headed Jekyll Island's way.

It's a future that includes new hotels, a new shopping district, new convention center - a complete makeover of the main commercial area that includes a sprinkling or two of condos.

The $441 million revitalization even played in an economic forecast announced Friday at the annual Economic Outlook Luncheon put on by University of Georgia's Terry School of Business at the Jekyll Island Convention Center. Don Mathews, an economics professor at Coastal Georgia Community College, predicted the Jekyll Island project will add spark to the economy in the months and years ahead.

Gov. Sonny Perdue also is looking ahead. He announced last week that he has included $25 million in his 2009 budget proposals for infrastructure improvements to the state park, much of it in preparation for the island's revitalization.

At least one business, Jekyll Pharmacy at 10 North Beachview Drive, is counting the days.

John Waters, owner of the pharmacy, remembers the tourism peak 17 years ago, when his store did 47 percent more business. He hopes redevelopment will return the island to a busier time.

"If we don't reverse things around there won't be any businesses to save," Waters said.

It will happen, but not happen overnight, says Jim Langford, project manager for Linger Longer Communities, Jekyll Island Authority's private partner in the redevelopment project.

If everything goes as smoothly as Langford envisions, the business community could expect to see the first influx of visitors from three proposed new hotels in just three years.

The final phase, which includes a new convention center, could be open for use in 2013, if no major barriers impede the process, Langford stresses.

There is opposition to the project in its current form and there is that request for a ruling by the State Attorney General's Office - a request made by Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick - on issues such as affordability.

Langford doesn't believe the argument presented to the state attorney general is valid.

Right now, he doesn't have time to worry about that. The company is too busy refining its proposal based on public input received and moving ahead with the project.

The next step will be to present a revised plan to the public in March for another round of input.

After that, designers and engineers will be brought in to determine which environmental permits are needed.

Linger Longer is still waiting for the Department of Natural Resources to provide permit area maps for the project area.

"Once we know which permits we need and where, then we can calculate that into our timeline," Langford said. "When we find out which areas will need permitting, we will proceed in other areas first."

Linger Longer's first phase of construction remains on schedule to begin as early as the first quarter of 2009.

01/19 - Despite national fears, local outlook OK

2008-01-28T08:35:00.000-08:00

Date: January 19, 2008
Section(s): Local News
By ELLEN ROBINSON
The Brunswick News

A Brunswick economist expects plans to invest millions of dollars in new hotels and facilities on Jekyll Island to be a major economic bright spot for Brunswick and the Golden Isles.

Don Mathews, economics professor at Coastal Georgia Community College, says the Isles will not escape all the shuddering going around the nation, thought it may fare better than other regions of the state and nation.

Part of his reason for optimism is the proposed revitalization of Jekyll Island, where Gov. Sonny Perdue is proposing spending $25 million in the state budget year that begins July 1 and a north Georgia developer hopes to begin work on a $452 million project next January.

"With the Jekyll Island redevelopment project exceeding a half of a billion dollars, the Golden Isles tourism and hospitality industries are positioned to be in good shape for years to come," said Mathews.

Mathews made his predictions Friday at the annual Economic Outlook luncheon sponsored by the Terry School of Business of the University of Georgia. It was held at the Jekyll Island Convention Center, which would be razed under the redevelopment plan proposed by Linger Longer Communities of Greensboro, Ga.

"We don't know what exactly is happening, but it's going to be big," Mathews said, referring to the debate over plans for new hotels, shopping district, condominiums and convention center at the state park.

Linger Longer Communities project manager Jim Langford has said that construction, set to begin in 2009, will create up to 500 jobs. Once the project is complete, another 500 hospitality jobs would be created.

Linger Longer is Jekyll Island Authority's private partner in the redevelopment.

Mathews advised the tourism industry to prepare for growth but, at the same time, to be ready to act defensively in 2008. The year could bring both opportunities and pitfalls.

Right now, the Golden Isles' sparkling economic jewels are tourism and the port, he said.

Port tonnage continues to climb. More cars, machinery and agriculture products are crossing the docks at the port - a trend that is expected to continue.

A 19 percent increase in tourism in the Golden Isles in 2007 is another trend that is expected to continue, he said.

"Tourism has been up all over the Golden Isles, particularly on St. Simons Island," Mathews said.

Not all industries have reported a banner year, though. Mathews said a weak retail market was surprising even to him. He said he expected a better showing with the addition of the Glynn Isles Market, at Golden Isles Parkway and Altama Ave., which includes popular national chain stores such as Lowes, Target and Pets Smart.

"With all of the new shopping areas added and the tourism boom, I was surprised that it didn't spill over into retail trade," he said. "But other factors play into retail, like the housing slump."

Residential construction is an industry that has seen better days. It's a nationwide trend that has hit almost every corner of the country, including the Golden Isles, he said.

Mathews doesn't see it improving any time soon.

"I believe it's going to get worse before it gets better," Mathews said. "We are not immune to state and national housing trends. It has been fairly severe."

If there is a bright spot, it's that the slump in new housing permits was not half as intense in Brunswick and the Golden Isles as it was in much of the rest of the state. There was a 20 percent drop in Glynn County permits compared to a 40 percent drop for the state last year.

Overall, Mathews told luncheon attendees he was cautiously optimistic about the local outlook.

Although regional economies have a high potential for growth this year, a great deal depends on the state's economic health, which could be in jeopardy, state economists said.

Georgia is at a 45 percent risk of falling into a recession, said Robert Sumichrast, dean of the Terry College of Business.

"The three recession triggers are housing, energy and drought," Sumichrast said. "Any one of these factors could tip that balance."

Nationally, economists are struggling to predict whether the economy is merely slowing or is headed to recession.

01/18 - County commissioner on track for Jekyll

2008-01-28T08:31:00.000-08:00

Date: January 18, 2008
Section(s): Commentary

You have to hand it to Glynn County Commission Chair Don Hogan. Endorsing the proposed refacing of Jekyll Island, Commissioner Hogan said it's time to fix Georgia's "tarnished jewel."

Tarnished jewel - Commissioner Hogan couldn't have put it more clearly or succinctly, because that is exactly what Jekyll Island is. It is not Georgia's Jewel, as the state claims in its promotions. It once was, but it is no more.

Of course, with more people like Commissioner Hogan standing up for revitalization of the park, speaking in favor of making the island once again attractive to Georgians, the island will rise again to that status.

Plans Commissioner Hogan and the county commission endorse call for new hotels and a new convention center - a modern facility that can accommodate civic, governmental and business organizations looking for a place to bring their families close to the sea. It would be nice to see these people return. The Jekyll Island Authority and Linger Longer Communities have a design in mind that will guarantee it, and without touching any of the 65 percent of the island that by law is to remain in its natural state.

Needless to say, as is always the case anytime something is discussed for Jekyll Island and for the people of this state, the plan is not without its detractors - people and politicians who don't want anything on the island that might attract other people to Georgia's shore. They would just as soon leave the island as it is.

Commissioner Hogan feels the state can do better. He said as much during the meeting of the Jekyll Island Authority earlier this week in Atlanta. And he's not the only one who feels that way. Members of the Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce, Brunswick and Glynn County Development Authority and those from the business community in general also showed up to voice their support for something that is long, long overdue.

Others need to let their voices be heard.

01/18 - Perdue cooks up half loaf for Isles

2008-01-28T08:29:00.000-08:00

Date: January 18, 2008
Section(s): Local News
By EMILY STRANGER

The Brunswick News

The state budget proposed by Gov. Sonny Perdue is brimming with dollars for Jekyll Island but offers no relief for Glynn County's growing court caseload.

For Jekyll, Perdue is seeking $25 million for infrastructure and road improvements in his $21.4 billion fiscal year 2009 budget. For the five-county Brunswick Judicial Circuit, which includes Glynn and Camden counties, the budget offers nothing additional.

Ben Porter, chair of the board of the Jekyll Island Authority, said Perdue's recommendation of $25 million is a tremendous boost for the authority's revitalization plans and development.

"The bonds will be used to fund design and construction of public infrastructure improvements on Jekyll Island, critical elements in the revitalization of the island," Porter said.

"We appreciate the governor's strong vote of confidence in the authority's plans to improve and enhance the 'Jekyll experience' for all Georgians."

For the Brunswick Judicial Circuit, Perdue's budget is a disappointment, but not a shock, District Attorney Stephen Kelley said Thursday.

The budget includes funding for additional judges in three judicial circuits - Cordele, Enotah and Gwinnett - but not Brunswick. In addition to Glynn and Camden counties, the circuit includes Wayne, Appling and Jeff Davis counties.

"It's not devastating because I knew it was a long shot that we would get a judge," said Kelley. "If we had been in the top three I would have had my hopes up."

The Georgia Judicial Council had ranked the Brunswick Circuit fifth in need of a new judge.

The governor submitted his budget proposal to lawmakers Wednesday after his State of the State message.

Kelley said a fifth judgeship would have helped his office manage its caseload of 3,000 cases because the state would have also assigned a new assistant district attorney and assistant public defender to the circuit. He said adding one more assistant district attorney to the 15 he already has would help with the deluge of circuit-wide felony cases this year.

There were 19 homicides in Glynn County in 2007.

There still may be some hope. Rep. Roger Lane, R-Darien, said the proposal is not final and the recommendation from the Judicial Council of Georgia is not binding. He said the legislature could be convinced to move Brunswick up on the council's list while the General Assembly is in session.

"Brunswick has several unique situations which we will argue should be considered next week during budget hearings," said Lane, who serves on the House Judiciary Committee.

These include the circuit's Drug Court, headed by Superior Court Judge Amanda Williams, and the lack of a State Court in Camden County. Cases from Camden that would normally be tried in State Court must go before Superior Court judges in the Brunswick Circuit.

"I will absolutely be fighting adamantly (for a judgeship) because our caseload is beyond the need for a fifth judge," said Lane.

Kelley doesn't think the prospect looks very promising.

"The way the state goes about apportioning judicial resources doesn't make sense anymore," he said. "They only look at caseloads, but not at things like population demographics, crime stats and things of that nature. I don't think the state legislators get a true picture of what the needs really are statewide.

"The whole system needs to be looked at."

01/16 - Jekyll project critics gear up

2008-01-17T14:58:00.000-08:00

ajc.com > Business
By Dan Chapman
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 01/16/08

Critics of Jekyll Island's proposed condo-hotel redevelopment plan vowed Tuesday to launch legislative attacks and additional legal challenges against the upscale developer's $352 million project.

Legislators, environmentalists, residents and anti-development activists used a seemingly routine hearing at the Capitol to attack Linger Longer Communities' "Beach Village" plan that would add 1,100 hotel, condo, cottage and time-share units to the state park.

Sen. Jeff Chapman (R-Brunswick), whose district includes the state-owned island, said he's likely to introduce legislation to curtail development and, possibly, to mandate that the island remain affordable and accessible to "all Georgians," as state law requires. Chapman helped lead the legislative charge last year to prohibit development of Jekyll's south end.

Linger Longer, along with Jekyll Island Authority board members, responded that redevelopment plans remain fluid and could change.

Yet their ire over the growing anti-development fervor couldn't be disguised.

"Jekyll needs to be fixed," board member Steve Croy said to the more than 150 people stuffed into a legislative hearing room. "We'll just have to put up with these naysayers until we get the project fixed."

Linger Longer's plan touts an environmentally benign "town center" filled with families, conventioneers, greenways, hotel rooms, shops and restaurants. The 64-acre project would front the Atlantic Ocean along one of the most pristine stretches of Georgia coast. Much of the construction would be east of Beachview Drive and require the demolition of the convention center and a huge parking lot.

Chapman wants all construction built west of the coastal roadway so the beach remains readily accessible to all Georgians, not just those renting condos or staying at the 400-room hotel (average daily room rate: $183) planned for the site.

"Let's not forget that Jekyll is not private property," Chapman said. "It's a public beach."

Last year in the Senate, Chapman shepherded legislation that prohibited development of the island's south end. He said he's again prepared to try and legislatively protect a popular stretch of the state park.

Jim Langford, the project executive for Linger Longer, said sparing property east of the roadway might require builders to push farther west into the island's maritime forest —- an environmental either/or situation that promises to displease somebody.

"Potential visitors ... strongly desire accommodation close to the beach," he said in an interview. "They feel it's important to have some contact with the beach."

Board member Ed Boshears questioned Langford over the affordability of the project's 1,100 rooms. Langford said 72 percent of all of the rooms proposed for the island will rent for, on average, less than $139 a night. But critics said many of those rooms would only be found in two- or three-bedroom condos, not in hotels. That would mean families could be spending two or three times that average amount each night.

"It's very deceptive of these people to claim these units will be affordable," Boshears said.

Chapman had requested earlier that the state attorney general's office investigate whether Linger Longer's project conforms with the state's affordability mandate.

Environmental groups, including the Georgia Conservancy and the Center For a Sustainable Coast, criticized the project's proximity to sand dunes.

Linger Longer was surprised to learn earlier this month that its project might need an environmental permit to build close to the beach.

Jamie Reynolds, vice chairman of Linger Longer, vowed that the "Beach Village" will maintain "the protection and enhancement of natural resources."

The island's governing board was buoyed Monday when a Fulton County Superior Court judge turned back a legal challenge to Linger Longer's plan, allowing the redevelopment to move forward.

On Tuesday, critics vowed other legal fights if the plan isn't scaled back.

"It is our intention to challenge this effort through every legal means available to us," said Frank Mirasola, president of the Jekyll Island Citizens Association.

01/15 - Critics of Jekyll project vow legislative attacks

2008-01-17T14:55:00.000-08:00

By DAN CHAPMAN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 01/15/08

Critics of Jekyll Island's proposed condo-hotel redevelopment plan vowed Tuesday to launch legislative attacks and additional legal challenges against the upscale developer's $352 million project.

Legislators, environmentalists, residents and anti-development activists used a seemingly routine hearing at the Capitol to attack Linger Longer Communities' "Beach Village" plan that would add 1,100 hotel, condo, cottage and time-share units to the state park.

Sen. Jeff Chapman (R-Brunswick), whose district includes the state-owned island, said he's likely to introduce legislation to curtail development and, possibly, to mandate the island remain affordable and accessible to "all Georgians," as state law requires. Chapman helped lead the legislative charge last year to prohibit development of Jekyll's south end.

Linger Longer, along with Jekyll Island Authority board members, responded that redevelopment plans remain fluid and could change. Yet their ire over the growing anti-development fervor couldn't be disguised.

"Jekyll needs to be fixed," stated board member Steve Croy said to the more than 150 people stuffed into a legislative hearing room. "We'll just have to put up with these naysayers until we get the project fixed."

Linger Longer's plan touts an environmentally benign "town center" filled with families, conventioneers, greenways, hotel rooms, shops and restaurants. The 64-acre project would front the Atlantic Ocean along one of the most pristine stretches of Georgia coast. Much of the construction would sit eastward of Beachview Drive and require the demolition of the convention center and a huge parking lot.

Chapman wants all construction built west of the coastal roadway so the beach remains accessible to all Georgians, not just those renting condos or staying at the 400-room hotel (average daily room rate: $183) planned for the site.

"Let's not forget that Jekyll is not private property," Chapman said. "It's a public beach."

Last year in the Senate, Chapman shepherded legislation that prohibited development of the island's South end. He said he's again prepared to try and legislatively protect a popular stretch of the state park.

Jim Langford, the project executive for Linger Longer, said sparing property east of the roadway might require builders to push farther west into the island's maritime forest — an environmental either-or situation that promises to displease somebody.

"Potential visitors ... strongly desire accommodation close to the beach," he said in an interview. "They feel it's important to have some contact with the beach."

Board member Ed Boshears questioned Langford over the affordability of the project's 1,100 rooms. Langford said 72 percent of all of the the rooms proposed for the island will rent for, on average, less than $139 a night. But critics said many of those rooms would only be found in two- or three-bedroom condos, not in hotels. That would mean families could be spending two or three times that average amount each night.

"It's very deceptive of these people to claim these units will be affordable," Boshears said.

Chapman earlier requested that the state Attorney General's office investigate whether Linger Longer's project conforms with the state's affordability mandate.

Environmental groups, including the Georgia Conservancy and the Center For A Sustainable Coast, criticized the project's proximity to sand dunes. Linger Longer was surprised to learn earlier this month that its project might need an environmental permit to build close to the beach.

Jamie Reynolds, vice chairman of Linger Longer, vowed the "Beach Village" will maintain "the protection and enhancement of natural resources."

The island's governing board was buoyed Monday when a Fulton County Superior Court judge turned back a legal challenge to Linger Longer's plan, allowing the redevelopment to move forward. But critics Tuesday, though, vowed other legal fights if the plan isn't scaled back.

"It is our intention to challenge this effort through every legal means available to us," said Frank Mirasola, president of the Jekyll Island Citizens Association.

01/15 - Jekyll project upheld in court

2008-01-17T14:54:00.001-08:00

ajc.com > Business
Judge rejects challenge by losing bidder for redevelopment deal on island.

By Dan Chapman
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 01/15/08
A Fulton County Superior Court judge on Monday allowed the large-scale redevelopment of Jekyll Island to go forward, turning back a challenge from a losing bidder who claimed the state unfairly awarded the contract.

Judge Jerry Baxter's ruling lets Linger Longer Communities continue with its $352 million condo-hotel-retail project in the state park near Brunswick. The Greensboro, Ga.-based developer plans 1,100 condo, hotel and time-share units fronting the Atlantic Ocean.

"Obviously we think the judge is correct on both grounds —- dismissing the complaint for lack of standing and denying the injunction for lack of merit," said Linger Longer attorney Emmet Bondurant, who argued alongside the counsel for the Jekyll Island Authority.

Wade Shealy Jr., whose company lost the bid, sued the authority after it awarded the contract in September. The Jekyll Island Authority and Linger Longer prevailed Monday when Baxter determined the process was fair. A disappointed Shealy said he'll likely appeal Baxter's decision to deny the injunction.

"It's not over. We still believe the process was flawed, and we want to see it done right," said Shealy, who spent $925,000 on his bid.

The crux of Monday's decision revolved around how many acres were in play. In its request for proposals last year, the authority stipulated eight times that the "town center" project would encompass 45 acres. Shealy's Jekyll Island Revitalization Group and Trammell Crow Co., another bidder, adhered to the 45-acre parameter.

Linger Longer, however, used 64 acres in its plan. By using fewer acres, Shealy said, the degree of green space and density —- two major selection criteria —- was unfairly skewed.

The authority disagreed. Its attorney, George Zier, testified Monday that the bid for the "town center" site was fluid and allowed for the construction of hotel and parking, for example, beyond the 45 acres.

"That was perfectly permissible from day one, page one," Zier said. The bid by Shealy and partners "imploded of their own volition, not by anything the authority did. . . . They lost fair and square."

Zier also questioned whether Shealy's group could secure sufficient financing for the large-scale development.

Shealy and his attorneys labeled questions over financing and "standing" —- whether his group could legally challenge the bid —- as "red herrings" intended to distract from what they considered the central argument: development within 45 acres.

Baxter also questioned, during deliberations, whether the bid process was free of "some impropriety."

"The fact that everything says 45 acres and the winning bid says 64 acres ... that's the thing that sort of jumped out at me," he said.

Shealy says the authority intended all along to pick Linger Longer and that the surprise decision to accept its 64-acre proposal underscores the favoritism.

Baxter, after ruling in the state's favor, suggested the authority and Linger Longer slow the island's development until a higher court, if necessary, weighs in.

"That island is very special," the judge said. "All of those islands down there need to be protected."

Ed Boshears, an authority board member who attended the hearing, said Monday's ruling won't stem criticism of the state park's redevelopment.

"The authority needs to take heed of the judge's words and go very slowly," he said. "The process was fundamentally flawed, and the handling of it was not done in a proper manner. But the court has ruled based on the strict requirements of the law."

01/14 - Ruling allows Jekyll redevelopment to move forward

2008-01-17T14:51:00.001-08:00

ajc.com > Business
By DAN CHAPMAN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 01/14/08

A Fulton County Superior Court on Monday allowed the big-scale redevelopment of Jekyll Island to go forward, turning back a challenge from a losing bidder who claimed the contract was unfairly awarded by the state.

Judge Jerry Baxter's ruling allows the Linger Longer Co. to continue with its $352 million condo-hotel-retail project in the state park near Brunswick. The Greensboro, Ga.-based developer plans 1,100 condo, hotel and time-share units fronting the Atlantic Ocean.

Wade Shealy Jr., whose company lost the bid, sued the island's governing body after it awarded the coveted redevelopment contract last September. The Jekyll Island Authority prevailed Monday when Judge Baxter determined the process was fair and that Linger Longer won the prize on its merits. Shealy said he'll likely appeal Baxter's decision.

In its request for proposals last year, the authority stipulated eight times that the "town center" project would encompass 45 acres. Shealy's Jekyll Island Revitalization Group and The Trammell Crow Co. adhered to the 45-acre parameter.

Linger Longer, however, used 64 acres in its plan. By using fewer acres, Shealy said, the degree of green space and density —- two major selection criteria —- was unfairly skewed.

The judge disagreed.

Shealy further contends that the authority violated state procurement law while engaging in "an arbitrary and capricious act." He claims the authority intended all along to pick Linger Longer and that the surprise decision to accept its 64-acre proposal —- when other bidders were under the impression that only 45 acres were in play —- underscores the favoritism.

"We're disappointed, but it's not over," Shealy said. "We believe the process was flawed. Our goal was to get a fair bid and that's still our goal."

Baxter, after ruling in the state's favor, suggested the authority and Linger Longer slow the island's development until a higher court, if necessary, weighs in.

"That island is very special," the judge said. "All of those islands down there need to be protected."

01/13 - Georgia governor asleep at the switch

2008-01-17T14:46:00.000-08:00

ajc.com > Opinion
LETTERS

I can't say I was surprised to see columnist Jim Wooten ("Quick, costly solutions not Perdue's style," @issue, Jan. 8) making apologies for Gov. Sonny Perdue's lack of speedy leadership. And I've read his column enough to know that if Perdue were a Democrat, Wooten would be howling about our do-nothing governor.

But the guv must have hit a new low if Wooten feels the need to extol the virtues of having a governor asleep at the switch. Georgia is crying out for leadership on so many issues: water supply, transportation, education and even Jekyll Island. But where's Sonny? Perhaps gone fishing, but who really knows?

I hope we get some serious leadership soon, because like Humpty Dumpty, all the king's horses and all the king's men won't be able to put Georgia's growth egg back together again after it falls.

TOM ELLICOTT, Atlanta

MIKE LUCKOVICH / Staff

01/15 - Jekyll says judge clears plan

2008-01-17T14:43:00.001-08:00

Date January 15, 2008
Section(s) Local News
The Brunswick News

The company challenging the bid awarded by the Jekyll Island Authority to Linger Longer Communities lost its legal battle Monday in Atlanta.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter denied the injunction sought by the Jekyll Island Revitalization Group. The company filed suit in November, claiming the authority unfairly awarded the private partnership role to the Linger Longer Communities of Greensboro, N.C.

Jekyll Island Revitalization Group's bid ranked third.

Baxter disagreed, ruling that Jekyll Island Revitalization Group had no standing to sue, said Eric Garvey, senior marketing director for the Jekyll Island Authority.

Bob Krueger, chair of the Private Partner Selection Committee for the authority, said the ruling vindicates the process used.

"We are very confident and comfortable as a result with having unanimously selected Linger Longer Communities as our private-sector partner for the revitalization ahead," Krueger said.

That means Linger Longer Community can proceed with a final design of its proposed multi-million dollar revitalization of the state park's commercial district. The plan includes new hotels, convention center and shopping area, as well as condominiums.

"We are pleased that Judge Baxter agreed with the Jekyll Island Authority and our private-sector partner, Linger Longer Communities, and the process of improving and enhancing Georgia's Jewel will continue to move forward," said Ben Porter, chair of the Jekyll Island State Park Authorit

01/15 - New Executive Director, Jekyll Island Authority

2008-01-17T14:42:00.001-08:00

Date January 15, 2008
Section(s) Letters

As the staff at Jekyll Island, facing the biggest change in the state park's nearly 70-year history, works with out a leader, it just occurred to me that the ideal Executive Direstor of the Jekyll Island Authority is right here in our very midst. He is also very available!

I must preface my recommendation with the admission that this position is embedded in politics, and the man at the helm of making this all-important appointment is Governor Sonny Perdue. Perdue is the consumate politician and his appointment may be sawyed more by political considerations than by what--or who--may be in the best interest of Jekyll Island.

The obvious man for the job is Brunswick Mayor Bryan Thompson. Thompson spent the last four years as the president and CEO of Blueprint Brunswick. This group set out to draw $150 million in investments to the Brunswick economy. At last count, Blueprint Brunswick has attrated close to $1.5 Billion. That's 10 times what was sought!

What are the stated goals at Jekyll Island? Facility improvements; Infrastructure upgrades; Affordability; Environmetal stability; Attracting more visitors; and Financial Independence. What did Thompson accomplished as the head of Blueprint Brunswick? Exactly what you see listed above.

Some will say that as Brunswick Mayor, he shouldn't hold both posts. Perhaps so, but Jekyll Island Director of Human Resources Cornell Harvey is also a Brunswick City Commissioner, and has handled both jobs very well without any noticeable conflict. I am sure if Thompson were to accept the Jekyll Island position, he would resign as mayor anyway.

Thompson and Jekyll Island seem to me to be a perfect match. He knows how to lead, how to produce and manage growth, and Jekyll needs solid, experienced leadership, not some political hack who just happens to have friends in the "right places."

I hope the Governor and the Jekyll Island Authority Board will give Thompson the serious consideration he deserves. Jekyll Island needs and deserves an executive director of his abilities.

Charles E. McCord
Brunswick, GA

01/14 - Letters: Jekyll Island

2008-01-17T14:38:00.000-08:00

Date January 14, 2008
Section(s )Letters
The Brunswick News

Sen. Jeff Chapman speaks for a majority of Georgians who are displeased with how Linger Longer was chosen to 'revamp' Jekyll, displeased with their proposed plans that will NOT be affordable to all Georgians, displeased that they will reap profits and incentives from a State Park for which we pay taxes,displeased with the political influences that surround this situation, and surprised that people of even minimal intelligence cannot see through this sham! As for people 'trekking' to other beaches ...if you want nightlife and the actions that go along with this style, then you don't want Jekyll...a state park of peace, quiet, nature, wildlife and other God-given gifts.

Respectfully submitted,

Carol Sue Ravenel
Roswell, GA

I have read the editorial in the January 11, 2008 edition and the accompanying article by Jim Langford concerning the proposed development of Jekyll Island. There has been a lot of rhetoric on this project since it & iacute;s inception.

Some folks seem to be against any development & ntilde; THAT AIN & iacute;T GONNA HAPPEN. The new hotels will be built. A new convention center and a new attached convention hotel will be built. While they didn & iacute;t ask me it seems like a very reasonable location. The village center will be built somewhere close to the convention center. Whether it is on the beach or back off the beach probably should still be open for discussion.

The big item that seems to be problematic is the usurping of the public parking. I have seen the statistics of 1 minute, 2 minute and 3 minute parking for beach access. In my opinion, ready access to the beach means 1 à minutes to the beach. When the public comes to the beach, families show up with 3 kids, two beach chairs, a cooler and maybe a beach umbrella. They don & iacute;t need to be parked on a street parking lot and try to lug all this paraphernalia down to the waters edge. The existing beach access just north of the Days Inn hosts the beach festival and other public gatherings. This area could be extended north into the area where the current convention center is to be demolished to provide parking when the existing parking lot north of the convention center is abolished. It could be environmentally friendly and using the & igrave;porous surfaces & icirc; Jim Langford speaks of. If I interpret all the information correctly this area will be filled with hotels and condos in the future. That is probably the & igrave;wooly bugger & icirc; in this & igrave;BRILLIANT & icirc; plan.

I have seen many a large project outlined for construction. I have yet to see one come out with an opening plan that doesn & iacute;t get worked over until it is even a better plan. This plan still needs some work.

Ross F. Miller
Jekyll Island

I was alarmed to read the Commentary section attacking Senator Chapman's resolution concerning Jekyll Island. I applaud any senator who voices concern when the people's resources are being bid out and developed for profit.

I have worked in the tourism industry for many years, in fact I studied Heritage Tourism in college. I also lived in Savannah, Georgia for many years. We saw when companies began to see Bay Street as a gold mine. Within the last few years, many chains built hotels on empty parking lots or dilapidates sites. Now there are big beautiful hotels all along Bay Street. But was it necessary? No it was not.

The result of all of these hotels was that the existing hotels had to increase their prices to keep profits at the same levels. Now a family wanting to stay in downtown Savannah cannot afford it. Most average citizens stay outside of the historic district and drive in. The solution was to increase the amount of conventions. Convention Attendees are in meetings all day and venture out little. Now instead of having hotels full of families filling their days with activities, we have hundreds of people being held captive in a hotel,maybe spending one day on the town.

I am a tour guide, so I can see past the bed tax numbers the City of Savannah is receiving. Businesses are caving, tour companies are crying, museums are starving. So what is going to happen to Jekyll? Everyone agrees that the hotels need to be updated, but the Linger Longer plan is unnecessary and will complicate tourism to the island in the long run. According to the georgia.org, Jekyll Island is categorized under the 'Hidden Gems' list. It states that 'Georgia is a great place to unwind,refresh,and invigorate.' Why would anyone want to accomplish those goals by fighting for parking around a 'green space', walking half a mile from their parking spot just to see the beach,and paying an outrageous hotel price and parking fees?

A plan to update Jekyll is needed, but condominiums and expensive hotels blocking our beach access will hinder rather than help us.

Missy Brandt
Darien, Ga

The recent editorials concerning developement on Jekyll island are amount to nothing more than a vicious attack on Senator Chapman and reveal a complete lack of understanding of the unique nature and value of Jekyll Island. The News welcomes a return to the islands 'heyday', which did not include any of the things that Linger Longer proposes. The draw of Jekyll Island is the beach and the fact that it is not spoiled by too much commercial or residetial developement. Condos and shopping are not needed to draw more visitors, a strong marketing plan that showcases the unique qualities that Jekyll posess's, pesenting it as a natural alternative to other overcrowded over developed destinations would bring more visitors. The facilities that are in place now need only to be updated and remodeled and all would be well. Jekyll is a rare and fragile natural resource unlike any other the state of Georgia owns, why turn it into just another unremarkable spot on the coast? The greed of a few real estate developers that why.

Paul Patterson
Gurley, Alabama

Dear Mr Langford -

Being experienced sorts, we always look a 'gift horse' in the mouth. We are rarely disappointed by finding nothing interesting.

1. Restore or Revitalize Jekyll -

We see no need to do anything : It suits us fine just the way it is, except as noted below.

2. Residential Development -

There is no need for further residential development of ANY sort on Jekyll. What exists now is obviously the product of some political boondoggle in the past of the same nature as what Linger Longer is trying to advance now.

What is more, over time, the residences now present on Jekyll should be gradually ELIMINATED -- They should be bought and bulldozed by a private charitable trust whenever they come up for sale, purchased at a proper -- not a firesale -- valuation.

3. Public Acces Will in Fact be Impacted -- Grossly -

The idea of scattering the public parking lots thruout the development is an inspired move -- a clever trick -- on LL's part.

Should this development actually take place (God Forbid), a few years down the road, the residents whose properties are adjacent to public parking areas (which includes almost all of them) will complain vigorously to the State and the County that their peace is being disturbed by the endless stream of outsider beach users running about the lots, walkways and streets of the development. They will insist that these parking lots therefore be closed and our dutiful politicians will of course accomodate them with a knowing, sly grin. This will provide space for a number of new infill residences of one kind or another.

We do not trust Linger Longer and we do not trust the politicians of the State nor of the County : We have no reason to do so (*). What will happen will be what you have already privately planned with the politicians, with, we are sure, the distribution of appropriate honoraria disguised as 'consulting fees'.

Even were we in favor of this project, we would demand IRON BOUND contracts and tens of millions of dollars in performance bonds from ALL parties involved, a provision that LL would doubtlessly decline.

(*) Consider, for examnple, the Craig Field Airport controversy in Jacksonville and the dishonorable behavior of Jacksonville's mayor in this matter.

Mr Langford, we do not know about all of our Brunswick neighbors, but WE were not born yesterday.

Incidentally, as a girl, Loretta used to visit the ruins of Jekyll with her father when it was, indeed, all a shambles.

Allen & amp; Loretta Wollscheidt

Brunswick, GA
Jekyll Island Project,

My comments and then a solution to this problem is this, I think the whole project is just to close to the beach and they do not allow traffic to drive staight through next to the beach. You have to go about 2 miles around to get to the other side. That to me takes away the beauty and enjoyment of a lovely scenic drive next to the beach. I saw the maps of the project and it shows that as soon as you get on Jekyll Island that all you see now is a detour to the right or left to go around the project and a bunch of buildings and trees everywhere. This to me is just one step closer to being just like Sea Island, where now they have guard gates and no public is free to come in. Sea Island did have public beaches but now you can not go to them unless you pay to stay at the hotels over there. That to me is taking away the freedom of the public access and giving it to the rich. That is wrong and Jekyll Island can become just like this too one day. My solution to Jekyll Island is this, I think that there should be a two way street, with palm trees in the middle, straight to the beach and parking on both sides at an angle. Then I think there should be a two way street next to the beach all the way through the project, with palm trees in the middle, and have parking at an angle on both sides. Then there can be plenty of access parking and if you want to just drive and see the beautiful beach, you can. In other words, I think their whole project should be back away from the beach about 40 yards or 120 feet and allow the access of the public to have their freedom to the beach still without pushing back their project to far from the beach also. This will be great for everyone's enjoyment and freedom of public access close to the beach.

Wayne Rhodes
Brunswick, GA

I never thought The Brunswick News would let a corporation write its editorial - but I must say - your 1/11/08 editorial sounds like a clone from Linger Longer with added touches by certain legislators who really are all about the money!! They never tell the public that the JIA is still operating with a profit and that the "old" Convention Center is full much of the time and used most of the time. They don't own up to the last 4+ years of "purposeful neglect" of the facilities on the island - or that indeed, the JIA was/is responsible for seeing that hotels on the island keep in shape or lose their leases.

And Linger Longer's spokesman, Jim Langford, maintains that their plan is "fluid' - but if that is true - why is he so defensive about every inch of that overbearing plan?

By the way - isn't WATER a big problem in this state of ours? Why is the new Canopy Bluff Hotel being allowed to build 5 swimming pools with their complex? Ask the JIA.

And is there enuf water/infrastructure/etc. on Jekyll, and in good enuf condition, to withstand 5000 people per day or more? The JIA may say yes - but they know better. Don't let anyone kid you - the proposed development on JI is all about the money -- for a few. Not about a re-vitalization of the State Park's facilities.

Do not disparage our State Senator Jeff Chapman and please stop misquoting him. He is doing his job in trying to represent the people and protect Jekyll Island State Park.

Jean Poleszak
Jekyll Island, GA

I was astonished by the vitriol and meanness present in your editorial criticizing Senator Chapman for soliciting input from the citizens of Georgia regarding plans for Jekyll Island.

The editorial sounds amazingly like a hatchet job against Senator Chapman.

A reasonable editorial would have acknowledged Senator Chapman's pivotal role in saving the south end of Jekyll Island from development by unanimous vote in last year's legislative session.

A reasonable editorial would have acknowledged that there are literally thousands of Georgia citizens who do not agree with your position that putting a 64 acre resort-style development consisting of hundreds of hotel rooms, condos and shops on the beach of Jekyll Island State Park is a good thing. There have been many well reasoned editorials and commentary in many papers throughout this state and Florida discussing the issue. But I have never seen such stridency and mean-spiritedness anywhere else.

A reasonable editorial would not cast Senator Chapman in the position of seeming to call Governor Perdue, and legislative leaders liars. He has never done that. Reasonable people can disagree. Politicians can disagree. Senator Chapman may be disagreeing with these political leaders on this issue, but that is what our democracy is all about. Or am is mistaken, and someone has changed the rules about political discourse in this country?

Or are we to accept that our leaders are infallible and know without a doubt what is best for us? That sounds very un-American to me.

A reasonable editorial would have examinined the recent history of Jekyll Island, and noted the various factors contributing to the decline in visitors. Three of the major hotels are demolished. They are to be rebuilt. Visitors will increase when they are rebuilt. That seems simple enough. With the hotels replaced there will be a return to the "heyday" of Jekyll, apart from the issue of the Linger Longer project.

One can only wonder at the reason for such editorial stridency and one-sidedness from a major state newspaper.

Joan Lardin
Hawkinsville, GA

I was dismayed to read your commentary on Jan. 11, 2008, and about Jeff Chapman and Jekyll Island. I have been closely following the development situation on Jekyll Island. I have yet to meet anyone in Georgia who is in favor of the current Linger Longer development plans. Developers and the JIA, apparently out of touch with the citizens of Georgia, see these plans as positive. These plans will rob sea turtles of their nesting sites, cost Georgia taxpayers millions of dollars for infrastructure, and in the end the average Georgian would not be able to afford the condos, timeshares and hotels they paid for. Of course Jim Langford as a developer posed to make a fortune is in favor of the development plans. I applaud Jeff Chapman's efforts to protect the last remaining barrier island of Georgia. Sensible ecology friendly development can and should be done. Georgia and Georgians will benefit from this. Jeff Chapman realizes that Jekyll Island is the Jewel of Georgia.

Robin Revennaugh

The cover of Linger Longer;s brochure reads,

REDISCOVER AN OLD FRIEND.....JEKYLL ISLAND

It should read,

WE LOSE OUR OLD FRIEND...JEKYLL ISLAND

We did come to the island as children and remember the excitement of crossing the bridge and the thrill of seeing the ocean. Then the race would begin, as we would spring from the family car to see who could be the first to jump into the ocean. Our parents would follow with wagons of toys, dogs on leashes, coolers, umbrellas and everything imaginable to make our special day at the beach complete.

And yes, even to this day I come with my grandchildren and see the same delight in their eyes. Jekyll's unique environment has survived since the 16th century due to those who have left their mark carefully so as to preserve the island's precious resources. And so.... for it to always continue, it was declared a "state park" in 1971 so as to preserve our island for all who wish to come for a day or a week and bask in the glory of nature on our own golden jewel.

It is hard for man's creations to weather on an island over time. And, yes the island's hotels and recreational facilities need sprucing and refurbishing and or re-built but not to the extent that Linger Longer wants. Their proposal calls for all beachfront condos, hotels, shops, restaurants, and a new huge convention center to be built along nearly the entire span of our state park's beautiful beach and thusly will eliminate our four beachside public parking lots. But... for those of us who want to come for the day, Linger Longer Development promises to provide us beach access via walking paths between buildings with parking lots located way too far for us and our little ones along with their grandparents to walk to the beach. And.... sadly, all of these "beachfront accommodations" that they plan to build will be not affordable to all who wish to come for an extended stay during the summer season. Oh yes, maybe we can come and vacation during the winter when the hotel rates will drop and therefore will be more affordable in the off-season.

This development by Linger Longer represents a huge monetary gain for the developer along with the politicians who orchestrated the present redevelopment plan of Jekyll.

What will have happen to our beautiful dunes and our island's beachfront habitat? They cannot survive, as they were never meant to be replaced with miles of buildings and beach venues. Our turtles, birds and wildlife will lose their beloved island, as we will all.... Our legacy will be gone forever and so will all the past and future memories of all those who have and would had visited our precious jewel..... Jekyll Island.

Mardi Brooks
Brunswick, Georgia

Dear Editor,

I must confess that I am confused. In your January 11 editorial about Sen. Chapman's opposition to the Linger Longer development plans for Jekyll Island you mention that Jekyll has been in need of "apparatus to rescue distressed swimmers" and "funding to make repairs to the wave pool at Summer Waves waterpark." I have not seen the plan as submitted by Linger Longer, but from what I have read, it does not address these issues. So far as I know, it also does not address the serious dune erosion problem. You must be seeing something in the Linger Longer proposal that will address these needs that I am not seeing, and I would truly appreciate knowing about this part of the proposal.

I have been a regular visitor to Jekyll Island for the last 15 to 20 years, first while I was a GA resident for nearly 50 years and now as a MA resident, working on a Ph.D. I still return to Jekyll Island annually. For many years even before they were torn down I refused to stay at the hotels. They were not well maintained, and the last time I stayed in one they were not well staffed either. I have rented a cottage each summer for over 10 years. There seems to be very little decline in cottage rental; I still must make August reservations not later than May to get the cottage accommodation that I want. I'm not sure where the tourism decline figure originated, but it apparently did not originate from the folks who rent out cottages.

Jekyll Island clearly needs some hotels to replace those that were demolished. To say, however, that a resort development along the ecologically fragile stretch of beach where Linger Longer wants to put an upscale resort is what Jekyll needs seems to be quite a stretch. Given that Sen. Chapman and his constituency actually live on Jekyll Island or at least nearby, their thoughts on what is needed for Jekyll Island take into consideration some identified needs that Linger Longer apparently has not yet recognized or made plans to address. Perhaps Linger Longer is more aware of the needs of coastal areas in North Carolina; they don't seem to be as well informed about the needs of Jekyll Island, GA.

Susan L. DeHoff
Shrewsbury, MA

"Since 1990, visitation on the island has dropped - no, plunge is more like it - by an alarming 47 percent." The Brunswick News 1/11/08

I don't know the basis for the oft quoted 47% reduction in our visitors. It could be based on hotel count which is down.

Perhaps a more relevant count is the toll booth revenue which shows little variation from FY94 to FY06.

Parking revenue and Visitors at $2.00 per entry

FY94 FY95 FY96

643,909 665,399 618,520

321,955 332,700 309,260

and revenue/visitors at $3.00 per entry

FY02 FY03 FY04 FY05 FY06

PARTIAL EST

1,171,994 1,138,404 1,105,729 1,074,157 1,123,428

390,665 379,468 368,576 358,052 374,476

These data come from the JIA annual budget report.

FY05, FO6, and FY07 should be updated.

Lucien DeBacker
Jekyll Island, Georgia

01/16 - Jekyll plan gains support

2008-01-17T14:37:00.001-08:00

Date January 16, 2008
Section(s) Local News
By BRANDEE THOMAS
The Brunswick News

ATLANTA - Calling Jekyll Island a "tarnished jewel," the chair of the Glynn County Commission told overseers of the state park Tuesday that the commission is backing efforts to revitalize it.

"The Glynn County Commission would like to endorse what the (Jekyll Island) Authority is doing," Commission Chair Don Hogan told the authority during its meeting at the Coverdell Legislative Building.

"Jekyll Island is a tarnished jewel for the state of Georgia and it's time that jewel was polished," Hogan said.

Hogan was among 75 community leaders and citizens from Glynn County who attended the meeting of the Jekyll Island Authority board to show support for redevelopment plans. Others made the trip to oppose them.

The Jekyll Island board this past autumn approved a $440 million project outlined by Linger Longer Communities of Greensboro, N.C., to construct new hotels, condominiums, convention center and shopping area on about 60 acres near the waterfront. Linger Longer is the authority's private sector partner in the redevelopment.

Support for the project came from representatives of both the public and private sectors Tuesday.

"Linger Longer has done a great job," said Bruce Dixon, chair of the Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce. "We all want to do our part to protect the environment and this is a great marriage between (the private sector) and the state."

The meeting came just one day after a Fulton County Superior Court judge denied a request by Jekyll Island Revitalization Group, one of two companies that lost the bid for the partnership role, to stop the project. It had contended the contract was awarded unfairly, but a judge Monday dismissed its claim.

Several legislator members of the Jekyll Island Legislative Oversight Committee, which met prior to the board's meeting, stayed to hear an update of Linger Longer's plans.

House Majority Leader Jerry Keen, R-St. Simons Island, who chairs the legislative committee, praised the authority on behalf of the oversight panel for its efforts.

"From our standpoint, we would like to thank the authority for all their hard work on this project," Keen said. "They are doing things now that will be beneficial to not only coastal Georgia, but all of Georgia, as a whole."

Not everyone spoke in support of the project.

"Actually, what they said today was just a rehashing of their initial proposal, which indicates to me that they are not willing to change anything," said Frank Mirasola, president of the Jekyll Island Citizens Association, which opposes the current plan.

"We still have the same concerns after hearing their presentation that we had before the meeting (Tuesday). We support the restoration and rebuilding of the existing hotels that are there now within the same footprint that they exist in today."

Other organizations opposed to the project as proposed also sent representatives, including the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island and the Center for a Sustainable Coast.

Jim Langford, project executive director for Linger Longer Communities, re-sponded to criticism, saying that issues such as affordability, parking and beach access are all addressed in the plan.

He said 72 percent of all new accommodations will cost less than $139 per night and that parking is being restructured, not eliminated.

"Some new spaces will be located closer to the beach than any parking that exists today and will eliminate the current competition between day visitors and conventions," Langford said.

He also said there will be 8,500 feet of new pervious boardwalk.

"There will be the same number and locations of beach access points as exist today," he said. "There will be improved restroom and changing facilities. And there will be no affect on beach access elsewhere on the island.

"We have three main goals. One, create a critical mass of new and compelling reasons for visitors to come back to the island without doing too much.

"Two, achieve the right balance of economic sustainability with minimal impact on Jekyll Island's cultural and environmental resources.

"And three, to provide a recreational experience that is enjoyable and affordable for all Georgians."

Langford said the company, which is collecting public input, hopes to begin construction in about a year.

01/16 - Public wants to revitalize

2008-01-17T14:34:00.000-08:00

Date January 16, 2008
Section(s) Letters
The Brunswick News

Linger Longer has found fault with my resolution calling for the preservation of public access to Jekyll Island's main beach. The Brunswick News has requested that I reassess my position. In criticizing the resolution and defending Linger Longer's proposed oceanfront Jekyll village, they have missed the point. To say I oppose needed revitalization is totally false. What I am opposed to is massive new development, especially any more development on the beach, which is also opposed by most Georgians.

If the public, especially the people I represent, had not expressed their concerns to me, I would have no reason to take a hard look at current plans. Like most people, I appreciate a good business vision. However, a State Park with prime beach front that belongs to all Georgians begs scrutiny. Those wanting a town center and condos on Jekyll appear connected to a limited portion of the business community. The general public has convinced me this is not what they want. The public has not called for extensive redevelopment, only for revitalization.

If Linger Longer is determined to provide a "commercial hub" in a State Park, does the Jekyll Island Authority have to locate it on the beach? The overwhelming responses I receive daily are let's rebuild and revitalize existing facilities, stop the building of private condos, and keep Jekyll's only remaining open beach, unblocked by hotels and private homes, preserved in its natural beauty. I think the people are right. Visit www.jeffchapman.us for the full story.

Senator Jeff Chapman

Brunswick

County needs to rethink recycling provider

I read with great interest your article about recycling in the Dec. 28 edition of The Brunswick News. Let me share my perspective.

I am a strong advocate of recycling. This week, however, with very strong regret I canceled our recycling service.

Since the county renegotiated the contract with Southland Waste, the company has failed to pick up our recycled materials on the scheduled pickup day more often than not.

Recently, Southland once again failed to pick up the recyclables on the scheduled day. Two days later, I contacted Glynn County Customer Service to file a report. As I was taking the containers back out to the curb, the Southland Waste truck drove up. In a nasty tone of voice the driver told me I was only supposed to have one container. In other words, do not recycle too much!

I have two recycling containers, as I have an old container that I used when we paid extra for recycling during a previous county administration. That was during the time those of us who paid extra for recycling later learned all of this material was going directly to the landfill along with the other trash. The county and Southland continued to accept these "extra" payments as if the material was being recycled. I paid for that extra container many times over.

Contrary to the recent article, it is obvious to me that Southland is not really interested in providing recycling service to Glynn County residents. If they were, they would provide as many containers as citizens need to hold recycled items. One container is not enough even for our two person household. Given this attitude as well as the many times I have had to call to report trash flying out of Southland Waste trucks traveling across the causeway, I strongly suggest Glynn County terminate the contract with Southland and find an ecologically minded company interested in providing reliable service to our citizens.

Duane Harris

St. Simons Island

Separate billing gives customers new options

I recently received my much-heralded first billing for "Sanitation Services" from the City of Brunswick, a byproduct of the separation of trash collection from the costs of the provision of water and sewer services by the new Joint Water and Sewer Commission.

With the revised billing arrangement, I would like to put the City Administrators on notice that a new reality could be dawning as a result of this reorganization - something which they are probably not prepared to address without some additional effort on the part of themselves and their employees.

In short, this new separate billing will give Brunswick's "Sanitation Service" customers the ability to challenge the quality of their services (or the lack thereof) without the risk of also having their water service terminated for non-payment.

I, personally, will be exercising this option when paying my future "Sanitary Service" invoices, and as of this week I will be deducting $3.30 from my $16.50 January invoice because the household refuse at my Wolfe Street rental property did not get picked up last week.

The "Sanitary Service" collection at this vacant property, currently being renovated, has been missed at least a half dozen times since I began paying for the service last June. In addition, the small weekly piles of lawn debris which I place curbside have been ignored more than half of the time.

Is it unreasonable to demand that otherwise well intended measures by government to force citizens' compliance with common sense issues also meet the same standards of service expected from private industry? I think not.

Virgil Rogers

St. Simons Island

City oversteps bounds with yard requirements

Here we go, with the city putting into law ways to control what we can do with our property.

Some time ago the city fathers decided we did not know how to take care of our property, so they set up a historic district, and everyone in the district had to ask the city what they could do and how their private property had to look. When someone wanted to remodel and upgrade to more efficient windows, doors, or even siding, it had to be approved by the city panel. To build a building, it had to look a certain way.

If the city fathers want to maintain a historic look, they need to remember that history is ongoing to the moment we are in, and it can't be restricted by a group of people. I think what I do with my property should reflect what I want. Seems that's part of the Constitution. Establishing a historic district has caused people with limited resources heartache and money.

Now the city comes with a new idea. Let's tell people what they can have in their yards. Again I think this is unconstitutional. I believe what is in my yard is mine. Why the city thinks it should be able to tell me what I can have in my yard and what I can do with it is unknown. The commission has decided to tell us what cars we can have in our yards, or for how long, before we owe them a fee for having our car in our yard (I pay taxes to the state and county for my car).

Many people in this town have had a car in their yard that has been or is being worked on. Some of us just like cars and buy certain cars to repair and drive. Some just don't have the time or money to fix a ride when it breaks so we get along without it and fix it when we can. Maybe no one on the commission has ever been short of cash, but a lot of us have, and we deal with cars as we can. The city of Brunswick is not a "Cadillac town." It has always been a "Chevy town." We work at the mill or a construction site.

Frederick J. Dufel

Brunswick

Jekyll Island project is too close to the beach

My comments and then a solution to the Jekyll Island problem are this. I think the whole project is just too close to the beach, and they do not allow traffic to drive straight through next to the beach. You have to go about two miles around to get to the other side. That to me takes away the beauty and enjoyment of a lovely scenic drive next to the beach.

I saw the maps of the project and it shows that as soon as you get on Jekyll Island that all you see now is a detour to the right or left to go around the project and a bunch of buildings and trees everywhere.

This to me is just one step closer to being just like Sea Island, where now they have guard gates and no public is free to come in.

That to me is taking away the freedom of the public access and giving it to the rich. That is wrong, and Jekyll Island can become just like this too one day.

My solution to Jekyll Island is this. I think that there should be a two-way street, with palm trees in the middle, straight to the beach and parking on both sides at an angle. Then I think there should be a two way street next to the beach all the way through the project, with palm trees in the middle, and have parking at an angle on both sides. Then there can be plenty of access parking, and if you want to just drive and see the beautiful beach, you can.

In other words, I think their whole project should be back away from the beach about 40 yards or 120 feet and allow the access of the public to have their freedom to the beach still without pushing back their project too far from the beach also. This will be great for everyone's enjoyment and freedom of public access close to the beach.

Wayne Rhodes

Brunswick

Linger Longer Web site limits public opinions

As a concerned citizen of Jekyll Island, I read with some amusement and distaste Jim Langford's column in The Brunswick News.

I then accessed their Web site to vote NO on their resolution. To my surprise the only possible vote was YES. I believe that the former Soviet Union conducted polls in this manner and that Linger Longer is equally single minded. I have posted several other questions to their Web site following their public input session and have not received any response from them.

I think they really are not interested in any opinions that do not support their proposal as is.

Chuck Diefenderfer

Jekyll Island

Editors note: See other letters on Jekyll Island on our Web site at www.thebrunswicknews.com.

01/12 - Jekyll focus shifts to Atlanta

2008-01-12T13:25:00.000-08:00

Sat, Jan 12, 2008
By HANK ROWLAND
The Brunswick News

When the Jekyll Island Authority convenes its meeting at the state Capitol in Atlanta Tuesday, board members will likely see a row of familiar faces in the audience.

Among them will be Woody Woodside, president of the Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce.

Woodside is one of a number of community leaders who supports the proposed $441 million revitalization of Jekyll Island and who wants the authority and its partner in the project – Linger Longer Communities – to know it.

"There are a number of interested business and elected leaders who plan to attend the meeting," Woodside said. "I would imagine that they would be expressing their support of the JIA and its efforts to revitalize Jekyll."

The 2:30 p.m. JIA meeting will open with an update on the project.

Comments will be limited, so Woodside is unsure how many persons will be allowed to speak.

It may not be too many because supporters may have to share the floor with opponents of the project.

The Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island, a group opposed to the project, is asking those aligned with it to try to be present for the update and to be prepared to comment. Among other things, the group is embracing a resolution being promoted by state Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, that asks that the paved parking lots on the front beach be left alone.

"The (initiative) is attending the Atlanta JIA meeting primarily to share with the board and oversight committee the views some 5,000 Jekyll visitors regarding the revitalization of Jekyll Island State Park," said David Egan, group organizer. "We hope to convey the message that our group stands firmly behind hotel and convention center redevelopment as necessary steps in the revitalization process, the results of which should help determine if additional redevelopment is needed."

The meeting will follow a session by the Jekyll Island Legislative Oversight Committee, chaired by House Majority Leader Jerry Keen, R-St. Simons Island, and state Sen. Tommie Williams, R-Lyons.

It won't be the time or place to speak. Keen said the legislative committee will not open the floor to public comment.

"We don't make policy decisions," Keen said. "We'll just hear from the authority and staff. They'll just give us an update."

Keen said he has been contacted by opponents and supporters of the Jekyll Island project.

"The goal here is the revitalization of Jekyll so people will return to Jekyll, which they aren't doing right now," Keen said.

Keen, stressing that the final design of the project has not been submitted to the Jekyll Island Authority for approval, said the oversight committee wants to see a turnaround in current conditions on the island.

01/07 - Jekyll worries condos won't boost tourism

2008-01-11T23:54:00.000-08:00

The Florida Times-Union
January 7, 2008
By CAROLE HAWKINS,
Times-Union Correspondent

JEKYLL ISLAND - Proposed beachfront condos on Jekyll Island are being designed for use by vacationers. But development watchdogs worry they could instead become part of an upscale condo village if restrictions aren't strong enough.

Were that to happen, it would go against the purpose of redeveloping the island, says David Egan of the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island.

"The point of these, the whole pretext for building the condos is we would boost island visitation," he said. "You're not going to boost visitation much if you have two owners sitting in a condo 52 weeks of the year."

In response to concerns, the Jekyll Island Authority, the island's governing body, has promised Jekyll's new condominiums will operate as condo-hotel units, not as residences.

"The intent of the Jekyll Island Authority is to ... maximize the use of any new condominium as lease and vacation rental property," said Ben Porter, chairman of the authority board.

The authority has required developers to physically design their condos to be attractive as vacation rental properties. Units must allow one room to be locked out for use as a hotel room, so owners can more easily rent them.

Also, the lease agreement between the authority and the hotel/condominium complex developer assesses a penalty if condo owners occupy their unit for an extended period during the six-month peak tourism season.

However, the authority does not actually require owners to place their property into a rental pool: That option is left up to the owner.

Those monitoring island redevelopment have maintained an uneasy silence over the hotel-condo issue until a November real estate promotion for the upcoming Trammell Crow condominiums reignited fears.

A news release announced that Trammell Crow's 127 condo units, called The Residences at Canopy Bluff, would be "the first new residential offering on Jekyll Island in more than 35 years."

Mindy Egan, co-director of the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island said: "You have to wonder what it means when the information going out to potential buyers is something that calls these vacation condominiums 'residences.' "

Mindy Egan said she called the real estate agent, Hodnett Cooper, for clarification.

"Pat Cooper told me, 'The authority cannot make the owner not live in something they buy. There'll be a surcharge and that will be the end of it,' " Egan said.

Developers' dream

Condominiums are a high-stakes issue with Jekyll Island redevelopment.

According to marketing director Eric Garvey, developers are keen toward building condominiums on Jekyll because they can turn around and sell these to private individuals for immediate profits.

"The developers would probably prefer to just build condos," Garvey said. "But we at the authority told them no, we want hotels. What we've done with the [hotel condominiums] is a bit of a compromise."

Trammell Crow's Buccaneer Hotel replacement will include 127 two-, three- and four-room vacation condominiums. Linger Longer Communities' town square center will include 277 condominiums. Unsuccessful bidders for the town square center project each proposed even greater numbers of condos.

Public's nightmare

On the other side of the issue, public opinion falls heavily against building new condominiums. A survey of more than 5,000 Jekyll Island visitors has shown than less than 10 percent favor new condominiums on Jekyll.

Sen. Jeff Chapman, who introduced legislation last year to prevent new private residences on Jekyll, said building condominiums that are used as private property goes against the grain.

"This is a state park. It's not private property," he said.

So far Hodnett Cooper is only taking $2,500 in refundable reservation money from those interested in the new Canopy Bluff condominiums.

Contract details won't be finalized until May, but Pat Cooper says the condominiums will likely sell as investment properties.

"Most of the people who have made inquiries have been investors. I've had 90 reservations so far, and I haven't heard from many people who want to live there," she said.

"You're in a hotel situation there, surrounded by other amenities. On July 4, when it's crowded, it wouldn't be so attractive for someone who wants to live there."

This story can be found on Jacksonville.com at http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/010708/geo_232091580.shtml.

01/10 - GOP leaders plan tackling taxes, water, health care

2008-01-11T11:55:00.000-08:00

Gov. Sonny Perdue (right) was joined in his Glynn County stopover by House Majority Leader Jerry Keen (left) of St. Simons Island and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle. Keen and Cagle said improving access to health care will be a priority in the next General Assembly session. DON BURK/The Times-Union

Ashley Knowles (from left), Kevin White and Madison Poston, all students from Golden Isles Elementary School, greet Gov. Sonny Perdue after he arrived Wednesday at Brunswick-Golden Isles Airport. The governor is touring the state to discuss the upcoming session of the General Assembly. DON BURK/The Times-Union

The Florida Times-Union
January 10, 2008
By TERESA STEPZINSKI,
The Times-Union

BRUNSWICK - Gov. Sonny Perdue got a teddy bear from Glynn County schoolchildren before facing grown-up questions about the future of Jekyll Island and a proposed statewide service tax to fund school systems.

With Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and House Majority Leader Jerry Keen, R-St. Simons, Perdue brought his airborne pre-legislative pep rally Wednesday to the Brunswick-Golden Isles Airport. The stop was one of nine in the two-day flying tour in which Cagle and Keen discussed their unified agenda for the General Assembly, which convenes Monday in Atlanta.

Their news conference at the airport also drew local elected officials, community and business leaders and residents.

Third-grade students from Golden Isles Elementary School welcomed the governor, Cagle and Keen with warm applause. They also presented them with white teddy bears. The school's mascot is a bear.

The state leaders then walked into the lion's den of reporters and residents who peppered them with questions.

Noting the youngsters were Georgia's future, the governor prefaced his remarks by saying, "It took everything I had to leave those third-graders and come talk to y'all."

The governor sought to allay concerns from some residents and elected officials about the planned development of Jekyll Island, the proposed replacement of school property taxes with a statewide service tax and the state's new water plan.

"We plan to do nothing to damage the water supply or [natural] resources of Jekyll Island," said Perdue, responding to island resident Joseph Iannicelli.

Iannicelli asked why a water withdrawal study hasn't been done to gauge the impact the planned large-scale development could have on residents' private wells.

"I think it will drain a lot of wells," Iannicelli said. "I've seen no studies on the water withdrawal rates ... and I think a study needs to be done before any contract is signed."

The governor then tried to defuse criticism that a proposed oceanfront village overlooking the island's most popular beach will severely limit public access.

"There is no desire on anyone's part to limit beach access. ... We will not allow [public] access to be damaged, or limit the opportunity of the average Georgian to have access to the sea," Perdue said.

Perdue predicted difficulty in replacing property taxes with a sales tax on goods and services as a way to fund public education.

Although he supports the concept, Perdue said lawmakers need to be sensitive to the needs of local school districts and to the potential implications of such a tax switch.

Keen said they "look forward" to taking up the state's proposed water plan, which he said is needed to ensure the quality and quantity of the resource hard hit by the prolonged drought.

Health care, especially improving access to the trauma care statewide, is another top priority, Keen said.

Cagle said unity is essential to keep Georgia moving forward in health care.

He has advocated state grants to create "safety net clinics," where poor and low-income patients could get treatment for common ailments rather than go to hospital emergency rooms, which are more costly.

All three leaders also emphasized that improving education and transportation will be priorities.

"We want to provide real solutions for real people," the governor said.

Meanwhile, the fly-around drew flak from Democrats who chastised the Republican governor and majority leadership for wasting taxpayer money.

"This is just a great big campaign ad for the Georgia GOP, and the taxpayers are footing the bill," said Jane Kidd, chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Georgia. "It's this kind of government waste that is putting Georgia in a fiscal hole."

Kidd also said the fly-around "is still just a symptom of a larger problem - no oversight, no accountability."

teresa.stepzinski@jacksonville.com
(912) 264-0405

This story can be found on Jacksonville.com at http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/011008/geo_234571926.shtml.

01/07 - Jekyll project may need environmental permit

2008-01-11T11:35:00.000-08:00

ajc.com > Business
By DAN CHAPMAN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 01/07/08

(Image left)Artist renderings of Linger Longer community proposal.

Contrary to earlier assertions, the company planning a $352 million project on Jekyll Island may need an environmental permit to build along the state park's shoreline, a potentially time-consuming delay.

Critics of the hotel-condo-retail plan greeted the news by demanding Monday that the Linger Longer project be scuttled and that the island's reconstruction contract be re-bid. And they vowed to tie up the permitting process in administrative, legal and legislative knots for the next two years.

"This whole thing wasn't handled properly," said Ed Boshears, a Jekyll Island Authority board member who wants Linger Longer's plans "radically" changed. "The problem goes back to the obsession with building new development on Jekyll and not looking at Jekyll as a state park. We should start over."

Ben Porter, chairman of the state park's governing authority, downplayed the criticism and said that the project continues apace without need to re-open the bidding. And a permit, Porter noted, could allow Linger Longer to build along the beach.

"I still don't expect it to have a great effect on Linger Longer's plan," he said. "People opposed to redevelopment of Jekyll can and will do anything to stop it. I fully expect to have a legal contest whatever we do."

Last September, the Greensboro, Ga.-based upscale developer was chosen to revitalize a portion of the 7.5-mile long barrier island. It proposes 1,100 hotel, condo and time-share units wrapped around a "town center" and fronting "a continuous beach-front promenade following the dune line," according to promotional material. The company also plans parks, walkways and bike trails lacing through the 64-acre project.

In a Dec. 27 interview, project executive Jim Langford said the development wouldn't trigger the Shore Protection Act and, therefore, didn't need a permit.

But when asked Monday by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Langford corrected himself and said Linger Longer will seek a permit if necessary.

The state law protects sand dunes, beaches, sand bars and shoals by limiting construction near the dunes. Exceptions — permits — may be issued if, for example, a builder maintains one-third of the development in a natural state. The state Department of Natural Resources will determine if a permit is necessary.

Langford awaits a surveyor's drawing before definitively saying what portions of the "town center" would violate the shore act. He admitted, though, that part of the to-be-constructed hotels, cottages, convention center and boardwalk could fall within the act's jurisdiction.

"We've never known where the line was and we still don't," Langford said. "But, remember, the jurisdictional line does not mean we can't build there. We can get a permit to do that if we meet certain requirements. This just adds another layer of complexity."

When it requested bids the Jekyll Island Authority didn't delineate the area that could be built on, an oversight that dismayed Boshears and other critics. The Authority will now survey the area.

"It probably should've been done," Porter said. "It's just one of those things that nobody got done."

Porter and Langford don't expect any significant delay if a permit is needed. David Egan, co-director of the nonprofit Initiative to Protect Jekyll, does.

"Even if they alter the plan for the better — which I doubt – they'll still likely need to go through the permitting process," said Egan. "That will the next battlefield."

State law requires 30 days public notice once a permit is requested. The Shore Protection Committee, a state-appointed body, then holds a hearing. An appeal to an administrative law judge could ensue; another hearing could follow in three months.

Egan and others would then likely make an appeal to a superior court judge with further legal entreaties to appelate and Supreme Court justices if needed. Portions of Linger Longer's project could be delayed two years.

Sen. Jeff Chapman, a Republican whose district includes Jekyll, has criticized the island's governing board for alleged "sweetheart" deals with another developer as well as for ignoring the state park's legislative mandate to remain affordable for "all Georgians." He blamed the Authority for the latest problem.

"Because of the board's consistent inconsistencies, I quite frankly think that the whole process should be done over," Chapman said.

Responded Porter: "Sen. Chapman is very good at criticizing; Sen. Chapman is not very good at solving problems. This is a complicated process. The end result will be a great product for the state of Georgia."

01/10 - Perdue backs Jekyll Plan

2008-01-11T11:33:00.001-08:00

Date January 10, 2008
Section(s) Frontpage
By BRANDEE A. THOMAS
The Brunswick News

Gov. Sonny Perdue told residents and community leaders during a pre-legislative session stop in Brunswick Wednesday that he is on board with plans to revitalize Jekyll Island.

Perdue commented on the redevelopment plan proposed by Linger Longer Communities and accepted by the Jekyll Island Authority but opposed by one of the island's own legislators, state Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick.

Perdue spoke at the Brunswick Golden Isles Airport on the $441 million plan to revitalize Jekyll and on issues facing the upcoming session of the General Assembly with Lt. Gov.. Casey Cagle and House Majority Leader Jerry Keen.

"It's not the intent of anyone - certainly not mine - to limit anyone's access to public beaches," Perdue said, an obvious rebuff of Chapman and others who contend the proposal will cut off public beach access.

Access wasn't the only claim of opponents that Perdue rejected Wednesday. He also addressed affordability.

Foes of the plan, including Chapman, question whether proposed accommodations on the island will be affordable to average Georgians.

"Plans that I have seen will keep Jekyll Island affordable for the average Georgian," Perdue said.

Perdue, who appoints members to the Jekyll Island Authority, which approved the plan by Linger Longer Communities, said the project will be environmentally friendly.

"We don't plan to do anything to disturb the natural habitats and water resources of Jekyll Island," he said.

Perdue's visit to Glynn County was one of nine stops in a two-day tour of the state. Keen was filling in for Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson, R-Hiram, who was unable to attend because he was trying a case in his private law practice.

Perdue, Cagle and Keen said education, transportation and health care are three issues that will unify Georgia's leadership in the 2008 General Assembly, which begins the 40-day session next week.

"We're here to talk about the future of Georgia," Perdue said. "As a state we are very blessed. Georgia is one of the fastest growing states in the county. Last year we added more people to the population than any other state, with the exception of two larger states. That means there will be more opportunities and also more challenges.

We have to begin to plan better for right now and for the future."

One of the components for preparing for Georgia's future means making health care coverage more affordable and trauma care more readily available, the trio said.

"One concern I have is the lack of access to trauma care centers - particularly in this area of the state," Keen said. "We need to come up with a funding system for these trauma centers so that our residents have access to them. The state has never been positioned in a better place financially to meet those challenges."

The officials also stressed the key role education will play in Georgia's future. Cagle used the development of Golden Isles Career Academy, which he helped procure state funds for, as an example.

"We have to do things to ensure our future is bright - like focusing on education," he said. "I am very proud to have been a part of the Golden Isles Career Academy initiative. I want Georgia to continue things like the career academies to ensure that high school dropout rates go down - not up."

To ensure that Georgia's population and commerce continue to grow, existing road networks need to be strengthened - which means a heavier workload for the Georgia Department of Transportation, Cagle says.

"I am confident we can do 30 percent more projects on the same dime if we work efficiently," he said. "And right now, we have a new DOT commissioner who is focused on reorganizing the department to run more efficiently."

01/10 - Jekyll developer says Chapman wrong

2008-01-11T11:32:00.001-08:00

Date January 10, 2008
Section(s) Local News
By HANK ROWLAND
The Brunswick News

The man who's heading up the proposed multi-million dollar revitalization of Jekyll Island says Sen. Jeff Chapman has it all wrong.

The public will have just as much access to the beach that it has today when the new Jekyll Town Center is built at the waterfront, says Jim Langford, project executive for Linger Longer Communities.

Linger Longer is spearheading the $441 million development, which includes new hotels, a new convention center, shopping district and condominiums, for the Jekyll Island Authority.

Chapman, R-Brunswick, the only Georgia legislator who is speaking publicly against the Jekyll Island plan, is soliciting support for a resolution that asks the General Assembly to prohibit taking up the large asphalt parking lots on the front beach. He said reconfiguring the lots, as proposed in the revitalization plan, would deny beachgoers easy access to the sand and surf, he said.

"He claims that a proposed revitalization of a small portion of the island 'threatens to severely diminish direct access to virtually all of the park's main public beach.' To be kind, this claim is completely off the mark," Langford said in a prepared statement released Wednesday.

"Under the proposed plan, every current public access point will continue to exist and the beach will be as open as ever to all visitors. In addition, changing facilities and restrooms will be upgraded to further accommodate everyone, particularly day visitors."

Langford, noting visitation to the island has dropped by more than 47 percent since 1990 due in part to aging facilities and infrastructure, said the revitalization is designed to draw Georgians back to Jekyll.

He said Chapman's contention that the town center will block the beach is also not true, he said.

"In fact, the existing convention center currently blocks much of the view and it will be moved further inland under the plan," Langford said. "It is also important to note that of the nine miles of Jekyll beaches, the beach village site will border only about 4,000 feet, less than 10 percent of the total beachfront area. And every inch of this beach will continue to be just as available to the public as it is today."

Langford said eliminating the asphalt parking is the environmentally friendly thing to do. Runoff from the impervious pavement can cause beach erosion and pollution, he said.

"Under the revitalization plan, these unsightly and environmentally unfriendly lots will be replaced with over 2,000 parking spaces on porous surfaces bordered by trees," he said. "These porous surfaces will ensure that nearly 100 percent of rainwater is captured and reused in an appropriate way that protects the natural environment.

"In addition to the environmental improvements, parking will be spread throughout the town center and a short walk from the beach and other amenities. More than 700 of these spaces will be within a three-minute minute walk of the beach."

He said maps of the proposed parking can be found at www.rediscover-jekyll.com

"The essence of the plan is to enhance access to Jekyll while adhering to environmentally sensitive design and construction," he said.

01/09 - Public needs Jekyll access

2008-01-11T11:31:00.001-08:00

Date January 09, 2008
Section(s) Commentary
The Brunswick News

As Senator for District 3, I have often taken inspiration from the exhibit at the Georgia State Museum, which compliments "our past and present governors and our Department of Natural Resources for the excellent job they have done in keeping our coastline free from pollution, commercial exploitation and destruction," and for providing "thousands, of yet unborn generations, the pleasure of exploring and enjoying Georgia's seashore."

The spirit behind the Capitol exhibit is enshrined in the 1996 Master Plan for Jekyll Island State Park, which states that the park's "principal attraction is the accessibility it provides to an unspoiled microcosm of the coastal environment. It is this unique opportunity upon which all future plans for the island's viability should be based."

The above-stated emphasis on the value of accessibility to Georgia's coastal "jewel" should make the violation of this principle unthinkable, yet Jekyll Island State Park is currently the subject of a proposal that would severely limit direct public access to its main beach. The proposal, which envisions an oceanfront village to be built along nearly the entire span of the park's most popular beach calls for the elimination of four beachside public parking lots that service Jekyll's day visitors and those staying at off-beach locations on the islands.

The proposal's author, Linger Longer Communities, points out that only 63 acres, one percent of the island's total acreage, would be taken up by the town center. This same tract, however, runs along the beach which is most accessible to the general public at high tide.

Understandably, the public is upset over this controversial proposal. In a questionnaire administered to the park's visitors, including thousands of Georgians, 90 percent of the respondents said they want Jekyll's main beach to remain open, free of condos, and the like. Ninety-five percent of the participants in the Jekyll Island Authority's own 2006 Guest Survey responded similarly.

Linger Longer maintains that its Jekyll Village would not interfere with public access to the beach, despite its elimination of beachfront parking lots. JIA spokesperson Bill Crane, in denying the necessity of the beachfront parking lots, has stated that, "To put surface lots (there) is a waste of that land. It would be more desirable for hotels, retail space, and residences."

Given the above thinking, the question becomes, what can be done to preserve Jekyll Island State Park's long-standing tradition of accessibility to the general public? The answer comes down to Georgians speaking out with one voice on protecting the people's park to ensure that the planners abide by the original charter and current state law.

To give Georgians a convenient way to come together on this important issue, I am inviting local government agencies, church and youth groups, civic associations, and individual citizens to endorse the following Resolution:

"Be it resolved that, in view of the intent of Jekyll Island State Park's founding legislation and as recommended by the park's Master Plan, the present oceanfront parking areas and beach access points shall be maintained for the benefit and convenience of the general public, with special consideration being given to the needs of children, the elderly, and the handicapped through the provision of family friendly facilities." The Resolution can be either downloaded or endorsed online by visiting www.jeffchapman.us.

Widespread adoption of the Resolution will provide a tangible means of showing where public opinion stands on the issue at hand. The people's Resolution can then be brought to the floor of the General Assembly, encouraging our state's elected leaders to take action to safeguard Jekyll Island State Park's founding principle of accessibility to all the people of Georgia in perpetuity.

- Jeff Chapman is the Georgia State Senator for District 3, which includes Glynn County.

01/06 - Senator trying to alter plan for Jekyll

2008-01-11T11:29:00.000-08:00

Date January 06, 2008
Section(s) Local News
By HANK ROWLAND
The Brunswick News

State Sen. Jeff Chapman is trying to drum up opposition to plans that would eliminate two major beachfront public parking areas on Jekyll Island.

Chapman, R-Brunswick, says that's what will happen if the proposal to build new hotels and condominiums at the waterfront on Jekyll Island occurs. The paved parking lots north and south of the Convention Center will disappear.

He is asking individuals, groups and organizations to join him in keeping the $441 million beach village project unveiled by Linger Longer Communities from swallowing up the two parking lots.

"I'm responding to what they are proposing," Chapman said. "The condos and hotels that they want to build are in the area where people now have access to parking and can go to the beach at high tide, (where) there still is a beach. They're proposing to shove the people back and have on-street parking a mile away.

"I think that is unhealthy and I don't think it is in the best interest of people who want to enjoy their public beach on Jekyll Island."

Chapman said he asked about the possibility of moving the proposed Jekyll Town Center back from the beach during a recent meeting of the House and Senate Jekyll Island Oversight Committee.

"I asked them if they would consider developing west of Beachview Drive and not displace the public," he said. "They said they would get back with me, but haven't.

"They can go inland with that and let the people have a place to park and enjoy the beach."

Chapman acknowledges in a letter to The News that Linger Longer maintains that Jekyll Town Village will not interfere with public access to the beach but disagrees with that assessment.

He's asking those who agree with him to go to his Web site and sign his resolution.

"I'm trying to inform the public of what's going on, what's happening, and giving them an opportunity to participate in the process," Chapman said. "Here's a chance to let those folks know that this is important to you."

Chapman said he is still waiting on a ruling from the State Attorney General's office on the legality of the project. Among other things, Chapman is questioning whether the project, which includes some business-class accommodations, would be in violation of state law requiring Jekyll Island to remain accessible to average Georgians.

Ben Porter, chair of the board of the Jekyll Island Authority, which approved the Linger Longer development plan, said the project was designed with public access to the beach in mind.

"Mr. Chapman's comments are appropriate and reflect the Jekyll Island State Park Authority's past, present and future commitment to provide convenient public access to Jekyll's beach," Porter said.

"Open beach access, convenient parking and family-friendly amenities are key components of Jekyll Island revitalization. Access to the Jekyll beach will be improved and enhanced by redevelopment of the Jekyll Town Center."

Chapman's resolution can be found at www.jeffchapman.us.

The resolution

This is the text of the resolution to preserve beachside parking on Jekyll Island that state Sen. Jeff Chapman wants people to support by signing it at his Web site, www.jeffchapman.us:

"Be it resolved that, in view of the intent of Jekyll Island State Park's founding legislation and as recommended by the park's Master Plan, the present oceanfront parking areas and beach access points shall be maintained for the benefit and convenience of the general public, with special consideration being given to the needs of children, the elderly and the handicapped through the provision of family friendly facilities."

01/05 - Chapman ramps up Jekyll fight

2008-01-11T11:00:00.000-08:00

The Florida Times-Union
January 5, 2008
By CAROLE HAWKINS,
Times-Union Correspondent

A resolution to protect parking on Jekyll Island's main beach appears headed for the General Assembly, and one senator is asking for a public voice vote to back it up with a new approach.

Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, whose district includes Jekyll Island, has posted the resolution on his campaign-funded Web site, which advocates protecting direct beach access on Jekyll Island. Those who agree can submit their names, addresses and contact information as an endorsement.

Today, Jekyll Island visitors can park at one of four large lots overlooking the main beach. But a proposed oceanfront town-square center would cover that area with hotels, condos and shops and move the main parking a quarter-mile inland.

Chapman said that's just not right.

"Building high-priced beachfront condos will displace day visitors from the only beach on the island that is visible at high tide," Chapman said. "It goes against everything that is fair and reasonable for the rest of Georgians."

The state's redevelopment partner for Jekyll Island, Linger Longer Communities, asserts that its plans call for a new 88-space parking lot that, when combined with parking along new streets and in retail lots, will provide plenty of parking for day visitors. Nonetheless, the Jekyll Island Authority has expressed some dissatisfaction with Linger Longer's plans and asked the developer to make improvements.

Within the past year, Chapman has criticized other plans for Jekyll's development, which he said would turn the state park for "the plain people of Georgia" into an upscale resort.

In this most recent resolution, Chapman cites Jekyll's 1996 Master Development Plan, which affirms the island's principle attraction is its accessibility to an unspoiled portion of Georgia's coastal environment.

Protecting access to Jekyll's natural wonders should guide the island's development, that document states.

The Chapman resolution proposes that oceanfront parking areas and beach access points remain convenient to day visitors, with special consideration given to children, the elderly and people with disabilities. Chapman hopes widespread endorsement of the resolution will show other legislators where the public stands on this issue and bring the matter to the floor of the General Assembly for a vote.

If the resolution gains enough backing, it could provide backing for state legislation to protect Jekyll Island's beach access from development, he said.

Chapman said he hopes it won't come to that.

"If I were the Jekyll Island Authority and Linger Longer, I would do everything possible to make sure that is not necessary,'' he said.

Chapman has ridden other waves of populist support in his efforts to restrict development of Jekyll and to protect property owners from expansion of the government's power of seizure through eminent domain, but those were generated by more traditional methods of speeches, newsletters and contacts with activists.

Other legislators have created Web sites, and even a few have begun blogs. But capitol observers say it's unusual for a lawmaker to generate support through an online petition.

Veteran media consultant and political blogger Grayson Daughters of WaySouth Media in Atlanta says Chapman's success depends on his ability to draw attention to his Web site.

"The key about communicating online though is to get people to share the effort with you; thus, the petition [and I haven't explored the content of it yet] will work if you and your network actively distribute the petition through use of online, social media methods," she said in response to an e-mail inquiry.

She suggests using social-networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and e-mailings as ways to draw attention to it.

"Creating it is one step; sharing it is the next in the online context," she said.

From Chapman's standpoint, the petition represents a broad principle with a statewide following of people who would logically be easiest to reach online.

"This isn't just about Jekyll Island," said Chapman. "It's about protecting any state park from commercial exploitation."

Times-Union writer Walter C. Jones in Atlanta contributed to this report.

This story can be found on Jacksonville.com at http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/010508/geo_231638069.shtml.

12/25 - Jekyll no longer would be worth trip

2008-01-04T18:31:00.000-08:00

ajc.com > Opinion
Click-2-Listen
READERS WRITE: By Susan L. Dehoff
For the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 12/25/07

Jekyll no longer would be worth trip

I appreciate Jim Langford's land developer's eye view of Jekyll Island ("More vacationers could enjoy park," @issue, Dec. 10). As a Georgia educator in the 1970s and '80s, I saw it differently. It was an affordable place to introduce my niece to the beach in a natural setting. I now live in Massachusetts and spend three days each August driving to Jekyll, along with a friend. Neither of us relishes the three-day drive; both of us forget that inconvenience when we see the ocean from Beachview Drive.

Last summer my niece, her husband and step-son rented a house on Jekyll the same week I did. They see Jekyll as an affordable place to introduce another generation to the beach in a natural setting. We return to Jekyll each year because it is a piece of Paradise. Thank you for your input, Mr. Langford, but the large development you propose on Beachview Drive would end our trips to Jekyll.

SUSAN L. DeHOFF, Shrewsbury, Mass.

12/17 - Major projects to hurt Jekyll

2008-01-04T18:28:00.000-08:00

ajc.com > Opinion
READERS WRITE: By Brenda Deily Constan
For the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 12/17/07

Major projects to hurt Jekyll

Jekyll Island remains one of Georgia's greatest treasures as a habitat for nesting sea turtles and migrating birds, as well as for its unique salt marshes, sand dunes and unrestricted beaches. As a resort, it is one of the few remaining coastal havens accessible to those of us who are not affluent. To allow Linger-Longer and Trammell Crowe to construct big-ticket, high-rise condominiums and high-end hotel rooms will benefit no one other than the developers and a handful of their wealthy clients, who seem to feel entitled to exclusive rights to Georgia's natural beauty.

Such development will discourage visitation by many ordinary Georgians for whom the island was intended when it became a state park. Most important, the suggested six-story buildings with their lights that will be visible from the beach, thereby affecting nesting sea turtles; the years of noise and debris from construction; and the proposed road reconstruction through a maritime forest will put excessive pressure on the island's wildlife and will be an ecological catastrophe from which the island will likely never recover.

BRENDA DEILY CONSTAN, Decatur

12/27 - Jekyll Island needs a change for the future

2008-01-04T18:17:00.000-08:00

Date December 27, 2007
Section(s) Commentary

The exit of Bill Donohue, executive director of the Jekyll Island Authority, is a major loss to this community. Mr. Donohue, who has been an integral part of Brunswick and the Golden Isles since 1997, is leaving to assume his new role as director of the Lake Lanier Islands Development Authority in Northeast Georgia.

His departure leads all those who have been following the debate over Jekyll Island the past year to this question: What will become of state-owned Jekyll Island now and the controversial plan to return it to an ocean-side park that all Georgians can enjoy?

Mr. Donohue has been a level-headed and reasonable voice in what has blossomed into a statewide debate on the future of the only fully open and publicly accessible island and beach owned by the people of Georgia.

There are those who want it to remain as is, and there are those who want it to be more than it is. There are some who prefer something more in the middle of the two sides.

The fact of the matter is, the island cannot continue in its current condition. If it is to stay financially fit and strong, if it is to live up to the state mandate that it generate enough revenue on its own to meet its needs, then something is going to have to give.

Jekyll Island does not need another year where one of its main attractions has to remain out of service for an extended length of time simply because there is no money in the bank to effect repairs. Recall two summers ago when the wave pool, which gives the island water park its very name, remained closed for that very reason.

That might be OK for a small company with few assets, but it's not all right for a park that is owned and operated by the state of Georgia. Visitors and guests expect better than mediocre, especially if the state is truly interested in competing for tourist dollars.

The state, of course, has several options. It can do nothing and continue to allow the island to deteriorate to a point to where even fewer people want to visit it. Or it can continue on the track that it's on now with a plan to improve Jekyll Island's amenities with as many private dollars as can be obtained.

Taking a small part of the island and making it tourist-friendly does not, despite what critics say, put Jekyll Island on the same footing as Myrtle Beach, S.C. The two are worlds apart and will always be.

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

2007-12-16T13:49:00.000-08:00

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

2007-12-16T13:45:00.000-08:00

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

2007-12-16T13:36:00.000-08:00

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

2007-12-16T13:35:00.000-08:00

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

2007-12-16T13:33:00.001-08:00

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

2007-12-16T13:30:00.000-08:00

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

2007-12-16T13:22:00.000-08:00

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

2007-12-16T13:20:00.000-08:00

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

2007-12-16T13:17:00.000-08:00

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

2007-12-16T13:15:00.001-08:00

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

2007-12-16T13:09:00.000-08:00

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.

11/28 - Jekyll developer asks to join suit as co-defendant

2007-11-28T07:48:00.000-08:00

ajc
Associated Press
Published on: 11/28/07
A developer chosen to build a $352 million "town center" on Jekyll Island wants to join a lawsuit filed over the project —- as one of the parties being sued.

Linger Longer LLC filed papers in Fulton County Superior Court seeking to join the suit as a co-defendant with the Jekyll Island Authority, which operates the 7 1/2-square-mile state park off Georgia's coast.

Developer Wade Shealy sued the authority earlier this month after it rejected his proposal for revitalizing the island's aging hotels and tourism attractions in favor of a competing plan by Linger Longer, developer of the upscale Reynolds Plantation at Lake Oconee.

Jim Langford, Linger Longer's project executive, called the lawsuit "completely without merit" in a statement that said the developer asked to be a co-defendant to protect its own interests in the project.

The lawsuit seeks an injunction to stop Linger Longer from moving ahead with plans to build 1,100 hotel rooms, condominiums and time share units.

It claims the Jekyll Island Authority showed favoritism toward Linger Longer by accepting its proposal to build on 64 acres, while Shealy and rival developers were told to limit their plans to 45 acres.

The authority insists it was fair in selecting Linger Longer over Shealy's group and the Trammell Crow Co.

11/21 - Jekyll director headed north

2007-11-27T14:34:00.000-08:00

The Florida Times-Union
November 21, 2007
By CAROLE HAWKINS,
Times-Union Correspondent

Jekyll Island will soon lose the man who has directed the state park's operations for the past 10 years.

Gov. Sonny Purdue Tuesday recommended that Bill Donohue, executive director of the Jekyll Island Authority, become the new executive director for the Lake Lanier Islands Development Authority in northeast Georgia.

Donohue's expected departure comes just as plans to modernize Jekyll's hotels, convention center and downtown district come to a controversial peak. Stakeholders have bitterly debated whether Jekyll ought to be transformed into an upscale beachside resort or a more limited middle-class vacation spot that protects existing natural areas.

"I'm really sorry to hear he's going to be leaving, particularly since we are going through a transition period with all this new development," said Ed Boshears, a member of Jekyll's governing board.

The Jekyll Island Authority also recently lost its chief financial officer, Laura Bonds. Boshears said Donohue's departure means Jekyll will lose its top two administrators just at a time when they are needed the most.

"Mr. Donohue does a very good job and he is extremely knowledgeable about everything on Jekyll," said Boshears. "A new person will have to learn about the situation on Jekyll right in the middle of the revitalization process."

Jekyll resident Tise Eyler, a 10-year board member of the Jekyll Island Citizens Association and president for the last four, says he has worked closely with Donohue. He described Donohue as an outstanding hands-on leader who worked well with Jekyll's diverse community.

"He was like a quasi-mayor of this little town," Eyler said. "Bill always did an astute job of walking that thin-ice boundary between serving our residents, visitors and companies and hotels. He will be missed."

In a prepared release, Jekyll Island Authority board chairman Ben Porter credited Donohue with managing the update of Jekyll's master plan, initiating Jekyll's popular Shrimp and Grits Festival and guiding the creation of the Sea Turtle Center.

Donohue was not available for comment on the new Lake Lanier Islands position.

Donohue would replace the resort's outgoing executive director, Kevin Clark, who is leaving to fill a vacancy with the Georgia Building Authority and State Properties Commission.

Northeast of Atlanta, the 1,100-acre Lake Lanier Islands resort has amenities similar to those Donohue has managed on Jekyll including a convention center, hotel, lakeside cottages, golf courses, camping and horseback riding.

This story can be found on Jacksonville.com at http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/112107/geo_219329816.shtml.

11/21 - Jekyll developer promises rooms to be affordable

2007-11-27T14:30:00.000-08:00

The Florida Times-Union
November 21, 2007
By Brandon Larrabee,
The Times-Union

ATLANTA - A key official of the company awarded the contract to redevelop some of Jekyll Island's sagging tourist infrastructure laid out the development plan and defended it during a public hearing.

A few dozen people attended the session at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta.

Jim Langford, the project executive for Linger Longer Communities, stressed to those attending the meeting that public comments could change the company's approach to development.

"The plan you're going to hear today is not set in stone," he said.

Langford said many of the horror stories of high-priced hotels and high-rise condominiums that spread in the buildup to Linger Longer's selection were overblown. But the company wasn't able to respond before its selection because it would have been seen as tampering with the process, he said.

"We couldn't tell people, 'Don't worry; it's going to be better than that,' " he said.

Langford said the new development would include a 125-room economy and 200-room midscale hotel a short distance from the beach. In all, 72 percent of Linger Longer's rooms will cost less than $139 a night, and half would go for $96 a night.

"We think we need a few higher-end rooms, because there will be some people who want higher-end rooms," he said.

But Langford faced a skeptical audience, some of whom expressed fears that the project would change the character of a state-owned island set aside by Georgia law as a tourism hub for average citizens.

"I learned a long time ago that if you want to, you can dress up a turkey to make him look good," said Larry Ross of Carrollton.

Ross said that, despite the presentation, he was worried about the affordability of the island's hotels.

"I feel that the current development plan would make it difficult or impossible for the average citizen of Georgia to continue to visit Jekyll," Ross said.

Dory Ingram, a member of the grass-roots group the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island, said the redevelopment was just one in a series of events, like the overhaul of the old Buccaneer hotel, that threatened Jekyll.

"The process that has begun here will rob Georgia citizens of their legacy," Ingram said.

But Rep. Joe Wilkinson, R-Sandy Springs, said environmentally friendly lawmakers wouldn't let Linger Longer go too far.

"We're watching and working with these folks," Wilkinson said. "We're watching like hawks, I think."

11/24 - Biologist worries about Jekyll plan

2007-11-27T14:24:00.000-08:00

Date: November 24, 2007
Section(s): Local News
By ELLEN ROBINSON
The Brunswick News

The delicate balance between wildlife and humans on Jekyll Island is a top concern of a U.S. biologist based in Brunswick.

Kathy Chapman of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says sea turtles, piping plovers, wood storks, Wilson plovers and painted buntings could potentially be disrupted if habitats are encroached upon.

Chapman is concerned about the potential impact that the proposed $441 million redevelopment of the state park could have on the environment and wildlife.

"Birds will be affected more than any other group," she said. "How much they will be affected depends on how much habitat is encroached on and what kinds of lighting techniques are used."

Other wildlife, such as raccoons, deer and alligators, may require additional management as well if the human ratio increases.

Chapman feels a study should be conducted to determine the limits of a suitable balance between human activity and wildlife before the development plans progress.

"This would not be easy to determine," she said. "Some monitoring needs to be done, then included in a summary study. "Up to now, there has been a good balance between humans and wildlife."

Simply stated, more people will mean more human encounters with island species.

Under Georgia law, only 35 percent of the island can be developed.

Right now, human activity is spread across the beach, she said. That could change with redevelopment, which calls for a higher density of people on some stretches of beach.

It happens now to some extent.

"Some of it is ignorance, while some of it is just a lack of care, but some people need to be educated about how to respect the environment if they are coming to stay on Jekyll Island," Chapman said.

Activities such as flushing birds and allowing dogs to run free on the beach could have detrimental impacts on several endangered species that depend on the habitat the island provides, she said.

"It would be nice if they would include some type of orientation education for the people who come to stay on Jekyll Island at the resort," Chapman said. "Somehow they will have to get the message out to people about respecting the environment while staying on Jekyll."

Including educational materials in the rooms and cottages that could help to inform visitors about the types of wildlife and how to behave in their habitats could help soften the impact, she said.

The proposed redevelopment, which includes new hotels, convention center and commercial district, is the subject of several public hearings around the state.

Representatives of Linger Longer Communities, which is collecting public input on its plan to develop 65 acres in the general area of the Jekyll Island Convention Center, have said plans recently unveiled are tentative and subject to change. They have have said the plan will be sensitive to the environment.

11/21 - Donohue may run Lanier Authority

2007-11-24T14:16:00.000-08:00

Date: November 21, 2007
Section(s): Local News
By HANK ROWLAND

The Brunswick News

The executive director of the Jekyll Island Authority could be leaving Glynn County as soon as next month.

Bill Donohue, head of staff since September 1997, is being recommended for the top staff spot of the Lake Lanier Islands Development Authority, in north Georgia.

Gov. Sonny Perdue recommended Donohue for the post of executive director of the development authority Tuesday, citing his current track record and his former experience as head of the Georgia Mountains Authority. He also once served on the board of the Lake Lanier Islands Development Authority.

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

"In his new role at the Lake Lanier Islands Development Authority, Georgia will continue to benefit from Bill Donohue's wealth of expertise at managing our state's parks and recreational sites," Perdue said in a prepared statement released to the media.

The Lake Islands Development Authority, created in 1962 by the Georgia General Assembly, 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.

Donohue also will provide administrative support to the board of the North Georgia Mountains Authority, which overseas Lake Blackshear Resort and Golf Club.

"It would take effect Jan. 1," said Marshall Guest, deputy press secretary for Perdue. "He's obviously very talented."

Both boards operate under the state Department of Natural Resources.

Members of the board of the Lake Lanier Islands Authority will vote on Perdue's recommendation at their Nov. 29 meeting. As with the Jekyll Island Authority, members of the Lanier Islands Authority are appointed by the governor.

Perdue's announcement comes at a time when Jekyll Island is being targeted for a $441 million redevelopment plan.

Marshall said there is no timetable for replacing Donohue. He said the Jekyll Island Authority will submit names to the governor in January for consideration.

He said Ben Porter, chair of the board of the authority, and others will oversee island affairs and the redevelopment plan until a full-time director is appointed.

They may have their hands full. The plan is opposed in its current form by residents of the island and is being questioned by state Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick.

It also may have legal problems. A lawsuit filed by an Atlanta company that lost the bid for leading the development to Linger Longer Communities is threatening the process.

In a memo to other members of the board of the Jekyll Island Authority following Perdue's announcement, Porter praised the work Donohue has done.

Jekyll Island has undergone a number of changes since Donohue took control. Events such as the festive lighting and celebrations planned on the island during the Christmas season and features such as the Georgia Sea Turtle Center have been added during his tenure.

"Bill managed the update of the Jekyll Master Plan, and was instrumental in the development of the revitalization plan for the island."

Michael Hodges, a member of the board of the Jekyll Island Authority, said Donohue has done an outstanding job getting the state park to where it is today. It will be up to the board to take it from here until a new director is named.

11/21 - 'Big picture' still left out

2007-11-24T14:14:00.000-08:00

Date: November 21, 2007
Section(s): Letters
Saturday's front page article highlighted the main issues in the debate over Jekyll Island State Park's revitalization but somehow managed to get the big picture all wrong.

The debate is not between those opposed to and in favor of the park's redevelopment, as the article suggested, but rather between two approaches to this necessary step.

Consider this: Nearly everyone I've heard from about this issue, including the 5,000 plus supporters of the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island, believes that Jekyll's beachfront hotels need to be redeveloped, its convention center updated, and its amenities enhanced.

They support redevelopment but not lining the park's main beach with half-million dollar condos, time-shares, and a luxury 400-room hotel, as proposed by Linger Longer Communities.

The article notes that the proposed development would rest on only a small slice of Jekyll's nine miles of beach but fails to mention that this same slice of land represents virtually all of the park's most popular public beach.

Are the needs of the general public best served by developing this beachfront as proposed by Linger Longer or by continuing to provide easy access to this wonderful asset?

Clearly, the dispute over Jekyll's revitalization is not a matter of being for or against change. It's about rival concepts of how the park should be redeveloped.

One sees Jekyll moving forward in harmony with its founding principles of affordability and accessibility.

The other, well, the color picture of the luxury hotel on the front page of the Saturday edition of The Brunswick News says it all.

Laura Renke
Brunswick

This is an intrusion on a fragile ecosystem

I returned to Glynn County just in time to read the latest salvo of words dealing with the ongoing battle for Jekyll Island. The battlelines are well defined and the rhetoric is flowing.

I personally am opposed to any major intrusion on such a fragile ecosystem. The impact of such an undertaking on this pride of the Georgia coast could prove to be devastating.

If anybody out there is gullible enough to believe that developers have the best interest of nature and the general public as their priority, then there's a certain bridge across the Brunswick River I would like to sell you.

It's about big bucks, people, plain and simple.

Jekyll Island was purchased many years ago through the efforts of Gov. M.E. Thompson and the Georgia General Assembly and purposed to remain a pristine, wondrous blend of sea and maritime forest to be enjoyed by generations of Georgians at a nominal cost, not a resource to be exploited.

If the developers and politicians have their way, all of that will be sacrificed in the name of greed. Once it happens and people begin to realize what they have lost, it will be too late.

There are ways to improve on existing structures, even the raising of new hotel/motels in the footprints of the old.

But major construction of the scale proposed will be the death knell to this slice of paradise on the Georgia coast.

Thomas B. Scott
Brunswick

Development should be preceded by study

My husband taught coastal biology to Emory University students for 16 summers.

He used as an example the unspoiled parts of Jekyll Island to indicate the fragile ecosystem of a barrier island and why it's important to protect it..

Any development could adversely upset the ecosystem.

Before any change, an environmental study should be done and guidelines provided to protect the island for the people for whom it was created.

Any development that is allowed to occur should be in keeping with the Jekyll Island State Park Authority Act - House Bill 604, 1950 Section 8.

It calls for operation of the public facilities at the park at rates so moderate that all the ordinary citizens of the state may enjoy them.

The Linger Longer proposal does not allow facilities that will satisfy the act.

The Jekyll Island Authority seems to have lost sight of the state mandate.

Professor Emeritus and Mrs. William E. Brillhart
St. Simons Island

Misconceptions to be cleared on Jekyll

I am writing this letter to correct some of the misconceptions regarding the residents on Jekyll Island.

The residents are not opposed to development on the Island. We agree that the island needs new or updated hotels/motels, a new or updated convention center and an updated shopping center.

What we don't want is a town center that belongs at a resort area, not on a barrier island state park.

The proposed plan would not allow easy access to the beach, would endanger the loggerhead turtle - already an endangered species - and would deny the average Georgian amenities presently afforded them on the island.

Another misconception is that we pay very little to live on Jekyll Island.

If you compare a residence elsewhere in the area to one of equal value on Jekyll, the Jekyll resident pays more at the end of the year because not only do we pay real estate taxes, county and school, but we also pay a lease and fire fee, as well as for water, sewer and trash pick-up services.

We care so much for the privilege of living on this beautiful state park that we contribute thousands of hours of volunteer work a year for the benefit of visitors.

Sandy Cerrato
Jekyll Island