Frustrated residents pack meeting to address severe erosion: "It's pretty much 'you're on your own'"
Frustrated residents pack meeting to address severe erosion: Its pretty much youre on your own’
Frustrated residents pack meeting to address severe erosion: Its pretty much youre on your own'
MOUNT PLEASANT -- A packed house in Mount Pleasant on Tuesday evening, June 7th as Wisconsin Emergency Management officials held a meeting to discuss options for homeowners living on the edge. Those who live along Lake Michigan in Racine and Kenosha counties have been dealing with severe bluff erosion -- threatening their homes.
The meeting began at 5:30 p.m. -- hosted by Wisconsin Emergency Management in response to large portions of shoreline that have fallen into Lake Michigan due to the severe erosion. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources officials and those with the Army Corps of Engineers also took part in this meeting.
Meeting on bluff erosion in Mount Pleasant
Property owners learned how the state will help them to make temporary repairs -- but many expressed frustration, feeling that it's every man for himself -- without any guaranteed help for what projects to be expensive work.
Rising lake levels and increased precipitation have factored into the rapid and severe erosion. Homeowners in Racine and Kenosha counties have been impacted. About 150 people took part in the meeting at Mount Pleasant Village Hall on Tuesday evening to learn what options are available to help slow the rapid erosion that is eating away at the shoreline along their waterfront properties.
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Tom Lindgren
"It`s pretty much 'you`re on your own,'" Tom Lindgren, who lives along Lake Michigan in the Town of Somers in Kenosha County said.
Parts of Lindgren's property are less than 10 feet from the edge. He's calling for a collective solution.
"They could get everyone combined in a state effort with the Army Corps of Engineers and just do it all along," Lindgren said.
Phil Ross with the Army Corps of Engineers
Department of Natural Resources officials on Tuesday announced they are allowing homeowners to make temporary repairs without a permit, as long as they submit a written plan that includes what they'll use, where they'll do it and how they'll do it.
DNR officials are advising that people use heavy rock, stone or concrete -- nothing with re-bar. Homeowners can also use sandbags, but concrete rubble or debris shouldn't be used.
"From a federal government standpoint, we need to be able to address public utilities, public infrastructure and we can`t necessarily address separate properties," Phil Ross with the Army Corps of Engineers said.
Ross said Mount Pleasant officials have submitted a request for emergency work.
"It`s in the system, and it can be evaluated on a national scale to vie for the funding that`s in the program," Ross said.
Meanwhile, Lindgren says the cost of hiring an engineer and getting someone to put in temporary protection is just too much.
"Unless you`ve got a big old stack of cash underneath your mattress or something, then you`re OK -- but if you don`t, you`re on your own. Watch your house go in the lake," Lindgren said.
DNR officials say groups of property owners can come together and submit a joint plan for repairs -- as long as everyone signs off on it.
The main cause of this rapid erosion is rising lake levels and corresponding waves that, along with increased precipitation, are speeding up the natural erosion process.