By Patricia Bogumil
Editor
Town of Waterford officials hope to convince the state Department of Natural Resources to reconsider labeling an area of the town as “urbanized” – a label that will require the town to pay for costly mapping and computer analysis.
Dueling opinions from two different engineers – one from the town, the other from the state – differ on whether or not the “urbanized” label is appropriate, explained Waterford Town Chairman Tom Hincz.
Using population data culled from the last census, the state considers a portion of Tichigan Lake and Wind Lake to be urbanized, Hincz explained.
If the label for the Tichigan Lake area sticks, the town will have to conduct, and pay for, a surface water runoff mapping and study, as well as a computer analysis, according to Hincz.
The cost for that is estimated to be around $70,000, Hincz said. “And not just one time, you have to do an annual report.”
“It’s an unfunded mandate,” Hincz said.
The town has filed for a state DNR grant to help with costs in case the town cannot get an exemption under Natural Resources Chapter 216 in the state’s administrative code, Hincz added. But there’s no timeframe or guarantee on that.
Getting such a grant would be great for the town, but it’s still money that’s coming out of state taxpayers’ pockets for no good reason, he added. “Why are we doing this?” Hincz asked.
Hincz said there are four criteria for the “urbanized” definition to be applied. The DNR is hooking the “urbanized” label on the township by saying that phosphorous is entering Tichigan Lake, he explained.
“There’s no question that the Fox River has an issue (with phosphorous), but the river is not part of the area that we’re getting “urbanized” for,” Hincz said.
He said he talked with an engineering firm a few days ago and was told: “There’s no way you’re part of this.’”
Then Hincz talked with a guy at the DNR, who said: “Oh yes, you are.”
“Here we go, again!” Hincz said.
Besides the phosphorous issue, other criteria used by the DNR also don’t apply, according to Hincz.
The town’s population is not high enough to meet the urbanized standard; the town already has a complete storm water runoff program that meets all the DNR rules; and there’s nothing to be mapped out in that area because there are no culverts or underground sewer water pipes, just ravines and surface water, Hincz said.
As for the claim about the lake phosphorous: “Nobody’s done tests; show me the data, they don’t have any data.”
To top things off: “We have not even been officially told that we are part of this,” Hincz said.
His conclusion: “This is just stupid.”
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