Lake Residents Request Combined Special Assessment District | News for Fenton, Linden, Holly MI

On Tuesday, July 19, the Fenton Township Board of Directors approved a resolution to hold a public hearing on Tuesday, August 9 and begin the district’s special assessment process.

Treasurer John Tucker did not participate in the discussion because he lives in the Special Assessment District.

The most recently approved special lake enhancement assessments for Ponemah Lake and Squaw Lake concluded with the 2021 assessment, which funds the 2022 treatment programs, according to the meeting minutes. The owners have submitted an application to create a combined special assessment district for Ponemah Lake, Squaw Lake, Tupper Lake, and part of the Shiawassee River, and to approve a new 5-year special assessment from 2023 to 2027.

Mark Shantz, trustee of the Ponemah, Squaw and Tupper Lakes Association (PST) sent a letter to the council explaining that he wanted to create a special assessment district for the three lakes and parts of the Shiawassee River.

“There will be the same tax price per parcel for all lake residents who have property on Ponemah Lake, Squaw Lake, Tupper Lake and the river. One watershed, all addressed in one special assessment district,” he wrote.

The Special Assessment District would include all parcels of land fronting on or having legal access to Ponemah Lake, all parcels of land fronting on Squaw Lake, all parcels of land fronting on Tupper Lake, and all parcels of land overlooking the Shiawassee. River between Tupper Lake and Ripley Road.

Progressive AE would provide weed treatment services

“The Ponemah, Squaw and Tupper Lakes Aquatic Plant Control Program will focus on controlling invasive alien species with the selective use of herbicides. The plant species of greatest concern are Eurasian Watermilfoil, Curly-leaved Pondweed and Starry Stonewort. The amount of herbicides used in any given year will depend on the type and distribution of aquatic plants and Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy permit conditions,” according to the proposal. Progressive AE.

The annual cost for 2023 is estimated at $118,500 and the annual costs for 2024-2027 are $108,500.

“It is proposed that plant control activities be coordinated under the direction of the Fenton Township Environmental Consultant. The consultant would be responsible for preparing contract documents for the plant control program, conducting GPS guided surveys of the lakes to determine the scope of work to be carried out by the plant control contractor and conducting follow-up surveys to assess treatment effectiveness,” according to the proposal.

Work includes mapping the depth of the lake and conducting a hydroacoustic survey of the lake bottom to create a detailed, geographically referenced depth contour map for Tupper Lake. They will take water samples to measure temperature, dissolved oxygen, total phosphorus, pH, alkalinity and chloride in Ponemah, Squaw and Tupper lakes in 2023. They will also measure water clarity and surface water chlorophyll-a levels.