Below is a point by point response following the Readmond Township Planning Committee Meeting on 12/19/00. The claims that are being responded to were made by the opposition’s lawyer or in letters they have sent to the township and county. They are making claims that we believe are misleading, distorted and exaggerated.

Claim 1: That the Blissfest has no stake in their community and that the Blissfest and its visitors have no respect for their community.

Response: The Blissfest is a non-profit charitable organization that has been in existence for 21 years and has been providing cultural heritage programs that appeal to a broad cross section of the community. When the Blissfest moved to its current property in 1988, it was a typical ramshackled old northern Michigan farm with abandoned autos, farm equipment and falling down buildings. The Blissfest has done extensive clean up and improvement over the past 13 years of our stewardship.
Members, staff and Blissfest trustees own property and live in Readmond Township and surrounding townships. Members and supporters of the Blissfest are involved in local community projects such as the Good Hart Mini Fair(annual Volunteer Fireman’s fundraiser) and the Cross Village Community Services Committee. The Blissfest plan itself is a progressive land use model that seeks to protect farm/ forest land from fragmentation and residential growth by designating almost ½ our property as a no-build open space area. This type of land use planning is a stated policy goal in the Emmet Count Comprehensive Plan adopted by the Planning Commission in 1997. Applicable sections include 3-60,61; 5-3,4,11; and 6-3,13.
The Blissfest prides itself in the fact that our visitors and attendees are very conscientious and respectful of the Blissfest and our northern Michigan environment. We have also made every attempt to minimize the impact of our annual festival on the local community. The Blissfest also pays land taxes and will continue to pay land taxes even though they have the option to request a tax abatement as a non-profit organization. The organization does not wish to increase the tax burden on other landowners in the township.

Claim 2: That there is inadequate infrastructure to support the Blissfest in this community. They suggest that we simply move it somewhere else.

Response: This kind of NIMBY(Not In My Back Yard) attitude is always suspect but it is even more unusual in this case since we have been in "their" backyard for 13 years with few complaints until now. Besides our plan calls for limits to the size, scope and number of activities at our facility through a conditions of use agreement between the Blissfest, Readmond Township and Emmet County.
The Blissfest has been very self-sufficient and has provided for much of its own infrastructure over the years including safety, sanitation, water, food, recycling, shuttle bus to store and beach. The health department has administered and approved a temporary campground permit annually. The Blissfest has also worked to minimize its local impact by providing dumpsters and sanitation at the township beach in Cross Village and the Cross Village Store and we can do more as needed to mitigate any inconvenience.
All summer and again during winter weekends the tourist based economy in this area experiences an influx of second home owners and tourists that on any given weekend swells the population. The area has supported summer tourism for many years, has a large second home population and seems to handle the weekend tourists that swarm to Sturgeon Bay and Legs Inn. The area seems to be willing and able to offer hospitality to our visitors and the economic benefits they provide. Most of us adapt and adjust to our tourist visitors and are willing to share our wonderful environment.

Claim 3: That the Blissfest’s tenure on its property is illegitimate and has no legal standing to claim 13 years of resident status as per lawyer’s statement 12/19/00.

Response: The Blissfest has been holding the festival at our current location for 13 years. The township approved the event in 1988 after a committee looked into it. In 1992 the organization began operating under a Special Use Permit that continued to allow for a one weekend annual festival. This was all done with the full knowledge of the Readmond Township Board and the Emmet County Planning Commission. In 1998, after purchasing an additional 80 acres for auxiliary parking and camping the Blissfest consulted with the Emmet Co. Planning and Zoning office who agreed that this use was acceptable for the annual festival. In early 2000 the Blissfest agreed to pursue a long-range plan subsequent to official requests from the Readmond Township Board and Emmet Co. Board to do so. At that time, planning officials felt that the Blissfest’s success and growth had gone beyond the scope of the existing Special Use Permit. The planning office went so far as to say we were in violation of the SUP. Blissfest disagreed in part, with this assessment but in the spirit of cooperation agreed to formulate a long-range plan as it was in the best interestof all parties. The Blissfest has every right to claim all of the improvements that they have made over the past 13 years and have operated the event legally and in good faith. They have established themselves as a legitimate property owner and non-profit charitable organization. The Blissfest is among the prime contributors toward achieving one of the expressed goals of the Charlevoix and Emmet County Community Cultural Plan: that is to make Charlevoix and Emmet County a cultural tourism destination.

Claim 4: That the Blissfest is secretive and unwilling to consider the opposition’s concerns.

Response: The Blissfest has tried to involve local folks over the years and many are involved. The ones that are complaining have been listened to and the inconveniences of the festival have been addressed. We continue to listen and respond to these problems. We met with this group of concerned neighbors last year prior to the festival to work out a plan to minimize our impact. We agreed to continue our regular dust control, provide the immediate area residents with 70 free tickets, redesign the Blissfest brochure map to route people off dirt roads, agreed to provide signs on the roads to discourage speeding. The Blissfest even petitioned the Emmet County Road Commission to close the east end of Division Rd be used during the festival by local traffic only(where many of the opposition live). The petition was not accepted, though had the local population joined the effort, it may have been successful. With regard to long range planning, this group continued to bring up their position that the Blissfest should shrink back to the original 40 acre site, and they were unwilling to discuss or negotiate possibilities or compromises for the future. We simply had to respectfully disagree with their position. They were unwilling to engage in any give and take discussion about the future of Blissfest. These same individuals have never tried to get involved by becoming a member or participating in any way with the Blissfest except to expect free tickets to the event each year. One of the leaders claims that she tried to contact me repeatedly to voice her concerns when this all started in 1999. She left one phone message on my answering machine not even leaving her name asking me to contact her as she lived on Division Rd. I attempted to call back one time and got their machine. I assumed that it was a request for Blissfest tickets as it was a few days prior to the festival. Tickets had been distributed and I figured she would get hers. There was no indication of a problem. She never followed up with any letter of concern. The next time we heard from her was 9 months later when she presented a petition in front of local townships asserting that the Blissfest was out of compliance with its special use permit in an attempt to pressure and intimidate the organization. The townships did not accept the petition and instead requested a long-term plan. Now the opposition wants to deny the Blissfest PUD plan in an attempt to drive us out of their neighborhood. We have been and continue to be willing to rationally discuss the growth and management issues regarding the festival. Unfortunately, some opponents have decided that since trying to dictate what we can do won’t work, they will attempt to discredit the organization and attempt to remove us by spreading false and misleading information around the community.

Claim 5: That the Blissfest festival is out of control, unsafe and unmanageable.

Response: The Blissfest has a three tiered monitoring and security force on site during the festival that consists of BlissAssist, Grams Security and the Emmet County Sheriff’s Dept. at our request. In the 20 years of the festival there have been no serious injuries or out of control crowds. The majority of attendees are families and are well behaved. Comments and statements from our security personnel indicate that the Blissfest is one of the most relaxed and laid-back events that they work.
The Blissfest also provides a First Aid Booth staffed by RN’s and there are professional EMS workers on site hired by the Blissfest. The Blissfest only allows two ground fires during the festival that are enclosed and monitored. The Blissfest has worked to manage underage drinking by checking ID and searching cars at the gate, offering educational posters and announcements, providing AA services and last year allowing the Sate Police to issue MIP citations. The organization continues to monitor this situation and will address it in a way that is fair and reasonable to the majority of young persons who are responsible and law abiding.
The Blissfest also carries a million dollar liability policy and has had a liability policy for the 13 years it has been in Readmond Township. Worthy of note, there has never been a negligence claim or lawsuit against the Blissfest Music Organization in all that time.

Claim 6: That the Blissfest is not an accredited school, as per lawyer’s statement 12/19/00

Response: The organization has never represented itself as an accredited school. It does, however, have an educational objective in the mission statement that ties in with the organization’s goal to preserve and promote traditional music, dance and crafts. The Blissfest has 20 years of experience in this endeavor. We have been promoting the passing down from generation to generation the folk culture of American and the world in order to enhance cultural heritage and cultural diversity in Northern Michigan and beyond. The festival is only one aspect of this dedication with its local and nationally known performers who bring with them countless years of experience and expertise in sharing folk traditions. The organization partners with other arts and educational groups to provide experiences for local schools, instructional country and traditional dance programs and community concerts to foster our shared cultural heritage.
The director and three of the board members are professionals in music and crafts. Two of our directors have teaching degrees. The combined years of experience between these four alone exceeds 80 years. The Blissfest Music Organization is also affiliated with the National Folk Alliance. As well, it is affiliated with two other Michigan based non-profit cultural heritage organizations, the Wheatland Music Organization in Remus, MI and the Hiawatha Music Organization in Marquette, MI. In addition the Blissfest partners with a number local arts and educational groups to provide cultural heritage programs including Concord Academy, Association for Harbor Arts, Shay Elementary School, Petoskey Public Library, Farm Fest Music Organization, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Bayside Travelers, Springfed Arts, Cheboygan Area Arts and CMU Public Radio.

Claim 7: That Farm Forest Zoning eliminated campgrounds as an approved use in 1998 and that the Master Plan calls for protecting Farm Forest lands, as per lawyer’s statements on 12/19/00.

Response: The opposition’s lawyer made the claim that campground as a use was eliminated from farm forest zoning in 1998. The Emmet Co. Zoning administrator subsequently clarified this point and indicated that in fact the campground use option remains in Farm Forest Zoning and was never eliminated. In 1998 they removed it from section 800 which allowed campgrounds as a use by right requiring only a site plan and continued it in section 801 as a special use. It had previously appeared in both sections 800 and 801. The special use designation in section 801 requires public hearings.
The other claim, that by denying the Blissfest PUD, farm forest land will be preserved as called for in the Emmet Co. Master Plan is misleading. The Master Plan indeed calls for farm and forest land protection. However, the Master plan goes on to state that leaving farm forest land vacant subjects it to fragmentation(splits) and residential development. The Master Plan calls for a policy that " works with local conservancy and other interested parties to offer incentives and bonuses for preservation of open space as well as support for innovative land development programs such as transfer of development rights, planned unit development and open space plans".

Claim 8: That the Blissfest PUD is a significant change in use and sets a precedent for commercial activities.

Response: The PUD plan is a long-term vision that continues, and minimally expands upon, an existing use that has been previously approved. The plan balances the needs of the land owner(Blissfest), the local community and the greater community in a way that enhances cultural preservation and preserves the rural character of the area with additional controls on growth.
The Blissfest is primarily a preservation organization and the retail component proposed is primarily for the benefit of festival participants who help support the goals of cultural preservation and the Blissfest organization through the purchase of craft items, music and festival memorabilia. We believe this is a minor aspect of the organization and is not the primary activity. Sales activity will only occur during the limited events proposed in the plan. The Blissfest organization started over 20 years ago as a small group of like minded individuals who never expected monetary rewards and were involved because they shared the goals and aspirations of the organization. The festival was not even profitable as a fund-raiser for the first 10 years. The organization’s good name, efficient volunteer management and quality event has resulted in positive growth over the past 10 years and economic benefit for the Blissfest and the local economy.

The opposition presented a petition to the Readmond Township Planners at the 12/19/00 meeting with signitures from the local community. By their own admission they presented the Blissfest PUD plan to the community in a biased way. The information they presented to the signers was inaccurate and renders the petition suspect. Especially troublesome was their written list of activities being planned by the Blissfest. First on the list was; " 1. One annual Blissfest currently 4,000-6,000 people(no restriction on size noted)". This is erroneous. The plan calls for negotiating a conditions of use agreement between the township, Blissfest and the county specifying the number, size and scope of events. This inaccurate information misrepresents the Blissfest plan and seriously questions the validity of the petition.

The petition states that those signing it are opposed to the Blissfest plan because of the following generalized concerns.

1. Negative Environmental Impacts

The Blissfest would welcome an environmental impact study. We will be more than happy to engage in a study that is fare, comprehensive and looks at all the benefits and costs. The opposition is basing its argument on here-say. The Blissfest has evidence that shows they are managing the festival in a way that is environmentally responsible on and off site. The festival has been in the neighborhood for 13 years and has worked to minimize impacts. The festival certainly has not negatively impacted property values. The modest additional events that are proposed will have minimal impact on an area that is already a summer destination. The Emmet County Master Plan indicated that the biggest threat to farm forest land is fragmentation(splits) and residential development. Our long term plan will protect farm forest land by designating ½ the Blissfest acreage as a no build open space area. Perhaps we should also call for an Environmental Impact Study on the Moosejaw Safari, The Cross Village Homecoming and the Good Hart Mini-Fair while were at it.

2. Inadequate Township Infrastructure

After being self-sufficient for 13 years at our current site with our own extensive infrastructure, opponents claim that the community infrastructure is inadequate. We provide our own water, sanitation, food service, security, and medical support. We provide dust control, extra dumpsters and Porto-Jons at the Township Beach and Village Store. The roads are adequate and maintained by the county. We have a shuttle bus to reduce traffic and many of our attendees don’t even leave the Blissfest site for the whole weekend as their needs are taken care of right there. We would be happy to have a study done on this issue as well as work with the local townships to further mitigate any inconvenience or inadequate support services. The area has supported summer tourism for many years, has a large second home population in the summer and seems to handle the weekend tourists that swarm to Sturgeon Bay and Legs Inn.

3. Public Health and Safety Concerns:

Response:

Blissfest has a long working relationship with the Health Department to provide all resources necessary for our temporary campground during the festival The health department also supervises food safety. The festival provides for it’s own security and EMS force. Off site the Blissfest provides for dust control, traffic control as well as Porta-Jons and dumpsters in Cross Village. The organization has always been willing to improve in any area of concern to the local population in order to abate any inconvenience.

4. Traffic and Road Limitations:

Currently, Division Road in front of the Blissfest and extending to the Center Township line is schedules to be paved in the coming year. All the preparation was completed last year. The county road commission does an excellent job grading the road and trimming the shoulder prior to the festival and our dust control application. They also grade the road immediately after the festival. The Blissfest Music Organization pays land taxes to support these services. Festival traffic is routed on the paved roads. We are willing to continue to work toward reasonable accommodation. Our tenants report that they are more likely to see locals speeding on Division Road than Blissfest participants.