Council looks to increase amenities at Keyhole

Keyhole Marina owners Phil Jordan and wife Tris and Keyhole State Park representatives Julie Huntley and Wade Henderson attended Tuesday morning's work meeting at Pine Haven Mayor Karla Brandenburg's invitation to discuss the possible development of the west side of Keyhole Reservoir.

The mayor began the discussion, speaking to Huntley, "What can we get on this side [of the lake] for amenities?"

Huntley passed the question to Jordan as he had submitted a business plan 15 years ago to the state regarding a secondary dock on the west side of the water and this dock was the first suggestion he advanced. He spoke of the intricacies of the system of lifts and tie docks that he and his wife currently operate and the importance of a "good location" and state approval for a second position.

The location must have accessibility, both by water and by shore and mounts must be approved to be installed for stability of the docks, "That's key, they can't move around," advised Jordan.

The business owner considered the boat ramp in Coulter Bay the best location: "The first thought is protection from the weather, the winds are horrible on a dock system and protection from the public with cameras and security; it's a huge investment...The people using it have to make sure they maintain and protect the property."

He advised a small single six dock system to begin and adding six more every year until the system reaches area capacity.

When Brandenburg asked the park officials their opinion on possible concession stands on the Pine Haven side of the water, Jordan was adamantly opposed: "I will not cooperate with a second concession. That is a $2 million investment over there and I want my investment returned. I am interested in the park letting us put a building there for a concession."

The mayor stated her disagreement with this stand, "I think we complement each other...I think it would benefit both sides to have more on the lake here because more people can utilize the lake and the more people who utilize the lake, the more everybody benefits."

She further explained her desire to see a smaller concession point around Wind Creek, saying, "I don't know that we talking about a full-fledged marina like what you have and I was thinking more on the west end so it really wouldn't interfere with you because people on the west end usually [stay] out there."

Huntley shared her position regarding this issue, pointing to the contract her agency holds with Jordan, "The agency has felt that there wouldn't be adequate money to operate a second concessionaire; due to the season, there's just not enough time. We would not want to harm our existing partners and the contract we have with them."

Henderson spoke to the park's master plan to which the state park adheres carefully, "If it's not in that it's a bigger battle, not impossible, but it's a bigger battle."

"There is expansion for a dock system on this side," the park superintendent said about what the plan shows regarding another sales stand, "But it's never talked about another marina building or a second marina so anything like that is going to have to go up though the Bureau of Land Reclamation and get their sign ruling and they're going to go back to the master plan and see if it was in that."

He also spoke to the mayor's reference to building in Wind Creek: "With the cultural stuff in Wind Creek, there's probably almost zero percent chance of anything happening over there."

The process starts with a submission of a plan for approval in November and the bureau will get the permissions to the park field office in April or May with cultural clearances, review, etc for execution that summer, according to Henderson. With marina plans, not only do the park engineers become involved, so too do the Bureau's engineers and then a request must be submitted to the Corp of Engineers for a new establishment.

"It's a year plus just to get that on the existing marina, but a new marina is probably several years out by the time it goes through the process."

After more discussion, Brandenburg advocated moving forward, "I know that anything through the state isn't fast – we're government here, too. I'd just like to see it get started."

The group made plans to travel to the potential docking area to further the conversations at a later time.