Old Hickory Lake Shoreline Management
Plan Approved
April 2008
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Great Lakes and Ohio River Division has
approved the update of the Old Hickory Lake Shoreline Management Plan (SMP).
The SMP is the portion of the project’s Operational Management Plan that
provides guidelines for the effective long-range management of the shoreline
of Old Hickory Lake. The objective of the plan is to achieve a balance
between permitted private use and the protection and restoration of the
natural environment. Old Hickory Lake staff has strengthened this plan by
emphasizing principles of good environmental stewardship to the natural and
cultural resources occurring on Old Hickory Lake. The intent of the plan is
to use both passive and proactive best management practices to sustain
healthy ecosystems and biodiversity, and conserve natural resources, such
that public lands and waters are left in a condition equal to or better than
their condition when acquired, and such that those natural and cultural
resources are available to serve the needs of present and future
generations.
Public information workshops were held to review and discuss the draft plan
in Hendersonville, Tennessee and Old Hickory, Tennessee, in October 2006.
These workshops were very well attended. Information on the meetings was
publicized on the Old Hickory Lake internet website, through newspapers and
local radio stations, as well as the project newsletter. 262 comments were
received at the workshops and during the subsequent thirty-day public review
period.
Allocation changes were requested in forty different areas, and site visits
were made to each of these areas by the Resource Manager and/or his staff.
Comments and allocation change requests were duly considered in the
development of the draft plan. Official shoreline allocation maps are
located in the Resource Managers Office and can be reviewed at any time upon
request.
The 2008 update of the Old Hickory Lake SMP approved several changes. A
summary of the more significant changes are included below:
- Added statement that use of public lands and waters that are permitted to
adjacent landowners is a privilege not a right, and failure to comply with
Corps policies, rules and regulations may result in cancellation of all
activities previously permitted or licensed on public lands and waters
(Section 16, page 13).
- Added statement that realtor letters are a valuable tool to inform
prospective realtors or buyers of the shoreline classification adjacent to
their lot and/or deficiencies that need to be corrected before a dock permit
can be issued (Section 16, page 14).
- Added sentence that states “If lots or parcels of land are subdivided or
altered then all affected parcels and permitted activities must conform to
the current requirements of the shoreline management plan” (Section 17, page
15).
- Added statement allowing the Resource Manager in unusual circumstances
involving disabilities, to approve a permit for a dock exceeding the 700
square foot size limit. To qualify for such an exception, the permit
applicant must provide certain information including documentation of
eligibility for federal or state disability benefits or other documentary
medical evidence acceptable to the Resource Manager (Section 17a, pages
17-18).
- Language was added to limit the footprint for platform docks with
attachments to 280 square feet to allow for the addition of a personal
watercraft or small boat lift (Section 17 (5), page 19).
- Language was added to limit the amount of public property mowed to 100’
wide or ½ an acre, whichever is less, in areas where mowing permits have not
previously been issued (Section 18, page 23).
- Added paragraph to define Environmental Restoration and Conservation
Areas, and establish goals, objectives, and restrictions within these areas
(Section18 (d), page 25).
- Clarified section on destruction of government property to include
specific guidelines on revocation/moratorium periods (Section 21e, pages
28-29).
- Developed section to encourage fish and wildlife enhancement projects on
public lands (Section 18 (d), page 25).
- In unusual circumstances such as when solid bedrock precludes sufficient
moorage depth, applications for docks to extend more than 50 feet from the
shoreline (but not more than 59 feet), may be approved if a comprehensive
justification of need, as supplied by the applicant, is warranted (Section
24a, page 34-35).
- Reallocated approximately 5.48 miles of shoreline from Limited Development
Mowing Only to Limited Development Docks and Mowing.
- Modified permit condition #1 to include removal of permitted facility
until non-compliance issues are satisfactorily resolved (page 41).
- Modified Permit Condition #20 to include possible moratorium on permit
issuances in cases of severe damage to public property (page 44).
* The next SMP public review is schedule for April 2013
