Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources: Open house set to initiate amendment process to Kohler-Andrae State Park Master Plan

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. – The public will have an opportunity at an upcoming open house to learn about the scope and objectives of the proposed master plan amendment for Kohler-Andrae State Park related to a golf course proposed for property adjacent to the park. The public will also have an opportunity to identify pertinent issues to be evaluated in the planning amendment process.

The Kohler Company is proposing to construct an 18-hole golf course on land it owns immediately north of the park in Sheboygan County. The company is seeking to use approximately 5 acres of park property for access to the golf course, for construction of a maintenance facility and for utilities right-of-way.

The State Natural Resources Board approved initiating a master plan amendment process at its June 2017 meeting. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will hold a public open house to initiate the amendment process on Thursday, August 24, 2017, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Sheboygan Falls High School gymnasium; 220 Amherst Ave., Sheboygan Falls.

Kohler-Andrae State Park, includes two adjacent state parks — Terry Andrae State Park, established in 1927, and John Michael Kohler State Park, established in 1966 — totaling 1,028 acres. The parks contain over 2 miles of beach and sand dunes along the shoreline of Lake Michigan. To simplify management and use, the parks are managed as one property.

Kohler is proposing to construct a new roadway with a roundabout that would provide access to the park and to the golf course. The company also wants to construct a new maintenance facility near the northern park boundary that contains an existing park maintenance building, and it is seeking utility access for electricity, sewer and water.

The City of Sheboygan has approved a petition from Kohler to annex its proposed golf course area and a portion of the state park that includes facilities and a maintenance building currently served by wells and onsite septic systems that the state must maintain. The affected park lands could be served by municipal sewer, water, fire and police services.

Kohler has also submitted applications for wetland and waterway permits from the department, but those permits will be evaluated separately from the master plan amendment process. Any permission for Kohler to use park lands would be contingent upon the company receiving all approvals needed for its project from other DNR programs (i.e. wetlands/waterway; stormwater; drinking water; wastewater; Natural Heritage Conservation) as well as from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and/or local officials.

Information about the proposed master plan amendment is available on the DNR website, dnr.wi.gov, by searching for “master planning” and clicking on the link for “Kohler-Andrae master plan amendment.” People can also find a link on that page to subscribe to receive email updates about the planning effort and opportunities to participate. Additional information about the Kohler Golf Course project proposal is available by searching for “Kohler golf course proposal.”  More information about the park is available by searching “Kohler-Andrae.”