“Memorial Drive” from the June 12, 1956 Door County Advocate
MEMORIAL DRIVE
Last week the city engineer stuck up some sticks along Memorial Drive with strips of white cloth attached. Contrary to public rumor this is not a sign of surrender. It is merely an indication that once again an attempt will be made to solve a problem that for a long time has been a thorn in the side of both the administration and the property owners along the drive.
The purpose of the sticks and white cloth is to mark out the boundary of the easement given to the city back in the ’30’s for boulevard and parkway purposes. The easement covers all but three parcels of property along the drive and extends 100 feet from the east curb of the road westerly toward the bay.
There was some doubt as to whether this easement extended to the shoreline or merely covered a portion of the area between the road and the bay but the boundary lines established by the city engineer, indicate that the easement covers practically everything from the road to the shore line.
There is a great deal that ought to have been done in developing this area for Memorial Drive is one of the show places of the community. But opposition to any improvement has always arisen on the grounds that in effect it would be an expenditure of public funds largely for the benefit of the abutting property.
The problem is to find the kind of development that would be of such distinct advantage to the general public that its cost could be justified as a public expense.
The city plan commission will tackle that matter Wednesday night, June 13 at a public meeting in the city council chambers. The meeting will start at 7 p.m. in order that the commission may adjourn for a later meeting with the board of education and the city council. Anyone interested in the improvement of Memorial Drive is invited to attend the meeting and express their opinions.
Courtesy of the Door County Library Newspaper Archive
Articles by Stanley Greene
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