Sleeping Bear Gateways Council, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is dedicated to protecting the region’s gateway communities. We foster collaboration among communities and stakeholders near Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Leelanau and Benzie counties. These communities experience significant seasonal tourism. This supports the local economy but also raises concerns over staffing, traffic, infrastructure, and environmental protections.
From our earliest beginnings, we played an active role in issues involving park boundaries, access, and private property rights. In 2018, SBGC repurposed its mission to focus on challenges and opportunities in the gateway communities. We continue to support various projects, collaborations, and initiatives to find a balance between the seasonal inflow of visitors while preserving the charm and character of the place we call home.
Considering the increased inflow of 1.5 million seasonal visitors, the SBGC has taken on several initiatives to help mitigate this challenge.
Attainable Permanent and Seasonal Workforce Housing
With a steadily growing influx of seasonal visitors to the area, we are working with various stakeholders to develop solutions for attainable workforce housing for essential workers (nurses, teachers, administrators, police, and firefighters) and seasonal workers to mitigate the housing challenges in our gateway communities. We have completed a conceptual housing strategy that we hope to begin implementing later this year on a large property owned by a local school district.
Seasonal Congestion
With the increase in visitors to our communities also comes parking and traffic congestion. With this in mind, we are working with stakeholders to develop practical solutions that allow for additional parking and traffic routing to help relieve delays and backups.
Parking
We are actively working with stakeholders to develop solutions to mitigate traffic congestion and parking in our communities. One of the congestion projects is employee parking. With the help and support of our communities’ stakeholders, we are working to develop parking solutions for business employees and owners allowing for more parking for residents and visitors. We hope to have some of these solutions in place for the 2025 season.
Collaboration with our Lakeshore Communities
In addition to the above projects we are undertaking, Sleeping Bear Gateway Council is actively engaged in multiple efforts to protect and enhance the surrounding communities in and around the National Lakeshore. We aim to find collective solutions to our shared issues. We believe that by communities and stakeholders.
SBGC has worked on several initiatives to help address affordable housing, seasonal worker shortages, and traffic concerns. We develop practical solutions that accommodate an influx of seasonal visitors and benefit local residents.
- Hosted a Housing Workshop in October 2023 with 30 regional housing stakeholders at Grow Benzie.
- Received and managed a USDA grant to develop concepts to mitigate permanent and seasonal housing demand in Benzie and Leelanau Counties.
- Worked with Mansfield Consultants on conceptual plans for a 40-acre parcel to illustrate development possibilities on a greenfield site in Empire Township.
- Shared Workforce Housing Toolkit developed by Mansfield Consultants for communities to use.
- Launched a Housing Exchange program with the hope of expanding this regionally (pending funding).
- Advocated for changes to the Municipal Forest Act to allow for forest lands conveyed to communities by the State to be repurposed for attainable housing needs.
We continue to make a positive impact on the communities surrounding Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. In order to accomplish and build upon our mission, we need support in terms of volunteers and donations. Simply click on the Donation Button to help support our initiatives and help shape the future of the region.
