History of the Association
Composed summer 2021 by Mitch Leavitt, based on notes from Grace Frudden. Corrections and suggestions are welcome. Also available as a PDF.
In 1996 several residents organized to protect the natural attributes of Ridges Road. They incorporated The Harbor Ridges Association, Inc. (HRA), as a non-profit corporation in the State of Wisconsin in 1997. Its mission statement is set out in the by-laws.
Members of the association met twice annually. Membership has varied over the years. For some years, Dottie Troller (now deceased) wrote and distributed a regular newsletter to members, which was widely appreciated.
HRA interacted productively with the Town of Baileys Harbor board, offering advice on management of the road. Membership dues were distributed to support local causes. Annual contribution recipients included:
- Baileys Harbor library
- Baileys Harbor fire department
- Baileys Harbor Community Association
- Baileys Harbor July 4 fireworks
- Flag pole in front of Town Hall
- Chairs and tables in Town Hall
- The Ridges Sanctuary
- Friends of Toft Point
- Door County Land Trust
- Door County Property Owners
- Emergency Medical Services equipment (automatic defibrillator, etc.)
The Rustic Road
HRA members were actively involved with the effort to designate Ridges Road as a State of Wisconsin “Rustic Road”. In addition to formally recognizing the aesthetic qualities of the road, this designation also allowed the Town of Baileys Harbor to reduce the speed limit to 30 mph from the prior 45 mph. Previous attempts to reduce the speed limit were denied by the State highway department. Rustic Road designation allowed the Town to authorize the lower speed limit, an outcome supported by HRA.
We helped change the schedule of mowing the roadside to the end of the summer, after most of the native plants have bloomed and gone to seed. For some years, members removed litter from the roadside.
For many years Grace Frudden attended the Town Board meetings, serving as a liaison for residents of Ridges Road, Harbor Lane, and all of Baileys Harbor. Through her efforts HRA maintained a productive and cooperative relationship with the Town. Grace “retired” from that role in 2018, and no one has filled that position in her place.
Meetings and dues
For several years, the organization has met twice annually, early in the season for an annual meeting, and again near the end of the season for a social meeting. Current organization expenses include some refreshments at the meetings, postage, copying, and a few miscellaneous costs. In 2017 the board decided to suspend the collection of annual membership dues until a need for funds is once again identified. Donations will be accepted.
In 2020 and 2021 the board of directors convened for an annual meeting, but the Covid-19 pandemic precluded large gatherings, so the two typical annual gatherings were temporarily canceled. The board recognizes that ownership of properties evolves and many current residents are likely unaware of the organization, and has pursued outreach since.
Harbor Lane and Schmitz Road
Development of the land near the intersection of Harbor Lane and Schmitz Road, previously occupied by the U.S. Life Saving Station and Schmitz Gazebos, has been a matter of contention over the years.
In 1972, owners of the Baileys Harbor Yacht Club requested the Town to vacate Harbor Lane, a short road off Ridges Road that encircled the nearby Baileys Harbor Yacht Club. That would allow less restrictive development of the site, but would limit public access to the lakeshore. One hundred and seventy-six residents of Ridges Road and Baileys Harbor signed a petition to deny that request. Conditional permission was initially granted by the Town. However, those conditions were never met.
HRA has formally presented opinions regarding the matter to the Town, and influenced the course of development. After the Baileys Harbor Yacht Club burned in 1993 the property was ultimately purchased by Blue Sky Harbor, Ltd. In 1995, the company requested a permit to build a larger resort on the property, much larger than the prior Baileys Harbor Yacht Club (BHYC), or the current BHYC Condominiums. Concerned that such a development would negatively impact the neighborhood, some Ridges Road residents, including Dottie Troller and attorneys Grace Frudden and Joe Melli, organized neighbors to resist the construction. They formally created The Harbor Ridges Association, Inc., in 1997.
Significantly, HRA members engaged legal counsel in 1997 that eventually led to a identifying that no portion of Harbor Lane had ever been vacated by the Town, because the conditions for potential vacation were never met. The importance of this legal decision would become apparent when Blue Sky Harbor, Ltd. once again requested permission to expand their development.
Careful review by HRA members of the history of the property and of Town decisions to conditionally vacate portions of Harbor Lane supported arguments that limit higher-density development. In 2005 HRA submitted written approval and support of development of 48 units on the site as proposed by the property owner. However, the plan was never pursued.
In 2015, Blue Sky Harbor Ltd. asked the Town to vacate Harbor Lane (the road that runs between the Baileys Harbor Condominiums and the waterfront). This would allow the company greater flexibility in developing their land. Once again, Grace Frudden applied her legal prowess and reminded the Town Board that previous agreements precluded that option. The Town of Baileys Harbor resolved that no portion of it has been vacated. This is documented as a Town Road Agreement recorded with the Door County Register of Deeds. Grace deserves our sincere appreciation and thanks.
There is a formal agreement with the Town that the public may use the area just north of the marina between Harbor Lane and the waterfront.