Forum, 4-1: No development near Bear Butte

By Charmaine White Face, coordinator for Defenders of the Black Hills. | Monday, April 03, 2006

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Open letter to the Meade County Commission:

This letter is to reaffirm our position of no development of any kind within a five-mile radius of Bear Butte, a position we have held for a number of years. Our reasons for this position are:

1. Bear Butte is a sacred place to more than 60 Native American nations of the North American continent who have continually visited this shrine for religious/spiritual purposes for tens of thousands of years, and respect should be given to all peoples' places of worship in order to meet the foundations of the Freedom of Religion.

2. Bear Butte is a National Historic Landmark whose impact for its historical significance and unique geological structure in this region is being eroded with the incursion of urban development.

We understand you will be considering the granting of a liquor license on April 4. Our position is not just against the granting of liquor licenses, but is against any development within a five-mile radius of Bear Butte.

As we have already stated our position to you during your Oct. 4, 2005, meeting, and as our position does not single out any one business owner or developer, we will not be attending your April 4 meeting. However, we respectfully request that our position in this written form be considered in any and all new and renewal of liquor licenses, building permits or other development near Bear Butte that come under your review.

Thank you for your consideration of our request.