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County needs to deal with Bear Butte area development
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FarkBear Butte has long been a sacred site for Native Americans. The state of South Dakota also recognizes the significance of Bear Butte and in 1961 officially deemed it a state park. By 1973, the U.S. Department of Interior designated Bear Butte as a National Historic Landmark and a National Natural Landmark.
Fast forward to the year 2008. Gov. Mike Rounds proposed the 2008 state Legislature approve the state purchase of 743 acres of land that adjoined Bear Butte State Park, some of which ran up the side of the actual mountain.
The governor’s proposal was for one clear purpose: Restrict development around the butte and maintain the natural beauty of the state park. The Legislature said no.
For the Native Americans, Bear Butte is a sacred place. “There are people trying to pray in solitude and peace that are up on the mountain at all hours,” said Tamra Brennan, founder of a grass roots organization seeking to protect the butte.
Clearly, there’s an interest from both the state and the Native Americans in maintaining the integrity of Bear Butte both as a sacred and as a jewel in the South Dakota state park system. Understandably, there are different opinions on the development of the area on and around Bear Butte.
An alcohol license request for a campground, bar and concert area has two sides of the butte issue clashing head on. At a July 1 Meade County Commission meeting, a hearing on the license is expected to be opposed because granting the license would, according to opponents, disturb the tranquility of the butte. A potential purchase of the campground hinges on reacquiring the license that was lost by the former owner.
The growing campground certainly would disturb the peace of the area but, in the same breath, we’d note that most of the month of August does.
Which brings us to the real problem. The Meade County Commissioners could find themselves with little reason to deny a license request, if they chose to do so. For miles around the butte, development of campgrounds and concert areas has been common.
Regulation of that development — led by the Meade County Commission — should have taken place years ago. Today the commissioners would be wise to learn from past mistakes and put aggressive ordinances in place to restrict development and protect the sanctity of the butte.
The debate over the current alcohol license should take place. But the real issue will be long-term growth in the miles around the butte and how the county plans to address it to meet the needs of the Native Americans and the state of South Dakota.
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