MISSOURI STATE PARKS Eleven Point State Park Begins Conceptual Development Planning process

Since 2016, the fate of Eleven Point State Park has been in limbo. A pending lawsuit halted any plans of development, but a ruling late last year changed that, and the conceptual development planning (CDP) process for the park is now underway. The plan kicks off May 13, with the public invited to participate in an open house, including park tours.

Background: In 2016, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR) purchased almost 4,200 acres of land in Oregon County along the Eleven Point River. A portion of that land (approximately 625 acres) is subject to a scenic easement held by the federal government as authorized by the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. In 2017, neighboring landowners filed a lawsuit in Oregon County Circuit Court, arguing the acquisition violated both state and federal law, in part because of the restrictions in the scenic easement. The plaintiffs argued at trial the use of the land as a state park “would destroy the wild and scenic nature of the easement.”

The case went to trial in 2020, and the trial court ordered MoDNR to divest itself of the property. The state appealed, and in 2022, the Southern District Court of Appeals reversed the trial court’s decision and held there was no legal barrier to MoDNR’s ownership of the land for state park purposes.

The court ruled, “The Scenic Easement’s restrictions on the use of park property are actually consistent with DNR’s constitutional duty to ‘administer’ the conservation … of natural resources’ and its statutory obligation to preserve land with ‘scenic, historic, prehistoric, archeological, scientific, or other distinctive characteristics or natural features.”

The plaintiffs requested transfer to the Missouri Supreme Court, but the Court declined, making the Southern District Court’s decision final in late 2022.

Moving forward : Now that the lawsuit is resolved and the department’s ownership is no longer in question, plans for the development of the park are moving forward.

A 15-year CDP is written for every new and existing Missouri state park and historic site. Creating or updating a CDP follows a structured process, comprised of five phases including data gathering, drafting, public feedback, finalizing the plan and implementation. This 12-18 month process includes public engagement in every step. These plans guide the parks’ and sites’ future uses and development while supporting the mission, purpose and direction of each facility.

The mission of Missouri State Parks complements the scenic easement directly adjacent to the Eleven Point River. MoDNR, as the property owner, will not only adhere to restrictions of the current easement, but will also consult with the U.S. Forest Service regarding any plans for the protection and enhancement of the natural resources and ecological value of the land in a manner consistent with the terms of the easement and the purposes of the Wild and Scenic designation.

While Missouri State Parks promotes recreational use of its properties, it also protects the natural resources by reducing and restoring existing roads and trails. Through careful placement of roads and parking, the department manages human impacts to minimize adverse effects. The department anticipates more than 95% of the off-river portion of the property will remain undeveloped, supporting the natural resource communities present as well as those that will be restored. This provides a strong framework for restoration and adherence to the natural resource damage assessment and restoration goals identified when the property was acquired.

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