Racine Plans Shoop Park Bluff Work Amid Birder Concerns
The city has submitted shoreline plans to the state for the Lighthouse Dunes project, drawing comment from local birders.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Bird Watching
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Should Racine approve shoreline changes that remove trees at Shoop Park?
The City of Racine has submitted plans to the state Department of Natural Resources for bluff remediation and shoreline improvements along Shoop Park. The work supports the Lighthouse Dunes, a dunes-style golf course replacing the current city course, which the Racine Common Council approved in July.
Why it matters
Shoop Park has recorded 283 bird species, and local birders have raised concerns about how the shoreline changes could affect habitat. The outcome will shape how Racine balances redevelopment with protection of a popular birding site.
The city project summary says just over 60% of birds known to use the area do not use the tree/woodland habitat, while the remaining roughly 40% do. The DNR has 20 days after the comment period to decide on the permit, and the outcome remains unresolved.
The players
Racine Common Council
The Racine Common Council is the city's legislative body, which approved the Lighthouse Dunes plans in July.
Department of Natural Resources
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is the state agency reviewing the shoreline permit application and holding the public hearing.
The details
The city is the applicant because it owns the Shoop Park property, and the developer will bear the cost of shoreline protection. A city summary says current vegetation contributes to instability through root leverage and wind loading, and plans call for replacing lakeside foliage with shrubs and native grasses after bluff work is complete.
Timeline
July: Racine Common Council approved the Lighthouse Dunes plans.
March: A project summary was provided to the Common Council.
Nov. 5, 2026: The DNR held a public hearing on the plans.
Public comments are due no later than 10 days after the hearing.
Seasonal Patterns
The Racine plan falls under the Wisconsin DNR's shoreline permit review for Lake Michigan work, the same state process applied to other lakefront projects in the region. It asks the agency to weigh bluff stabilization against habitat used by hundreds of recorded bird species.
Residents and birders who use Shoop Park may see changes to the lakeside vegetation and shoreline once bluff work begins. Public comments must be submitted or postmarked within 10 days after the DNR hearing to be considered.
The takeaway
Birders and residents who want to weigh in should submit comments to the DNR within the 10-day window after the public hearing, since those comments feed into the agency's decision.
Further reading
For more on the birds that frequent the lakefront, explore Bird Watching in Racine.
Source note: This article includes information reported by TMJ4.
Live Poll
Should Racine approve shoreline changes that remove trees at Shoop Park?
