EAST BAY TOWNSHIP: Planning commission approves Tamarack expansion
May 8—TRAVERSE CITY — The East Bay Township planning commission unanimously approved an unusual hybrid development project called the "Tamarack Expansion" Tuesday evening, despite heated public opposition to the plan.
The plan calls for building two 80-room "lobbyless" hotel buildings on the east and west sides of the existing Tamarack Lodge, which is located on the beach at 2035 N. U.S. 31. Each building will measure about 145 feet wide and 67 feet deep.
Hotel visitors would check in at the existing front desk inside Tamarack Lodge, which is not a hotel at all but rather a fractional ownership condominium with about 200 owners who share 29 units throughout the year.
Harbor Brook Hall, a beachfront meeting center nearby, will be also connected in the multi-lot complex, according to developer Josh Wuerfel of Wuerfel Resorts. Other amenities, such as a swimming pool and outdoor bar, are included in the plan.
"This is obviously a unique property," said planning commission member Mindy Walter. "I've never had one like this before.
"I really think you need to talk to the owners of Tamarack Lodge," she added, looking at Wuerfel. "They are not happy and they're feeling railroaded ... I don't think the planning commission should take the brunt of all of this."
Parking, beachfront crowding, understaffing and density were three key areas of contention during Tuesday evening's meeting. Township officials said they received almost 200 letters and messages about the expansion project, almost all of them in opposition.
Due to inadequate onsite parking for the multi-structure plan, the developer has already built a 72-space parking lot behind the Speedway gas station, just up from the corner of 4 Mile Road and U.S. 31.
Condominium owners would be allotted one reserved parking space next to the lodge. Additional parking would be added in front of the new hotel structures.
Staff and hotel visitors would be instructed to use the offsite "overflow" lot when other spaces were full. This would require them to cross U.S. 31 on foot, one of the busiest thoroughfares in northern Michigan.
Numerous accidents involving pedestrians and bicyclists have occurred along that stretch of U.S. 31 over recent years, including at least one death. The only elevated pedestrian walkway over U.S. 31 in the area is at the Traverse City State Park, about 1.2 miles away.
"I think this offsite parking plan is a recipe for disaster," said Chris Majka, who co-owns one of the Tamarack Lodge condominiums. "Can you imaging a family with kids crossing U.S. 31 during the summer season?
"A young boy was killed near there in 2007," she added between tears. "Cars turning right on 4 Mile Road don't always stop for pedestrians. This is a foreseeable disaster at that corner."
In response, officials for Wuerfel Resorts said they are confident that the crossing can be made safely, and that they plan to add a stretch of sidewalk from the new offsite parking lot to that corner.
"Our plan has been reviewed by the MDOT, EGLE and the Metro Fire Department," Josh Wuerfel said. "None of them had any problems with our plan."
However, the approval for the Tamarack Expansion project came with several conditions, including a requirement that the offsite parking proposal be reviewed and approved by the township attorney.
Other conditions in the approved plan include a prohibition against splitting the property into different (unrelated) developments and a performance guarantee to ensure the site is restored to its original condition if the expansion project is not completed.
Tamarack Lodge, a large "arts and crafts" style building with a sumptuous wood-trimmed lobby, was built in 2006 by Richard "R.C." Hermann.
Wuerfel Resorts purchased the Tamarack property approximately two years ago and currently holds 43 percent of the shares in the condominium association. The family-run company also owns and manages the nearby Alexandra Inn.
Over the years, Wuerfel Resorts has also developed several other properties in the area, including Grand Beach Resort Hotel, Baywatch Resort and Sugar Beach Resort, though it does not actively manage them, according the firm's website.
"We concentrate on catering to beachfront hotel visitors," said Tonya Wuerfel, a managing member of the firm. "That's the draw for Traverse City, especially in East Bay Township. We know there's a demand for beachfront hotels. That's why we're not worried about over-saturation of the hotel market."
Several Tamarack Lodge owners traveled from the Detroit area for Tuesday evening's meeting.
Retired attorney Susan Meinberg, who has fractional ownership in two units, said she is concerned that 160 new hotel rooms will lead to "massive crowding" on the beach in front of the lodge: "It has been a quiet place for me and my family members to enjoy, but I'm afraid that's going to disappear."
Fractional owner Joseph Berry of Dearborn said the value of their investments may decline as a result of the new hotel buildings at either end of the lodge.
"Last year, our condo association paid $949,000, with Wuerfel paying about 40 percent of that," Berry said. "We're paying to maintain the lodge, including the lobby area and parking areas. Now they're going to be open to hotel guests who aren't contributing to the association."
Despite their protestations, the planning commission voted unanimously to approve the expansion plan, leaving more than a dozen lodge owners furious and disappointed.
"There's been so much dishonesty — so much greed," one woman said on the way out of East Bay Township hall. "I thought the planning commission would at least pause the approval so they could examine our issues in depth."
Planning board members noted after the meeting that they are constrained by the "use by right" policies in place for developers and land owners. If a developer complies with local zoning rules and the master plan, there's little they can do to halt a new hotel project other than include specific conditions in the approval process, as happened in this case.
