I commend you for your extensive coverage of the public hearing conducted by the Lake County Planning and Zoning Commission on July 18 regarding the Silver Rapids Lodge expansion project. This letter responds to certain claims by the developers in the meeting which you quoted in your article as follows:
“If you do the math…we’re close to 57 units…. The density that we’re proposing is very similar for what’s there. …the total number of units in the expanded resort will be 61.”
The term “units” was carefully chosen. A unit could be a tent site or a four-season timeshare cabin. So, let’s take a hard look at the “density” argument presented by the developers. The 49 new “cabins” are described in the application to the Commission as 1,500 square-foot quarter-interest timeshare cabins. But floor plans posted in the Silver Rapids Lodge disclose the actual plan is for four-season homes with almost 3,000 square feet of living space with three bedrooms, three baths, and bed sleeping capacity for eight people. (1,500 square feet is the main floor and does not include another 1,500 square feet of living space partially below grade.) These will provide accommodation for 392 people. Once you add in the other guest accommodations and worker cabins, the total on-site capacity is for 434 people. By way of comparison, the current population of Fall Lake Township is less than 600. The goal of timeshare owners is to rent out their share weeks whenever they are not in residence themselves. Why are the developers not disclosing their true intentions to the Commission and the public?
In effect, we are asked to believe that replacing tent sites and RV hookups with four-season timeshares with almost 3,000 square feet of living space would be like-for-like in terms of density. As we all know, it is people, not “units,” that create noise, create sewage, create garbage, demand water, and create road and boat traffic, safety issues, and operate boats, jet skis, ATVs, and snowmobiles. These are things that affect the quality of life for neighbors and other users of the lakes and impact the demand on local services which local taxpayers have to provide. The short and long-term impact on taxes is complex and also needs careful review.
I believe many local residents and others in the greater Ely area would welcome a properly-scaled first class resort, but a full review of the impact of the massive project being proposed is absolutely necessary. This is why a petition is circulating to demand an EAW (environmental assessment worksheet). An EAW is a brief document designed to lay out the basic facts of a project necessary to determine its full impact, including impact on roads, waterways, septic, etc . It also provides permit information and informs the public about the project. The EAW is not meant to approve or deny a project, but instead act as a source of information to guide other approvals and permitting decisions.
Charles Marsden
Ely