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March 17, 2002County strives to manage growth spurtBy STACEY SMITHRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - What would happen to the Crystal River if 204 single-family homes were built less than a mile from it? Or the population of Suttons Bay doubled within a few years? What if the farmland in Leelanau County grows subdivisions instead of fruit? These questions and other growth-related issues plague county residents and local planners as the county's population continues to rise. From 1990-2000, the county population jumped 27 percent to 21,110 and the county planning commission predicts another 27 percent boost by 2010. Even now, the population more than doubles to 48,000 from May to September because of seasonal residents. Last year, as the economy was beginning to slump, the county issued 252 building permits for new homes. That's down from the 276 issued in 2000 and the 306 issued in 1999, but up from the 164 issued in 1990. Developments planned in Suttons Bay and Empire would double the sizes of those two villages. Condominiums are on the horizon in Glen Arbor, as are 204 single-family homes near The Homestead. In Elmwood Township, the Lincoln Meadows site condominium project has been held up by a lawsuit and a recent court ruling. These developments, plus continued population growth, leave county planners and residents wondering how to maintain the character of the county with its rolling hills, rural landscapes and small, picturesque waterfront villages. "It should not be assumed that all growth is a bad thing," Leelanau Conservancy director Brian Price said. Growth, though, should be directed toward existing towns and villages, Price said. By clustering developments around existing villages and towns, the county can maintain its rural feel. "You want to really define where the village ends and the countryside begins," he said. With careful planning, additions like those planned in Empire and Suttons Bay can add to the character of those villages, he said. "We have to make our villages stronger and more vibrant," Price said. That can be very difficult for a number of reasons, planning director Trudy Galla said. History has shown that people enjoy having larger quantities of land, she said, and they are willing to pay for it. "People, especially those who come up from downstate, like the idea of 5 or 10 acres of land," she said. Galla said it is easy to see the growth trends and how many people have chosen to build homes on larger parcels of land. A map of development in the county over the past 10 years looks like it has the measles, she said. It's covered with little dots of development. While that may not be what planners want, there is little that can be done to stop it, she said. "You have both sides of the coin. Everybody likes a rural area, but now you have people who have lived here a long time and are seeing the benefits of selling off some of their land," Galla said. Often, the people selling land in rural areas are retiring farmers or farmers in need of extra cash, she said. Leelanau County has formed a task force to find ways to preserve farmland, including making farming more profitable so farmers can afford to stay in business and keep their land. So far, the task force has identified various programs like purchase-of-development rights, where the county would pay the farmer not to develop the land for a set number or years. The task force is looking at different ways to fund such programs. County administrator David Gill said it is difficult, though, for farmers to want to continue farming when their land is worth millions of dollars to developers. Also, while planners may try to steer development toward the villages, those towns may not have the infrastructure to handle new growth. "Even though the idea has been to direct the growth in those areas, we don't have the infrastructure to support that," Galla said. The infrastructure issue became clear a few weeks ago when an engineering study showed the Suttons Bay water and sewer system would need about $8 million worth of work to handle the massive development proposed for the former Frigid Foods property. The first phase of the project, planned by developer Granger Group on 14 acres of the 250-acre parcel, includes a restaurant, hotel, 10,000 feet of commercial space and 83 homes. When finished, the project will include 500 housing units. Project manager Bill Frank said Granger and village officials have discussed various ways the developers could help the village expand the water and sewer system. Generally, a village or township pays for water and sewer systems and upgrades, Galla said, then the people who use the system pay fees to reimburse the village or township. That can be a catch-22 for smaller towns looking to upgrade for a planned development, she said. "You want the expansion (from the development), yet you have to have the infrastructure," Galla said. "And do we have enough people to pay for the infrastructure and are they willing to pay for it?" |
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