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06/02/2007
Cherry Tree restoration under scrutinyGreen groups taking a wait-and-see approach
Black silt fencing marks the newly planted wetland vegetation. TRAVERSE CITY — Hundreds of feet of black silt fencing surrounds recently planted wetland vegetation behind East Bay's Cherry Tree Inn and Suites. Several workers with the Pittsburgh-based Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc. late last month spent about three days installing the fencing and planting hundreds of new plants as part of a settlement between the Cherry Tree, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. "There will be no further restoration work beyond what has been done, as long as the work that has been done productively grows,” said Joseph Quandt, a Traverse City attorney who represents the inn. "The DEQ and the Army Corps were on site when the work began to make sure that the restoration activities were directed and planned appropriately.” State and federal authorities investigated the inn and its owner, Omni Hospitality of Medina, Ohio, after a bulldozer drove as far as 122 feet into East Bay while working on the beach over Thanksgiving weekend. Authorities found that the bulldozer dredged and moved large quantities of Great Lakes bottomlands, then fined the company $35,000 and ordered Omni to replant a portion of damaged shoreline with native wetland vegetation. Authorities also required the inn to remove invasive vegetation from public lands at the end of nearby Four Mile Road. The recently erected silt fencing runs along the eastern and western boarders of the property, and surrounds the inn's sandy 150-foot beach, volleyball court and numerous lounge chairs. The area replanted on the western portion of the property is in an irregular, hour-glass shape. "We're very glad they did the planting, but we're not quite sure yet if it is adequate enough to be called restoration,” said Northern Michigan Environmental Action Council board member Gregory Reisig. "We are wondering about the width on the western side of the property. It's not uniform. For me, I had hoped that they had done some plantings in the water as well.” John Nelson, baykeeper for the Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay, closely followed the restoration work and said he was on site when the silt fences and plants went in. Like Reisig, he believes the agreement should require the inn to plant vegetation in the water. "It is just a little over ankle deep so I think they could actually plant some wetland plants in the water itself. They created a cove almost there,” he said. "If it were me, I would make them restore the whole 150 feet that they are letting them leave open.” Grand Traverse County Drain Commissioner Kevin McElyea said he will monitor the plants to make sure they take root. He said the recent replanting is a step in the right direction, but noted there's still a long way to go. "Overall, I would say they have about $80,000 invested in restoration. It is an expensive restoration, but it was an expensive degradation,” McElyea said. "I believe they are making an earnest attempt to comply with the resolution plan as agreed to, but we are just at the beginning of a one-year process. There will be some diligent monitoring. We are kind of the local eyes and ears.” The possibility of criminal charges against the Cherry Tree Inn and Suites for illegal dredging remains unresolved, McElyea said. He said he forwarded a request to the county prosecutor for enforcement of an aspect of the county soil erosion and sedimentation control ordinance. County Prosecutor Alan Schneider wouldn't discuss the possible charges. "I am waiting to see what the actual settlement with the DEQ and the Army Corps of Engineers is,” he said.
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