Two Major Developments Proposed For Hammond Road

A major influx of new housing could be headed to East Bay Township if officials approve two proposed developments for the Hammond Road corridor.

Doug Mansfield of Mansfield Land Use Consultants recently appeared before township planning commissioners on behalf of both developments to present preliminary details on each project. The first is a multi-million dollar mixed-use development that would take over the Elmbrook Golf Course property on Hammond Road. Mansfield said that after 50 years in business, the golf course owners and partners “came to the conclusion it was time to find another partner and…went in search of someone who could develop this property.”

Mansfield said Elmbrook’s ownership team believes "they’ve found that (partner)” in JLG Properties, which now has a purchase agreement on the golf course. The development firm is planning a multi-phase, planned unit development (PUD) for the 223-acre property that would include 252 apartments, 66 condominiums, 132 duplex units, and a single-family neighborhood. “We do want to make sure there’s a mix of uses, so there’s a mixed social equation here of different ages and users,” Mansfield said.

The development would feature an extensive sidewalk and trail system and multiple dog parks, with 50 percent of the property maintained as open space. “We have embraced the setbacks from the wetlands and any of the water areas,” Mansfield said. He said housing on the site would include a mix of ownership and rental units, and that the density of the proposed project meets both the current zoning designation on the site and the township’s master plan.

Whether any aspects of the golf course remain operational is still an open question; Mansfield said that as the development grows, golf amenities may shrink and could eventually disappear. “There will be a time that the golf course may retract to 15 holes and 12 holes and 9 holes, but still remain open to some extent,” he said, adding that Elmwood’s pro shop would likely be converted into marketing and sales offices for the new development.

Mansfield said his team would be meeting with surrounding neighbors to the property this summer to gather input on the project. Next steps call for the consultant to submit plans to township staff for review in August, then initiate the PUD approval process through the township planning commission and board of trustees this fall.

“We’d like to have a pretty good read by the end of the year that we’re getting (to the approval finish line),” he said. “We understand this is a big project…we can’t afford to get this wrong.” Mansfield said if approved, the development would be constructed in phases over a lengthy period of time, acknowledging the site could “take six, eight, ten years to develop.”

Mansfield also presented township planning commissioners with the first look at a new proposed manufactured housing development called Alta Vista on 80 acres of vacant land between Hammond and Vanderlip roads. Developer R.C. Hermann – who is the owner and developer of Tamarack Lodge and Woodcreek, another Traverse City manufactured housing community – is the managing member on the project.

Plans call for the construction of 177 lots on the 55 buildable acres of the 80-acre site, with an average density of 2-3 units per acre. “We’re talking about bigger lots than what you’d see in a normal manufactured housing park,” Mansfield said, later adding that “you’re basically looking at a subdivision” in terms of the size and aesthetics of the project. Mansfield said the property would feature amenities including an upscale community clubhouse with a pool, recreational areas, and trail loops.

The project would require new road and utility construction between Hammond and Vanderlip. Mansfield pointed out the subdivision would be almost completely shielded from view on Hammond Road, with a natural vegetation buffer along most of the southern line of the property except for one gated entrance into the neighborhood. Located directly adjacent to Grand Traverse Academy and across the street from Oleson’s, Mansfield said the project was “in a great location” because it was walkable to schools, shopping, and other amenities.

According to Hermann, the development would be similar to Woodcreek in size and design. He said the average three-bedroom, two-bathroom house in Alta Vista would be 1,500 square feet and approximately $125,000 if owners opted for add-ons like decks, sunrooms, and two-car garages. He said his developments tended to attract primarily empty nesters, seniors and snowbirds, though some younger families also live in Woodcreek.

Several commissioners expressed initial support for the project, which will need to go through a township rezoning process to have the property designated for use as a manufactured housing community. “I like the fact that it’s off the road…you still feel like you’re driving through the countryside,” said Chair Robert Tubbs. “I think that and the fact that it’s (providing) affordable housing. This community needs it desperately, so I would support that as well.”

Planning commissioner John Sych said Woodcreek had established a positive track record for Hermann with manufactured housing sites. “I think really what lends itself is it’s not like (mobile home park) King’s Court where it’s…just one (unit) after the other,” he said. “It’s about having the curvier linear streets, and the landscaping, the street trees…(those) help to really give it a feel that’s very comfortable.”