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A Bit About Timber Shores

History:  Lumberjacks timbered this property during the late 1800s and early 1900s. It got new life from the mid-1960s to the late 1970s. That’s when Timber Shores was the place to create cherished vacations. The campground was a great boost to business in Northport.

In 2006 Leelanau Township okayed a residential development. The 2008 economic crisis ruined those plans. 

Fast forward to 2020 and the virus crisis.  Now outdoor recreation is in demand. RV camping is a favorite for many families.

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Current Plans for Timber Shores:  We submitted a site plan to Leelanau Township.  Please check it out by visiting our project documents page. For the survey that goes with the site plan follow this link.

Timber Shores will have 355 campsites. They’ll be on about 80 acres east of the old railroad.  It won’t be visible from M-22.  There are no plans for the rest of the 130 acres of the site.

Community involvement:  Many residents recall the first Timber Shores. They talk about a busy town with three grocery stores.  Northport had two gas stations and many shops.  Some students helped fund college with jobs at Timber Shores. Some even met their spouses there.  The resort provided many jobs, some year-round.  It also created a boom time for businesses that were vendors. We’re committed to again making Timber Shores a park that benefits the area.

In the planning process we’ve heard from many residents. They have important questions about our plans. Here are some answers.  If you have more questions, please use our contact form.

Boat Basin Restoration:  Due to current lake levels we do not intend to apply for the necessary permitting to restore the boat basin at this time. We will apply for the necessary permit to remove existing dock pilings from the basin as required by the Corps of Engineers. There will be a paved ramp area for storage and launching of non-motorized small craft.

Due to the current lake levels we will not pursue any permitting for dredging the boat basin or for any channel dredging.  We may need to install some buoys to mark hazards in the area.

Boat Rentals: Timber Shores campers will be able to rent kayaks, paddle boards, sailboards and other non-motorized craft. Any campground guests with larger motorized craft will need to make arrangements with local marinas. We will install appropriate safe swim zone buoys as required and permitted and support the work of the local Sheriff’s patrol to help enforce boating ordinances.

Community Services & Relations:  We looked into other private family-oriented RV campgrounds.  We found no link to more need for police, EMS, or fire services. Public campgrounds have a much higher need.

To build our business we need high ratings from campers.  Health and safety play a large part.  Our staff will be well trained in lifesaving skills.  They will also get trained in behavior and security.  We may need to call EMS at times.  But family oriented RV parks have few life-threatening problems.

Campground Rules:  Every camper must sign a contract that includes our campground rules. These rules cover safety and behaviors.  They cover campfires, noise and curfew.  They also cover alcohol or drugs and trespass on neighboring property. The camp staff patrols the park during the day. Security patrols are on duty at night. Violators are warned or expelled. Our staff and management team will live onsite.  They will be active community participants.  Read the rules here.

Drainage Plan:  Less than 20% of the park has impermeable or semi-impermeable surfaces.  We will control stormwater runoff on site. Our plans include swales, ditches, and retention or detention basins.  Direct runoff onto neighboring parcels is not allowed.  Our plans will be approved by the Leelanau County Drain Commissioner and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.

Economic Feasibility: Five independent accounting, econometric and RV campground consultants have studied our plans.  They say there is ample demand for a thriving family-oriented park here.

All utilities and roads will be self-funded. We won’t ask for any tax breaks. There is no need for more public services.

Entrances & Traffic: The entrance is at M-22 across from Overlook Road and is over 1,200 feet long. That is a buffer against traffic backups. A modern on-line reservations system will eliminate the check-in time back-ups of older campgrounds. The park won’t be accessible from other local roads. There will be a gated emergency & service access off of M-22.

Overlook Road was changed years ago to be safer and work better. There should be no RV traffic on residential roads. We plan to have a shuttle bus service.  We want to help campers support local business.  That means shopping and dining in Northport and Omena.  It means wine tasting trips.  It could be a trip to the casino or lighthouse.

We plan 355 campsites, including 50 park model cabins for campground guests and overnight tourist lodging.  A third of the sites are for seasonal campers, which will also reduce RV traffic on M-22. The 21 tent & employee cabin sites will leave 184 sites for weekend, weekly & monthly RV campers. This mix of sites will result in minimal daily RV traffic.

Typically, a campsite is rented to two adults and their kids. On a peak summer weekend, we expect less than 260 vehicles. Most weekend campers will arrive on Thursday and leave Sunday. However, weekly, monthly & seasonal sites result in longer stays with less weekend & daily RV traffic. Daily tourist traffic should be comparable to current seasonal volume. Our Day-Pass entrance for use of the pond and beach activities will attract some of these daily tourists. To compare, the original Timber Shores had approximately 700 sites.  The Lake Leelanau RV Park has more than 180.

Jobs:  We plan to have 24 full-time equivalent staff during the season. We will need service staff to work at the site every so often year-round.  This adds to the financial benefit Timber Shores brings to the area.  Many retired seniors who like the RV lifestyle work at RV campgrounds.  For those who are not RVers, Timber Shores will provide staff housing on-site as well as cabins that can be rented by tourists who are not RVers. Cabins and staff housing will be similar to the models shown on this website.

Fences and Greenbelt Buffers:  We plan to have a fenced greenbelt buffer at the south end of the pond & activities area.  There is no development planned on the parcel adjacent to Cove Trail. On the north end, along Camp Haven and Indian Camp Roads, the trees and vegetation provide a green screen.  We have adjusted the original site plan to add additional buffer space & trees at the sites closest to Indian Camp Rd.  Our campground rules ban trespassing on neighboring properties. Our wooded border deters those who may try to go beyond the boundary.  Please see Exhibit C(B-21)

Food & Beverage Sales: The lodge will have a short order kitchen for fast-food type meals and beverages – mostly to-go orders. We don’t plan a full-service restaurant.  We may offer beer and wine sales, but our goal is to have Timber Shores help build the economy of Northport and Omena. We want our campers to visit the restaurants, the grocery store, the gas station/convenience store, the brewery, the golf course and the charming retail shops. 

Future Development:  There’s no current plan for developing the remaining acreage. The campground will be east of the abandoned railroad easement. Options for the remaining property include storage facilities, workforce housing, additional tourist lodging, or recreational facilities compatible with the zoning district and with the Timber Shores Recreational Vehicle Park

Lighting & Dark Skies:  To protect the beautiful Northern Michigan sky at night, all our lighting will be designed in accordance with best practices for Dark Sky ordinances balanced with camper concerns for safety and night sky viewing.  See Exhibit C(B-9)

Permitting Requirements:  We’ve detailed both the State of Michigan and Leelanau County agency permit requirements in our submittal letter to the Leelanau Township Planning Commission. That list can be found by clicking on this link.

Recreation Activities: We plan to operate a family-oriented RV park with active & supervised recreation amenities. There will be a 1.83 acre lined & filtered pond surrounded with .60 acres of sandy beach. The pond will include a WIBIT system of rafts, Zoom Flooms, open swim area and paddle boats. Miniature golf, Pedal Kart Path and a game plaza will complete the fenced activities area. In addition there will be playground areas within the campground. We are providing active recreation and skills-building activities for campers and day-use guests, including special resident passes.

Beach Recreation:  Timber Shores has 1,723 feet of shoreline on Grand Traverse Bay. Approximately 526 feet of clean sandy beach will be restored for guests to enjoy. The remaining shoreline will be largely left in a natural state for guests to explore.

Property Values:  We’ve designed the park in a way that we believe will enhance the entire community. We know that the experiences many had at the original Timber Shores RV campground drew people to the area to invest in residential or commercial properties and may have retired here and become active, contributing members of the community.

Sewer & Wastewater Treatment:   Timber Shores completed a detailed engineering study to compare an on-site treatment plant with an extension/connection to the Northport Leelanau Township Utility Authority (NLTUA) sewer system. That study has been submitted to the NLTUA. It compares the physical and financial aspects of the NLTUA sewer line versus an on-site system. 

Timber Shores is also prepared to develop a modern on-site wastewater system. This is not a septic system. These types of treatment systems have been designed and approved for many large applications across the State of Michigan and the USA. The system design will go through extensive review and permitting by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.  This includes detailed site evaluation and testing, design, maintenance and operational plan review. A Hydrogeological Survey will be performed to determine the groundwater table and the land area required for safe discharge of treated water. The Site Plan indicates the approximate location of this system will be in the Upland area near M-22. This treatment system will be operated & maintained by a licensed contractor similar to the operation of the NLTUA system. It may be expanded for future development or even for local residential connections.

Tent Camping:  The proposed 15 tent sites will have water and electric. We may be opening additional areas for rustic camping. Those won’t have on-site utilities, but campers will be able to use freestanding shower/toilet buildings, facilities in the maintenance building and in the main lodge. They’ll also have access to on-site laundry facilities.

Wetlands & Wildlife Impact:  Wetlands are critical, so the project includes a wetland mitigation plan that improves the existing habitat. Our plan is to restore previously filled wetlands, rather than creating new wetlands from upland as mitigation for the less than one acre of unavoidable impacts to wetlands that would occur from the RV park construction. To learn more you can view or download the application on the project documents page to review the Environmental Impact Statement C(A-14), The Vegetation & Wildlife Review C(B-5), and the Existing Watercourses review C(B-6).