Economic Benefits Timber Shores Offers
Timber Shores holds the key to a significant influx of economic activity for a community that struggles financially. Here are some important considerations about the impact this development is likely to have on the local economy. Unfortunately these benefits would be scuttled by the township’s plan to stop this project.
Building Costs
The building costs of this RV park will be at least $15 million. More than 60 percent of that is expected to be spent locally on goods and services such as dimension lumber, excavating, landscaping and construction workers.
Jobs
The current staffing plan projects nine to 12 full-time equivalent positions for hourly workers. In practical terms that is likely to result in about 20 jobs in a combination of full-time and part-time workers. There will be six on-site cabins for staff housing.
The park will also have four salaried managers including a general manager who will be a resident on the site during the season. There will also be salaried positions for guest services, sales and maintenance. These are all year-round positions.
The projected grand total of payroll and related expenses will exceed $500,000 a year.
Annual Spending
Operating expenditures are expected to exceed $1.5 million a year. This includes local spending in categories such as general campground operations, sales and marketing, repairs and maintenance, and fixtures and equipment. In addition to direct spending by the resort, campground guests will generate significant revenues to local merchants and services. Because Timber Shores will offer additional overnight tourist lodging, many tourists that current go back to Traverse City will stay in the Northport area. Many state and national agencies have econometric forecasts indicating the local benefit of tourist spending.
Property and municipal taxes are estimated at $168,000 a year, plus the local share of state, sales and income taxes. The irony is that most of this tax money goes to the township, the local school and the county. In trying to stop the project the township is biting the hand that could add a substantial amount to the estimated $464,000 in property tax the township expects to collect in its 2021-22 fiscal year. It could also be a windfall for the school and add to county revenues.
Equally important is that Timber Shores will not be a burden on municipal services or infrastructure. The resort will be self-sufficient for utilities, including an on-site wastewater treatment plant. Family-oriented RV campgrounds are self-policed with very little evidence of demand for local law enforcement, fire protection or EMS. Resort staff maintain enforcement of campground rules and any violation of the local nuisance ordinance would be rare.
The resort site is located out of sight of M-22 and any immediate neighbors. The site plan assures significant buffering from the few nearby individuals. Traffic on M-22 will not be backed up due to the one-fourth mile entrance drive and the staggered arrivals and departures of campers.
You will not find support for claims that family-oriented RV resorts are not well-received community members that welcome local residents to participate in the recreational amenities the resorts offer.
Why Would The Township Stop This Project And Prevent Economic Benefits?
That’s a good question. We can’t figure it out. The township says its six-month moratorium is to “protect the public health, safety and welfare”. It sounds altruistic but that’s a generous and charitable view of this preemptive move. The truth is there is no specific harm here in these individuals “complaints”. Every concern that relates to health, safety and welfare will be addressed in the normal course of the planning process which includes requirements for local and state agency permits. The process for each permit is extensive and exacting, requiring extensive engineering and regulatory review of every phase of development from wastewater treatment to wells, wetlands, drainage and traffic.
In reality the township intends to “review” the portion of the zoning ordinance that defines the commercial resort district. The supervisor has already signaled that he expects the ordinance to change.
This is an unconscionable interference with our plan to develop the property for its intended and lawful use. It also casts a chilling effect that discourages any development in the township as potential investors recognize that the risks are too high to even think about trying to do business here due to the unpredictability of dealing with an inexperienced township board that acts suddenly and without careful consideration.