Addition for Water?s Edge and special approval use

The Rogers City Planning commission met Monday night in nasty weather conditions to approve two major projects. The first project approved was the site plan for an addition to the Water?s Edge Restaurant on Third Street. The second major approval came during a public hearing for special approval use from the Rogers City Development Group, Inc, for townhouse/condominium development on the former Vogelheim Lumber Company and Roger Williams properties along with approval of the site plan for the proposed development. Charles G. Winters of CW CAD Services architectural firm was representing Norm Arlt, owner of the Water?s Edge.

?This is very straightforward,? Winters began. ?It will be a 60-foot by 68-foot addition with a slight 13-foot by 25-foot notch out of one corner where the air conditioning units will be brought around and under the roofline.? The addition will be designed to look very much like the existing restaurant architecture and the door will still be on the same end as the present structure. It is expected the new addition will help with more room for banquet and convention facilities. After city manager Paul Warwick gave the OK on zoning issues, the planning commission gave full approval to the site plan.

STEWART KAUFMAN, representing the architectural firm handling the Vogelheim townhouse condo project, presented the new site plan. ?We were contacted by John Vogelheim to get involved with this project,? Kaufman began, ?but we liked the area but not his site plan ? so we did a new site plan.? Kaufman said the both the Vogelheim and Williams Properties would be utilized for the project. He assured the commission that the developers wanted to create something that would create a good first impression and addition to the city, while incorporating the harbor as well. ?There would be four units per building in each of the 11 buildings,? Kaufman said. ?Each building would have a view of Lake Huron with balconies and patios.? Kaufman said the proposed plan calls for cut and fill along the waterway with a breakwall and docking facility ? all subject to DEQ permits.

He also announced the developers want to bring the existing non-motorized trail through the townhouse/condo project along the water?s edge.

ALSO PRESENT at the meeting was Mary Ann Heidemann representing the parks and recreation committee with concerns about the trail. ?In other areas the trail is 10-foot wide,? Heidemann said. ?Secondly, we need a transition from where the trail exits your site to the harbor.? Heidemann was adamant about making sure the site plan included exactly what was being proposed. Kaufman?s plan called for the trail across the development property to be only six-feet wide. Kaufman said they might be able to make the trail eight-feet wide and he had no objections to working on a transition, but could not give an exact answer immediately without consulting with his firm.

Warwick gave the OK for the zoning requirements and easement and water issues. County surveyor Norm Quaine addressed the water issues, saying with 21,000 cubic feet of water retention area, the development would be the only place in Rogers City that would not flood. Discussion continued on a wider trail through the development until finally Kaufman himself laid out the motion for approval.

?I PROPOSE the site plan be approved as submitted subject t

o the following,? Kaufman said. ?(1) The proposed extension of the trail be increased to eight feet up from the north to the proposed new fire hydrant. (2) The developers are encouraged to increase the trail to eight feet to the balance of the property. (3) The route of the existing trail is maintained to First Street. (4) The developers will work with the city to achieve an appropriate transition from the existing trail on First Street to the harbor entry on the south side of the property. (5) The roadway and property terminates at the north property line unless an appropriate easement is granted by (city) council.?

The motion seemed to address all the issues and the commission voted unanimously to approve it. ?The park commission would love to write letters of support to any agency ? we?d be happy to take that up,? Heidemann said to Kaufman, ?because this (project) is exactly what the park commission has dreamed about.? ?We really do want to do a project that is beneficial on many levels,? Kaufman said with appreciation.