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MICHIGAN OCZM GRANT #NA-80-AA-H-CZ157 SUBTASK 40-10.6 A ELK RAPIDS COASTLINE DEVELOPMENT PLAN COASTAL ZONE INFORMATION CENTER ? MICHIGAN REGIONAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION East State Street ---------City, Michigan 49684 (616) 946-5922 Robert C. Morris, Exec, --. TC 328 E45 1981 ELK RAPIDS COASTLINE DEVELOPMENT PLAN INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND INFORMATION History Geography/Soils General Land Use Residential Commercial Industrial Recreation/Public Socio. Economic Ch@racteristics Population Characteristics Population Forecasts Tourism PROPOSALS Parking Lot Design-@ Bikeway Design @ Beachfront.,Pr'ope.rty IMPLEMENTATION. Costs 1 Responsibilities Project Phasing Financing CONCLUSIONS This document was funded in part through a contract with the Michigan State Department of Natural Resources under financial assistance pro- vided by the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, administered by the Office of Coastal Zone Management, National Oceanographic and Aero- space Administration. INTRODUCTION The Northwest Michigan Regional Planning and Development Commission's deep concern for the quality of our lakes and the proper development of our shorelines is evidenced by our participation in the Coastal Zone Management Program. "Coastal Zone!' in this context is everything within about 2000 feet of Lake Michigan, its bays, and its connected inland lakes. In 1980 Elk Rapids also participated in the Coastal Zone program, under which a consultant prepared a Marina and Park Study. This report presents the results of a follow-up to that study.@ , We have proposed some modifications to the park and marina plan, in response to current local views; we have designed a bikeway to extend the ftill length of the Village, and traversing the park; and we have recommended one way in which the privately owned lakefront property north of the dam could be developed by private enterprise in keeping with the characteristics of the site, the nature of the surrounding uses, and the Village's policies. There should be no concern that our Commission or the coastal zone pro- gram is trying to impose a plan upon the Village. On the contrary, the Village has shown its own concern through the care and attention it has already given its coastal lands, and through the plans it has initiated to be sure that future development is of the same high quality, and that its own expenditures are sound investments.- To show our full support for that approach we are providing technical assistance in the form of more details in site design, cost estimates, and time schedules. We offer this report to the officials, and citizens of Elk Rapids in the hope that it will both encourage and help them in their efforts to make the best possible use of their most prized resource, the Lake Michigan shoreline. 2 BACKGROUND INFORMATION HISTORY The Village of Elk Rapids is the site of the first white settlers' camp in the Grand Traverse area, and is considered a significant historical area in the Michigan Coastal Zone Management program. The first perma- nent settler in the Village was Abram Wadsworth, who built a cabin in 1848 in what is now the Village. Elk River and Elk Lake were named by Wadsworth, who found a set of elk horns buried in the sand at the mouth of the river. The population of the area increased, because the river offered great potential for providing water power to run a mill. The Village was platted in 1852 and became the county seat in 1863. The primary source of employment at that time was the lumber industry, and the Village had the first sawmill on the east side of Grand Traverse Bay. The first school in the Village opened in 1853, as did the U.S. Post Office. The county seat was moved to Bellaire in 1879. Dexter and Noble, who bought the lumber mill and owned the Village's dry goods store, built a blast furnace on the east side of the Elk River. That became the Elk Rapids Iron Company in 1882. Other industries, including a chemical company, contributed to the local economy. By the end of the 19th century Elk Rapids became known for its tourist potential, particularly its good sports fishing. In 1900 the Village was incorporated, and in 1916 the powerhouse dam was constructed. That facility, which was deactivated in the mid-1960's, is now being refur- bished with the intention of again producing electricity in the near future. The Village has retained its small-town character, even though it is home to over 1,500 people. Tourism and small industries are the basis for the local economy. GEOGRAPHY/SOILS Elk Rapids is situated on the Lake Michigan shore approximately fifteen miles north of Traverse City. It is bordered on the west side by Lake Michigan and on the east by Elk Lake, making the Village unique in its location. The land is relatively flat, with the only discernable higher topography located just east of the powerhouse dam. Elk Lake itself lies approximately nine feet above Lake Michigan, and provides the necessary water flow to operate the dam's generators. Most of the Village, including the central business district, is situ- ated on Deer Park Croswell soils, which are sandy and have rapid permea- bility. Basically, the soil series has severe restrictions for even 3 shallow excavations and =411 commercial buildings, and special measures. are usually required to overcome potential soil problems, The soil also poses moderate restrictions for dwellings, and for local roads and streets. Deer Park Croswell soils also have severe limitations for recreational development, including camp sites, picnic areas, playgrounds, and paths and trails, primarily because of its sandy characteristics. However, the mild slopes reduce the need for concern about the staBility of the soil for paths and trails. GENERAL-LAND USE The Village, encompassing over 1,000 acres, contains a variety of land uses, of five general types -- residential, commercial, recreational, industrial, and public. Elk Lake literally divides the Village into two distinct sectors -- the eastern portion which is predominantly residential, with a small commer- cial district, and the western portion containing the Village's central business district, an older residential neighborhood, and lake-oriented recreational sites. Following is a brief description of the Village's various land uses. Residential The majority of the Village's residences are in the western section, between Lake Michigan and Elk Lake. Most homes in the eastern section of the Village are occupied by their owners. However, the overall pro- portion of owner-occupied homes in the Village is smaller than in the county in general, which means the Village has a relatively larger pro- portion of rental units and perhaps a more transient population. The number of rental units in the Village may increase soon, because of the recent approval of a 24-unit apartment complex for low- and moderate- income househ olds, The number of housing units within the Village in- creased by 24.3% (from 629 to 782 units) between 1970 and 1980. The majority were built in the eastern section of the Village. The 1980 median value of all dwellings in Elk Rapids according to the 1980 cen- sus, was $35,500, with 60% valued at under $40,000. 563 of the 782 units (72%) were occupied at the time of the census. - Commercial Because of the Village's location, on Lake Michigan and only 15 miles from Traverse City, its commercial base is limited to convenience goods, local services, and the tourist trade. The central business district is easily identifiable, with a generally compatible architectural style a- mong the various store fronts. The Village's major commercial outlets include a lumber yard, grocery storesl a hardware store, gift shop, three clothing stores, antique stores, an arts and crafts shop, two laundromats, four restaurants, five gasoline-service stations, a bank, a pharmacy, and a variety of 4 other specialty shops and offices. Of the 72 commercial and profes@ sional businesses within the Village, 33*are primarily dependent, in one way or another, on tourism, Industrial There are ten industries within the Village, employing over 300 people. A publicly financed industrial park is located in the northern portion of the Village, and a privately owned industrial park is situated be- tween Elk Rapids and Kewadin. A recently conducted survey of the Village's residents indicated that lack of employment is a serious concern, and that the Village's highest priority should be to attract small industries. Recreation/Public The people of Elk Rapids have always taken an interest in the quality and character of their public and semi-public facilities. The majority of residents enjoy the community's close ties with the surrounding lakes and have supported Village improvements along the lakes, to enhance water-oriented summer activities. Private and public efforts have re- sulted in an ample amount of park space within the community. Included are small "mini-parks" connecting various throughfares in the central business district, the county park on Grand Traverse Bay (a $1.5 million dollar 13-acre park with a beach, playground, bathhouse, picnic area, and nature trails), the Village marina and park, the fishing site below the powerhouse dam, Rotary Park, and North Bay Shore Park. The marina and park areas encompass over 20 acres of land in the Village. In addition,, within or adjacent to the Village are two private camp- grounds with a total of 130 camping sites on Bass Lake, a nine hole golf course, a private marina, a theatre, a State-owned roadside park, fourteen motels/resorts, and a sportsman's club. Elk Rapids High School has three ball diamonds, a running track, athletic field, tennis court, and two basketball courts. The Elk Rapids Township Hall, built in 1883, is on the State historical register. Other public facilities within the Village include the Village Hall, a junior high school, and an elementary school. SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS Population Characteristics The Village was the first white settlement in Antrim County. In 1864 there were about 300 re-6idents, and by the turn of the century, when lumbering was at its peak, the Village had grown to over a thousand people. When timber resources were depleted and the lumbering industry 5 began to decline CarQund 1910), the population declined dramatically. Between 1910 and 1930 the Village, townsh1p, and county population de@ clined steadily. However, since 1930 there has been a steady increase, which can be attributed to the growth of agriculture in the area, par- ticularly fruit crops, and the influx of retirees to northwest Michigan, particularly during the past ten years. The following table illustrates the population trends that have taken place within the Township and Village during the past seventy, years. POPULATION (1910-1980) 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 Elk Rapids Twp. 102 198 80 128 336 564 382 582 ElkRapidsVill. 1,673 684 615 690 889 1,015 1,249 1,504 Total 1,775 882 695 818 1,225 1,579 1,631 2,086 It is important, in trying to determine the potential use*and viability of the project, to look at the characteristics of the people likely to take advantage of the proposed facilities - the local residents. Be- cause the Village is the social and economic center of Elk Rapids Town- ship, our use of the term "local" includes the township. It is informative to examine the area's population by age groups repre- senting various "stages of life". Different life-stages usually exhibit different needs and aspirations, and therefore will use different public facilities, or the same public facilities in different ways. The largest single "stage-of-life" category in both the Township and Village is the middle-family age group, due in part to the fact.that it covers a twenty year span. Those in this group are inclined to be week- end recreationers, partaking in boating, picnicking, softball, golf, and fishing, on weekends and holidays during the summer. Many are likely to engage in jogging or biking throughout the week. Retirees are another prominent age-group in the Elk Rapids area. They have more leisure time, and may possibly use local facilities several times a week. Many retirees enjoy activities that are passive or mildly active, such as sitting on a park bench, taking a nature walk, playing shuffleboard, fishing, boating, or bicycling. Those in the early-family age-group usually enjoy more active recreation, including jogging, bicycling, tennis, and swimming. Pre-school, primary, and secondary school-age children require playgrounds, playfields (ball diamonds, tennis courts, soccer fields), and swimming beaches. However, residents of all ages use picnic facilities. Our evaluation of the areals age groups is that there is potential for frequent use of the facilities considered in this report, AGE GROUP CHARACTERISTICS (0-5) PRE-SCHOOL ELK RAPIDS VILLAGE ELK RAPIDS TOWNSHIP (6-13) PRIMARY SCHOOL (14-18) SECONDARY SCHOOL VNEMEMENUM/1 P4 (19@24) COLLEGE/TRAINING (25-34) EARLY-FAMILY MIDDLE-FAMILY (35-54) (55-64) MATURE FAMILY RETIRED ('65+) 1----4- 4 1 1 i i i i Lr) 0 Lr) 0 Lf) Lr) 0 Ln 0 Lr) CD Lr) 0 Lr) C) Ln C 04 Lr) r@ C) Lr) r- C) Lr) CC) " Lr) r@ C) " V) C14 cy) ce) cy) cl) 6 Population Forecasts Any forecasts of future population are necessarily speculative, since no one can predict the future with.100% accuracy. However, by looking at past trends and anticipating what is most likely to occur in the future, it is possible to establish a reasonable estimate of the number of people who will be living in the Village the next twenty years, and who are the people most likely to use, at one time or another, the facil- ities proposed in the Prein and Newhoff plan and in this report. In 1977 the Northwest Michigan Regional Planning and Development Com- mission developed population forecasts for all units of government with- in the ten-county Region. The 1980 census revealed that our 1980 fore- cast for the township was 1.5% too high. Our Village forecast for 1980 was 3.1% higher than the 1980 census. Considering these small margins of error, it is reasonable to continue to use the Commission's popula- tion forecasts for this plan. POPULATION FORECASTS 1980-2000 1980 (Census) 1985 1990 1995 2000 Elk Rapids Twp. 582 680 7.40 780 810 Elk Rapids Village @1,504 1 P690 1,650 1,750 1,800 Total 2,086 21,280 2,390 2,530 2,610 The additional 300 people in the Village and 230 residents in the town- ship by the year 2000, while not having a significant impact upon the recreational resources of the Village, will undoubtedly contrib- ute to the need for retaining adequate recreational facilities. In 1980, there were 2.67 people per household in the Village. Recog- nizing the decrease of 0.5 persons per household over the last ten years (the national average), and assuming a continuation of that trend, we can refer to the population forecasts and make a reasonable prediction of the housing needs. We can see that even if household size did not decrease the 20% increase in the Village's population would require adding over a hundred housing units, so it is safe to say that the Village should make plans to accommodate and serve at least 200 new units by the year 2000. Thus in comparison with the 563 occupied year-round houses in 1980 the Village should have around 800. It should be noted that year-round units currently make up only 72% of the Village's housing count. Tourism Tourism is the major factor in the Region's economy. Tourist- related sales make up almost one-half of all retail sales in the ten-county area, and are increasing at a greater rate than sales generated by local demand. PROPOSED PARKING LOT SITE PLAN A PUMP H USE 0 io ft TENNIS COURTS Jo CAR PARKING t FE ZI- @ THI NG I SHUFFLE 1 - WARD L-comis 0 'EXISTING GRAVE RK EXISTI TFNNTq r(UJPTr, [email protected] HOUSE (BIT. SURV.) SSE r 510 -SCALE: 50'.- PROPOSED PARKING LOT PLAN L so or F L 44 o'--4 99 tx'. R NOTE: EXISTING SHUFFLE- -BOARD co .COURTS TO. BE XQVED 0 C*I) 0 0 ;7_7 20' 0' 24' 2d-0'y----* - -------------- GkAWL '90 pm 'AII4 4'R. 5&6 ------- 4@13 04 r? 2 4@- 0" Al 15 8 3" RIVER STREET PARKING LOT CROSS SECTION Note: To be graded at slope of 1 in. per 10 ft. of hori- zontal distance from center line for drainage. Pea Gravel for Runoff Drain (3 Ft. wide X 7 in. deep) Wood Form CWolmani.zed gr Treated with Creosote). V!, rr, P in& 1 i/ir! A@@halt @r_VQ L/ C.5 0- .01 s2u: 611 #2@A Gravel 7 The thirteen motels and resorts in the Elk Rapids area demonstrate that the importance of tourism to the economy of Elk Rapids is generally the same as its significance to the rest of the Region. During the peak of the summer season (July and August) 70% to 80% of local bus- iness income comes from tourism. PROPOSALS Although the waterfront development plan by Prein & Newhoff has not been officially adopted by the Village Council, it is acceptable to the Village Planning Commission and the Elk Rapids Harbor Commission. We found, after meeting with those two groups, that additions that should be made to the plan are a bikeway through the park linking the County Park to the Village property at the northern Village limits, a picnic shelter located between the marina parking lot and the mouth of the Elk River, and a paved parking area adjacent to the proposed tennis courts. We recommend all three. The original design called for a picnic shelter, with restrooms and swimsuit changing facilities. It recommended additional playground equipment for the designated open-play area, and aligning two new tennis courts with the two existing courts. Benches were designated for the central part of the park, existing located adjacent to proposed foot- paths. A footbridge was an optional proposal in the original plan, but is a necessary part of our bikepath design. Structural repairs to the existing spillway and placement of stone rip-rap on the south bank of the river are called for in the Prein & Newhoff study. An additional public restroom was proposed in the eastern side of the park, next to the downtown commercial area. Finally, beach "nourishment" (refilling with sand) and landscaping were included in the park design. PARKING LOT DESIGN We have prepared a detailed design for a parking lot to accommodate 20 cars. We recommend that this lot be 'the only allowable parking area on the north side of River Street, west of Pine Street. The parking lot will provide a safe, convenient location for parking, fa- cilitating proper regulation of vehicle access and control not now available because of the parallel parking on River Street. BIKE ROUTES The proposed bikeways are intended to tie together the major public recreational facilities in the Village. They will connect the County Park on Old U.S. 31 at the Village's southern boundary with the 30,000 square foot Village property at the Villag0s northern limits. Either bikeway proposal would bisect the Village Park, use the existing street system, and require an easement through the private property north of the dam. Each route is approximately 8,100 feet long, WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT PLAN (Prein & Newhoff) AND BIKEWAY PROPOSAL I Jill z, 1-4 P.4 .10 1-4 Z E-4 04 va 100 200 ft. ir of .1c Li + GAW IF PICNIC SHELTER TT Sam vi am PAR,KING LOT Anoo 8 Proposal One, which runs more directly through.the Village Park, has a Class I (exclusive) bike path_exten@ing 1,750 feet through the park and 1,980 feet across the private beachfront property. There is also 4,,370 feet of Class II bikeway, primarily along the Village's existing streets (Class II bikeway is a narrow lane within an existing street right-of-way). Bicyclists are separated from other vehicular traffic by a white line painted on the roadway. Proposal Two consists of a Class I bikeway running 1,020 feet through the Park and 1,980 across private beachfront properties, and about 5,100 feet of Class Il bikeway, The Class I bikeway, as proposed, would be 8 feet wide, with a 4-inch aggregate base or some other stabilized, compacted subgrade. The base should be covered with two inches of asphalt concrete surface. The Class II bikeway would also be 8 feet wide, using part of the existing street surface plus a 2-foot-wide paved shoulder. The street system along which the Clas 's II bikeways would be located has a 66 foot right-of-way and 40 foot wide pavements. Each street has a five foot unpaved shoulder on each side. We recommend using the existing road surface for part of width of the Class II bikeway, paving an additional two feet of the shoulder, using a four-inch base and two-inch-thick paving. This would entail moving the center dividing line three feet away from the bikeway side of the street, and limiting parking to the side of the street opposite the bikeway. Each traffic lane would be seventeen feet wide rather than the current twenty. SITE DESIGN BEACHFRONT PROPERTY The third element of this report is a proposal to improve several par- cels of prime beachfront property between the existing dam and the Village limits. The 20.8 acres of land-is made up of ten parcels, ranging from 0.2 acre to 8.7 acres. All the parcels are under separate ownership. The terrain is relatively flat, except for a hill (with a slope of approximately 20%) in the southeast corner. Most of the area is covered with hardwoods, although the northern end is predominantly sandy beach. The entire shoreline of this property is a high-quality swimming beach,, extending 30 to 40 feet inland. Dune grasses separate the beach from the hardwoods which cover the rest of the area. Single family houses are located on five of the ten parcels, Another parcel has a single@family house and eight summer cottages, and still another parcel has a single,family house with nine cottages, Utilities SITE DEVELOPMENT PARCELS (ACREAGE AND TAX ASSESSMENT CATEGORY) VILLAGE LIMIT C, U -Q 0 100 Ft. 200 Ft. @4, 55 1c, I ZU f ?01 CIO C' 0 0 C, EXISTING UTILITIES & VEGETATION VILLAGE LIMIT 100 Ft 200 Ft. ........... :M M A.5. !:- '10 00" . . . . . . . . . . . . 01 D,1 er ... .......... Its,, too, 4C@> ... "ties, 000, 000, 0-0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00, 00, j fpp! .............. .............. ........... ........... -, .............L ............ woool@ ........... 9 on the properties consist of a 411 water line and a 611 sewer force-main (parts of the Village water system). A 15" sewer outlet pipe, carrying effluent from the sewage treatment plant to the Elk River, runs through part of the property. We recommend the property continue to be developed for residential use; it has excellent beach.frontage, relatively lush vegetation, and existing utilities, Residential development would help meet the fore- casted demand for more dwelling units in the Village. Given the location and value of the site, we believe private ownership is preferable. There is an adequate amount of public waterfront recreation with the Village Park and the County Park. The Village has a commercial district adjacent to U.S. 31, in addition to the central business district on River Street, and even if the Village did not have an existing industrial park which can accommodate additional industries, the use of shoreline property for industrial activity should definitely be avoided, The properties are currently divided into two zones. Most of the area is in the RM-1 (multiple family residential) zone. A C-2 (General Business) zone covers the eastern portions of the properties, including a 200-foot-deep strip fronting on Bay Shore Drive. The Village should expand the RM-1 zone to include all the area between the beach and Bay- shore Drive, eliminating the C-2 zone. To maximize the residential potential of the area, we propose cluster development of onewstory, 3@and 4-dwelling-unit structures. Such development would offer multiple-family residential densities with large common open space areas, maintaining the low intensity appearance. The existing homes in the area would remain, and perhaps be incorporated into the site design as part of a planned unit development. The multiple-fa,mily development, however, might well cover the existing 8.7 acre parcel and approximately half of each of the privately owned parcels to the north, for a total of 12.5 acres. This would require the purchase of the entire 8.7-acre parcel and 3.8 acres of the six parcels to the north. The owners of those six parcels would, in effect, decrease their lot sizes from approximately one acre to half that. The RM-1 district requires a minimum of 8,000 square feet per lot for the first unit plus the following minimums: 3 bedroom units, 5,000 sq. ft. for each additional unit; 2 bedroom units, 4,000 sq. ft. for each additional unit. No more than 35% of the property can be covered by buildings. After reviewing the age group composition of the township and village, and conferring with-local sources, we propose a dwelling unit "mix" consisting of 10% onec-bedroom units, 55% two@bedroom units, and 35% three@bedroom units, EXISTING ZONING VILLAGE LIMIT C-2 General Commercial ................. . ......... ........... ........ .. .. X". .................. X., .X RM-1 N (Multiple Family) ............ .... ......... ... ..... Residential .0 MULTIPLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL SITE PLAN VILLAGE LIMIT 100 Ft. 200'Ft. @assl th-- 4% %,> ol r7 % ED -pl. 10 The one-bedroom units would be 950 sq, it,; 2 TaedrQom un;@ts would be 1200 sq. ft,, and 3 bedroom units would Le 1500 sq. ft, Wi@ththose unit sizes, and the proposed dwelling unit "mix", the Rx@l district would permit a maximum of 13 one-bedroom units) 70 two-bedroom units, and 34 three-bedroom units -- a total of 117 units. Such figures are for planning purposes only. A detailed market study should be conducted, and the resultant development plan be used in the final selection of unit mix and sizes. The proposed bike path would run through the property, at least 75 feet from the shoreline. An access road to the existing single-family houses would also have to be provided. IMPLEMENTATION This section of the report is an overview of possible actions the Vil- lage can take to help bring to reality the projects proposed in this report. We outline the public costs of these undertakings, define the group or groups responsible for doing them, propose their most effic- ient timing or phasing, and suggest sources of revenue. COSTS The following are current cost estimates for the projects on public property, They were provided by engineers at Prein and Newhoff, and from building contractors in the Traverse Bay Area. They are not bid-quotes, but rather are "rule of thumb" figures adequate for this report. Village Park Shelter bldg. w/restrooms and bathhouse $ 117,000 Restroom building 69,000 Tennis Court improvements 36X0 Playground Equipment 21,000 Parking Lot 4,500 Footbridge, walk, benches 53,000 Landscaping 55,000 Channel bank stabilization 839000 Spillway reconditioning 69,000 Sand bypassing 55,000 Picnic Shelter 5,000 Total $ 567,500 Bikeway Proposal 1 3,780 ft. of Class I bikew;@y $ 2%,840 41370 ft. of Class 11 bikeway- $ 8,740 Total $ U 580 Proposal 2 3,000 ft. of Class I bikeway $ 24,000 59100 ft. of Class II bikeway $'10,200 Total $ 34,200 The property development north of the dam should be a private venture. Since utilities are already on site, there should be little or no initial capital costs to the Village. All of the projects, however, will result in increases in the Village's maintenance budget, particu- larly parks and street maintenance. An additional cost to the Village is the purchase (or lease) of a 10 ft. wide easement for the proposed bikeway through the property north of the dam. The price of that easement can be determined only by negotiating with the individual property owners, and will be influenced by other aspects of the site design. RESPONSIBILITIES The Village itself must take the ultimate responsibility for the capital improvement projects, amounting to over $600,000. That does not, however, preclude financial and physical participation of local residents and community organizations. In our judgement these projects will contribute substantially to the quality of recreation within the Village. Since the Park is adjacent to the Village marina, it will probably be used by tourist-boaters as well as local residents. However, improving the quality of the marina-park complex should attract more summer visitors which, in turn, will benefit local businesses. Therefore,, we propose that the Village Council, the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Garden Club, Historical Society, VFW, Sportsmen's Club, Area Youth Activities group, Business & Professional Women's Organization, Friends of the Library, Elk Rapids Community Organization, Volunteer Fire Department, and the Beautification Commission join forces to provide financing, manpower, and construction materials for those projects, The Village Council should designate a development committee to manage the park improvement and bikeway projects. This committee should con- sist of one member each.from the Village Council, the Village Planning Commission, and the Harbor Commission, the Superintendent of Streets and Water, and the Village Manager. It should establish a working relationship with each of the civic organizations mentioned above by urging representatives from each of those organizations to attend the committee's meetings. 12 This development committee would he responsible for rev@ew;@ug each. of the proposals in detail and determining,. after conpulting-w;tth,repre_ sentatives*of local civic 6rgAnizat@ons, wh1ch port@ons-of each project should be financed and constructed through Village government and which portion can be wholly or partially achieved through the contributions of other/private resources. The committee should, in turn, make recommendations about project costs, phasing, revenues and volunteer help to the Village Council, using this report as-a guide, In general, financing the various projects should be the responsibility of the Village government (with as much State and federal assistance as possible) and local residents and organizations Cthrough fund-raising events and private contributions). The most important part of any public improvement program is budgeting for, and financing, the various projects. The rational way for the Village to develop a budget for these projects and determine the appro- priate financing sources is to establish a Capital Improvements Program. A Capital Improvements Program is a formal method of setting up a priority list of desired construction projects, and determining their timing, costs, and methods of financing. Such a program should consist of projects which are well planned and complement each other. The projects proposed in this report should be included in a Village Cap- ital Improvement Program. Information and technical assistance are available from t.he Regional Planning Commission. Construction of the various projects in the park development should also be a combined effort, to minimize labor costs. Through our initial study of the projects we recommend the following allocation of primary responsibility for construction, assembly, or installation: Shelter bldg. w/restrooms and bathhouse area: Village Restroom building Village Tennis Court improvements Village Playground Equipment Volunteers Footbridge, walks, benches Village Landscaping Volunteers Channel bank stabilization Village Spillway reconditioning Village Sand bypassing Village Picnic Shelter Volunteers Several, or even all, of these projects may be constructed with combined Village-Volunteer effort. The specific duties to be performed by each can be determined during the Committee meetings. Construction of the bikeway should be the Village's responsibility, although volunteer labor can and should be used, The proposed develop- ment of the private property north of the dam would be primarily the responsibility of the developer. 13 PROJECT PHASING This sub-section of the report outlines,the sequence and timing of the park and bikeway,projects. The availability of financing will determine when the various projects. are constructed, If federal or State funds are used, the projects will become A reality when some appropriate federal or State program is funded ' and if the Village is successful in competing for those funds, Local revenues, primarily through property taxes or special assessment, if approved by local voters, are a more definite source of project financing and allow for more precise and reliable budgeting. We recommend a park and bikeway development program to be completed in phases over a six-year period. This program would consist of the following: Years 1 & 2 -- Negotiation with.private property owners for purchasing or leasing a 10 ft. wide easement. Year 1 Spillway reconditioning Year 2 Channel Bank Stabilization Sand bypassing to restore Village Park beach Year 3 Footbridge and Bike Path Year 4 Shelter Building with restrooms Year 5 Restrooms and Picnic Shelter Year 6 Landscaping, Playground equipment, and Tennis Court improvements This schedule is based upon a fairly equal yearly distribution of expenditures during the program, and the most logical sequence of improvements. The spillway reconditioning project is among the first to be scheduled because of the spillway's deteriorated condition. There is a disagreement between the Village and the County as to who is responsible for the spillway's rehabilitation, as it is not certain which of these units of government own the spillway. Realistically, it may not be possible to rigidly adhere to this schedule. However, it should be used as a guide for scheduling ad- ministrative activities and making financial arrangements during the course of the projects. FINANCING Finding a way to pay for these projects is the most difficult hurdle on the road to actual construction. obviously, without money nothing can be accomplished. There are several general categories of funding which may be applied to for the park development and bikeway construc- tion. They are local taxation, federal and State programs, and fees, gifts, contributions and dedications. Local taxation is the primary source of most public construction and maintenance funds. Property taxes are the largest single source of the Village's Income, That revenue goes into the general fund where it is allocated'for operation 14 and maintenance expenses. The Village currently. assesses local property at 13.1467 mills 013.1467)per .$4000 of assessed valuationl. By law the Village can assess a maximum of 15 mills Cor $15 per $1,000 val- uation)without the vote of local property owners. The difference between the 15 mill maximum and the current millage levied on private real property In the Village is 1.8533 mills. At the existing State Equalized Valuation (SEV), property In the Village C$18,724,225), a millage of 1.8533 would yield an additional $34,700 in tax.incomefoi the Village. That amount will change as the Village's SEV changes. General obligation bonds are another source of revenue based upon local property taxes. The Village could sell bonds.(through a bond market) to acquire all or a portion of the money it needs to complete the projects. In selling the bonds the Village would pledge its taxing power to pay interest on, and retire, the debt. With voter approval, the Village can levy a special assessment of up to 10% of its State Equalized Value. It presently levies a special tax of 2.71 mills to retire the debt on a $2 million dollar sewer construction bond. That bond has a balance of $1,042,000, which is 5.6% of the Village's SEV. Therefore, the Village could, with voter approval, levy a special assessment of up to 3% per year to help pay for the park and bikeway development. Actually, the assessment can be up to 3% the first year and 1.4% the second year (1.4% is the difference between the maximum allowable 10% and the combination of 5.6% and 3%). At those rates, the Village could collect up to $5@62,26-6 in special assessment taxes the f irst year and up to $262,392 the next.. . Federal and State capital improvement funds are much more competitive and dif f icult to &Ot today than they were in the 70s. Federal domestic programs and funds for capital improvement are either administered directly from the nationis capitol or are funneled through individual states which administer and distribute the funds to local units of government. Such programs are described in the Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance which is printed annually by the Federal govern- ment. The Federal Register, a daily log of federal programs and monetary appropriations, is another useful source of funding infor- mation. Several programs that pertain to the proposed Park and bike- way projects can be found in the 1982 Catalogue. The Land and Water Conservation Fund, managed by the National Park Service, is intended to assist states and their political subdivisions to acquire and develop outdoor recreation sites. In Michigan, that program is administered by the Department of Natural Resources, and requires a 50% funding match by the local unit of government. The program is currently being discussed in congress and funding may be available in the near future. Resource Conservation and Development loans are administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. They can be used for rural community outdoor-oriented water-based recreational facilities. The maximum amount of such a loan is $5QO,000. The Village should apply for an RC&D loan for the sand bypass, channel bank stabilization, and spillway renovation projects. 15 The Michigan Land Trust Fund is a potential source of revenue for pur- chase of recreational land. The fund is administered by the State and receives its revenue from gas and oil leases. The funds are available each year on a competitive basis. Land proposed for purchase under the trust fund program must have at least one of eight characteristics. One of them is that the-land provide access to and use of the Great Lakes and connecting wate r shoreline. It would be advisable for the Village to submit a proposal under this program to purchase easement on the privately owned land.between the dam and the Village',s northern limits. Also, Michigan Public Act 51 of 1951, as amended, allocates one cent out of every dollar of gasoline sales and vehicle weight tax for non- motorized transportation, including bikeway. The Village should ask the Antrim County Road Commission to allocate funds for the bikeway project. In addition, theVillage could require all bicycles to be licensed. Annual revenue from fees charged for license plates should be used for bikeway maintenance. Several options are available for raising private money for construc- tion and maintenance of the proposed projects. While they are less certain than local tax dollars as a means of funding various projects, they serve to decrease the financial burden of the Village government. The volunteer organizations mentioned earlier can play an important rule by sponsoroing various commiinity events to raise money for the Park and bikepath projects. Revenue can be used to purchase play equipment or building materials for those projects for which volun- teers are demmed responsible. It can also be contributed to the Villae, which in turn can use it as necessary local matching money for getting federal and State project grants or loans. Volunteer fund-raising efforts can include the following: Bike-a-thon or Walk-a-thon Beauty pageant Cookbook with local recipes T-shirts (silkscreened) sales Bumper sticker sale Community barbeque Raffles Arts and crafts sale (many artists in the area might donate proceeds from sale of their items to the park and bikeway proj ects)@ Volunteer labor is also an important contribution to cost-cutting efforts.. Local residents who are skilled, semi-skilled, or even unskilled, can offer their time and ef forts in helping to put together playground equip- ment, construct the proposed bikeway/pedestrian bridge and the proposed picnic shelter, and provide manpower for landscaping the entire area. Those efforts could be organized and coordinated through the development committee. 16 Local fund-raisers and volunteer "work bees" are beneficial in at least two ways. 'In addition to raising money and lowering construc- tion costs, they strengthen bonds within the community. Those who contribute time, money, and effort feel a sense of personal accom- plishment and develop a new awareness and appreciation of the community. CONCLUSION The coastal lands in the Village are valuable resources. Elk Rapids has the responsibility of not only protecting its coastal property from environmental harm but also making the best possible use of coastal land. To accomplish that, the Prein and Newhoff proposal and this follow-up have offered development recommendations which if fol- lowed will enable residents and visitors alike to better use and enjoy the coastline. The projects will require the involvement of all the residents of the area -- Village officials, local businessmen,.non-profit civic organ- izations, and individuals interested in the quality of life in Elk Rapids. It will not be easy. The difference between success and failure will be determination, perseverafices logic, and patience. The park and bikeway developments may require six years or longer to complete. The timing of the residential development will depend upon the local economy and the interest of a private developer, and may not occur until well into the future. Whether the projects are com- plete in the near future or a little later, they are more sure to become realities if the Village has definite development objectives, sets a schedule for their achievement, and has the knowledge of how to obtain and use the resources to accomplish what is necessary. We have designed this report to be another step in that process. BIKEWAY ELK RAPIDS DEVELOPMENT #1 & #2 RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT SITE BIKEWAY ELK *IVER VILLAGE PARK & BIKEWAY #2 MARIN o0op BIKEWAY #1 & #2 11 F"Im ANTRIM COUNTY DAY PARK HE PGKT __%LILL.@G@_ 11MIT - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOAA COASTAL SERVICES CTR LIBRARY 3 6668 14110378 0