If you’ve driven down Center Road lately, you may have noticed that work has begun on the Vineyard Ridge Condo Subdivision, located on the left after you round the first corner from town and head up the hill, directly across from Pelizarri Park.
As mentioned in Township meetings, Vineyard Ridge is geared for an older population, and construction will take place in three phases, with Phase 1 consisting of 15 homes. As noted on the Coldwell Banker website (realtor Ken Schmidt is the developer), the plan includes 47 homes consisting of 1700 to 1900 square feet and some walkout basements. Another 1000 square feet or more could be finished in the lower levels.
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The anticipated price range for homes is in the high $500,000 or more, depending on the size of the home and the level and quantity of luxury amenities added. Monthly association fees will be around $400, and include all lawn maintenance, plants, sprinkler system, and snowplowing, as well as maintenance of the pavilion/pool area, vineyard maintenance, and garbage pickup.
Utilities include municipal water, sewer, natural gas, electric, cable for fast speed Internet and television. There will also be a pavilion/pool area, including a covered area with outdoor dining furniture, a large stone island with two stainless built-in grilles, a cooktop, under-counter stainless refrigeration, and granite top. The pool, open from May through October, will include a hot tub, separate lounge area, and gas fire pit.
While the vineyard is not large, the Coldwell Banker website notes that it will be “a pleasant amenity providing opportunity to have residents own private label wine.”
At the March 20, 2017 meeting of the Planning Commission, the commission voted unanimously that the application for Special Use Permit No 127, Vineyard Ridge Planned Unit Development Condominium Subdivision, be recommended for approval to the Township Board. Read the developer’s revised application, which was approved, here.
A public hearing was held at the April 25, 2017 Township Board meeting (apologies that I didn’t report on that meeting, as I was still in Ann Arbor with my husband at the time).
At the end of the public hearing, the Township Board voted unanimously that the application for Special Use Permit No. 127, Vineyard Ridge Planned Unit Development Condominium Subdivision, be approved. Read the full minutes of that meeting here.
However, Township Clerk Joanne Westphal noted at the time, “This project presented the township with an opportunity to really meet one of the standards that so many of the projects have failed to meet – to have an imaginative and creative approach to subdivison design. This isn’t imaginative, nor creative. There’s no diversity, no affordable housing, no consideration of the architectural styles that historically make up the peninsula. I think it’s an opportunity missed. I’d like to see future developments have a more creative approach. I’m not opposed to the development, just disappointed that a higher standard could have been met.”
Take a look at the site plan and a few photos of the development in progress.
I’m on the fence. Seriously, where is that gate we all used to talk about. Lol!! Change is hard.
They did a great job cutting down all the trees …
Yep, wouldn’t want those pesky things getting in our way now would we?
I think they got rid of the trees so those of us that live right here will have a full view. Sad, disturbing, noisy, place around here right now.
Hard to stop the growth I guess. Can I really talk? I grew up in a subdivision that had been Victor Friday’s orchard.
Boo Hiss!
Will never be able to get onto Center Rd.
I saw all the bare land. No more trees. ☹️
Is there central sewer? ? If not where do you suppose the sewage will eventually end up?? How will Center Road,that is already congested, support more traffic? ? Does anyone care anymore about the area we live in?? It appears it’s all about the money. This is not planned progress but a degradation of the land we have borrowed from our chikdren.
I live on Mathison Rd. – I’m wondering how our road will hold up with all of those heavy trucks going back & forth past our home hauling the big loads of brush.
Hi
I guess we will have to be vigilant and if it gets to much complain to the township.
Yes they are hooking up to TC sewer system. They did pass all of the zoning requirements. Sad though that our zoning requirements allow so many trees to be cut down. Our TWP. is in the process of re-writing our zoning regs. If you don’t like this then get involved. The same thing is about to happen at 81 further up the peninsula. A major caveat of our zoning code is “to preserve our rural character”. It is right there in our code. So go to the public hearing and make your opinion known to our twp. Board. Regards, Curt Peterson
Curt Peterson Hey Wally, I have to say that this response is probably one of the most reasonable, common sense replies to a Facebook post that I’ve seen. Don’t just piss, moan and call people names. Come up with a solution that may actually have a chance of making a difference. It may not matter to the board what you say but it’s the right way to do it. If you don’t like the law, work to change it.
Thank you
How sad
Sick of more Condos on our beautiful OMP greed will ruin what makes us unique…Shame on them.
My view today, Jane. We dressed it up with pumpkins. 😉
Awww I like your pumpkins! Not crazy about the activity behind them. I’m hoping they’ll put up a nice buffer of trees. You know, like what they just tore down.
We carved pumpkins last night. We have a lot of them left from the wedding decor, so they made for a fun (and messy) activity. 🙂
It is a very noisy place around here with all of that other activity – huge trucks up & down the road out front, and all that other equipment out back. 🙁
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Thank you. This is interesting and informative.
Wow! We used to enjoy rides around the peninsula. Maybe we’ll still be able to see the bays?