News

Actions

Some residents upset over planned Gun Lake development

Posted at 11:44 PM, Mar 09, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-09 23:44:18-05

SHELBYVILLE, Mich. -- It's a development that could attract hundreds of people to Gun Lake, but not everyone is on board with bringing a new banquet hall and lodging space to the shoreline.

Some residents say that while they're behind the idea of enhancing the community, the idea to build a project the size so close to homes is something they don't understand.

"The biggest problem we have is this is a nice, quiet drive. We have a couple cars a day that come down here. If this problem goes through, we're going to have hundreds of cars coming down here"

The proposed additions -- a 10,000 square foot banquet hall, five 2,000 square foot cabins, an expansion of the road, additional parking space for guests -- are all next to Joseph Farley and his wife's home on Oarie Drive.

"Everybody on the other side of the lake thinks it's a great idea until you explain to them," Farley said. "Bring them out there and show them this little road and ask them: would you like that next to your house?"

Bay Point Corp, which owns Bay Point Inn on nearby Marsh Road, is behind the proposal. The new space would be called Bay Point Woods, a concept approved by the Barry County Planning Commission last week.  A special use permit was approved for the development.

Now that the commission has made their decision, Barry County Planning and Zoning Director James McManus says they will analyze the site plan and see if changes need to be made.

"We're not issuing a building permit tomorrow by any means," McManus said. "We have a ways to go."

McManus knows there are concerned residents and says he has been listening to what they have to say.  He wants people to know they're working to ensure if something is built, it's done so with the highest standards of their ordinance.

“My attorney has set them a letter before the vote stating they can't use this road for commercial traffic," Farley says.

Putting legal matters aside, his wife Diane says the idea just isn't safe and that there are already people who park in the empty lot by her home to walk across the street to Bay Point Inn. She says it's caused several problems.

"They walk right through our yard," she said. I've actually had to holler out my window and say 'can you get off my property and be quiet?' Woke my granddaughter up because she was scared. They get really nasty at us. I've had to come down here and ask people to leave. Their remarks are like, 'What's the matter old lady? You're no fun.' In our front yard."

The Farleys believe the location just isn't suited for the development.

"Pick a good location and we'll be all for it," Diane said. "I will back it 100 percent."

McManus says there will be plenty of meetings before the planning commission can finalize the project. Dates for those meetings have not yet been announced.

FOX 17 reached out to Bay Point Corp for comment, but we have not heard back.