Zoning Board approves lift on Burt Lake bluff property

http://www.cheboygannews.com/article/20140306/NEWS/140309450
-From cheboygannews.com

• Thomas Preston from High Bank Trams will be installing a power lift elevator at the Eric Freedman residence to help the property owners enjoy their property more easily.

  The Cheboygan County Zoning Board of Appeals, ZBA, approved a 5.2-foot side setback variance for the elevator, which is located in a Lake and Stream Protection zoning district, at 7604 W. M-68 in Tuscarora Township.

  “We’re trying to install an elevator outside the setback,” Preston said. “The need to install this elevator is due not to laziness or status, but for a mother and mother-in-law with both knee and hip replacements, and a son-in-law who is a leg amputee, to enjoy the property, as they cannot get down the stairs easily. The mother and mother-in-law don’t even go down, currently.”

  Preston said he wants to install the incline elevator within the side setback distance, which is currently 8 feet, at the top side of the bluff on Burt Lake. The elevator will slope down the hill in a northwesterly direction, bringing it out of the setback distance after traveling roughly 10 feet.

  “So, we are not requesting to be within the setback the entire distance down the hill, just right at the top,” Preston said. “The need for the variance is to put the elevator in the only location on the bluff where there is not a retaining wall.”

  According to Preston, the other side of the property is being used for a stairway, which is where the other opening in the retaining wall is located. Therefore, the proposed location for the elevator is the only one which would work without having to remove retaining walls or trees, risking erosion.

  The retaining wall was put in during construction of the home to retain the bank from eroding the foundation, because it was put close to the bluff. Preston does not want to jeopardize the integrity of the wall by taking portions of it away

  If Preston were to comply with current side setback requirements, it would require removal of three very large trees. The removal of these trees also would potentially jeopardize the integrity of the retaining wall, due to their root base.

  “The three-tree cluster is right at the end of the retaining wall,” Preston said. “We’re looking to go on the right side of the trees.”

  Preston said they would be installing the elevator at an angle to avoid being in the setback distance the entire length of the elevator. The northwesterly direction brings them out of the setback zone and also saves additional trees down the bluff.

  “These elevators are very eye-appealing and short of the carriage are constructed with a skeleton-like appearance, lying very close to the ground in the setback zone. By running it at this angle, we will make it less visible to the neighbors on the east side of the property, which is the setback side,” said Preston.

An icon is no more

The arch bridge over the Indian River is now landfill, torn apart then dropped into a barge floating below.
The dismantling began November 28th with the scheduled reopening sometime in April. Let's all hope the progress goes as planned so boating season is not compromised. And my commute returns to 2 minutes.

Homestead Exemption Applications

Proration Legislation up in Senate Finance Committee

Legislation has been re-introduced this legislative session to provide much needed property tax relief to Michigan homebuyers. Senate Bill 349, introduced by Senator Dave Hildenbrand (R-Lowell) allows buyers to take advantage of the Principal Residence Exemption even if they purchase a home after the May 1st filing deadline.

Under current law, homeowners may file a principal residence exemption on their primary home in Michigan. This exemption provides significant tax relief to those citizens that choose to call this state “home.” In order to claim this exemption, one must file the principal residence affidavit with their local government by May 1st. Buyers purchasing homes after the May 1st deadline, are hit with up to an additional 18 mills of non-homestead property taxes until the following year. This additional property tax burden is standing in the way of new homeownership and otherwise taxing those people that have declared Michigan their home, though they purchased after the deadline.

This legislation has become particularly important since “non principal residence” properties, specifically foreclosures, have flooded Michigan’s real estate market in recent years. The current situation prices buyers out of homes by forcing them to qualify for a mortgage at the higher tax rate. Those buyers that are able to purchase after May 1st are consequently stuck with a significant tax burden for the remainder of the year despite making that new purchase their principal residence. This bill would alleviate some of that pressure by prorating the tax liability for those who purchase a home after May 1st.

The legislation is up for consideration this week in the Senate Finance committee. We will keep you updated as this bill makes its way through the legislative process.

Wind Storm Today

The waves on Burt Lake were as large as I have seen on a bright, blue sky, sunny day. The poor dock struggled with high water levels and intense winds gusting over 45mph according to intellicast.com.

ORV Ride and Business After Hours

ORV Ride and Business After Hours

The Indian River Chamber of Commerce Ambassador’s, would like to invite you to an organized ORV ride and Business After Hours (BAH), this Saturday, May 14th, at the Black Mountain Lodge

Bring your ATV, motorcycle or ORV and enjoy the trails surrounding the Black Mountain Lodge at 1pm (or rent one from IRSC; please call ahead for rental information: 231.333.3600)  IRSC will also have sport utility vehicles on site for test driving.

A special lunch menu will be available at the Black Mountain Lodge!!

You do not have to participate in the ORV ride to attend the BAH, you may join us for wonderful tastings from the Black Mountain Lodge from 3pm to 5pm.

BAH is $5 per member and $10 per not yet member.  (There is no additional charge to participate in the ride)

Please RSVP with the Chamber 238-9325 or reply to this email with your info.

Record Rainfall in Northern Michigan

The local rivers filled up the boat wells and pressed to the top of the seawalls.  I have never seen the river this high.
Both the Sturgeon River and Little Sturgeon River overflowed it's banks in some unprotected areas.

The 3 day storm dumped over 4" of rain on Indian River.

The Weather Man Got It Right...Unfortunately

Captain's Log. Star Date April 20, 2011...

This must be some SciFi episode because it snowed 5" last night.

The accumulation would have been greater but it rained as well.

Even the summer toys are snow covered.

More soon...

Is it really April 19th?

Forecast today is snow.  Yes snow.  Accumulation of 6"-10".

More tomorrow.  Oh my.........

There is an App for that.

I have been in New York for Spring Break with my family so I haven't posted in a while. While traveling, I tested a variety of real estate apps for my iPhone and my wife's Droid. I freely admit I am 100% converted to the iPhone from my years as a Blackberry guy. The iPhone really is amazing. I used the Zillow and Coldwell Banker apps for looking at home prices during our east coast adventure. It was amazing to press the locate button then suddenly have all available listings pop up on the map. It works great in northern Michigan as well. One touch and you have detailed information about the property with full color photos. Then you call me and tell me which homes we are going to look at!

To download the Zillow.com app for your smartphone:
http://www.zillow.com/mobile/

For the Coldwell Banker Apps:
iPhone: http://itunes.apple.com/app/coldwell-banker-real-estate/id325309137?mt=8
iPad: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/coldwell-banker-real-estate/id424003485?mt=8&ls=1
Android: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.coldwellbanker.android.v2&feature=search_result

This video explains the features of the Coldwell Banker iPad App

Spring or Winter...Wait a Day

One day it looks like February then next it looks like April all in the month of March. Hopefully this is our March "Coming in like a Lion". These photos are of the "GreenDock" on the Indian River which connects Burt Lake and Mullett Lake.

Wine Tasting at Sage in the Odawa Casino

If you are looking for a fun afternoon activity while up north, this wine tasting a nice alternative.
Wine tastings take place every Saturday with the next one Saturday, March 5th, from 3:00pm to 4:30pm. The cost $10.00 per person. For more information - 231-439-6100
www.odawacasino.com

Hartwick Pines to Host Three Snowshoe-Lacing Workshops

Hartwick Pines State Park near Grayling is hosting three two-day snowshoe-lacing workshops Feb. 26 and 27. This is your chance to lace your own pair of snowshoes. All three workshops will be held at the Michigan Forest Visitor Center at Hartwick Pines. The workshop fee is $180, which includes all materials and equipment needed to make one pair of Ojibwe-style snowshoes with a pointed toe and pointed heel. Class size is limited and reservations are required. To make a reservation, call Theresa Neal at 906-492-3415. For more information about the workshops, including photos, go online to www.michigan.gov/dnrevisitorcenters and click on Tahquamenon Falls State Park.

What is a Michigan Man?

Most people who know me are aware that after high school I attended the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.  I loved every moment I spent at U of M and given the opportunity would choose to be a Wolverine every time.  (No offense to my Spartan or Buckeye friends).

I learned so much and am very proud of my accomplishments in college.  I was privileged to work directly for some of the legendary coaches like Bo Schembechler, Red Berenson, and John Urbanckek, all true Michigan men.

Over the years I have often been asked what qualifies one as a Michigan Man.  The recent search for a football coach exposed some interesting viewpoints by many although most reporters have no idea what they are talking about in this regard (or others for that matter).

For me the answer is simple...it isn't a tenure or a position or even some grand accomplishment...it is a thought process, one I have seldom seen as blatantly as I did at Michigan.  It is a whole-hearted belief that the program is above all else and that no person is more important than the team. 

It is the knowledge that doing something the right way - with class and devotion - is more important than the final outcome.  It is knowing that you can lay your head on the pillow each night knowing you did your best for yourself, your team, and your program without compromise and that you are proud of each person associated with you.  It is never about me first...it is always about:

The Team. The Team. The Team. 

It is a lesson I grasp tightly.  I hope each day I live my life this way.  I hope I pull, push, drag, carry, lead, coax - whatever it takes - each person in my life toward this mindset.  The irony is that it is exactly the value set my parents instilled in me and I saw Bo instill into many.  I am so thankful to have been taught this lesson and to have seen how to share it with others.  Go Blue!

2011 Indian River Winterfest

Fun Things to Do in Northern Michigan

The Indian River Winterfest kicks off this weekend with a variety of events for all.

Friday, January 28th
7:30 -9:00am “Business before Hours” at Citizens National Bank
5:00 - 10:00pm Winterfest Poker Run
6:00 -10:00pm Lions Club Bingo
12:00pm Downtown Business Snowman Contest Judging
 
Saturday, January 29th

9:00am - 4:00pm  Indian River Sprint Dogsled Races- Hometown Inn
12:00 - 4:00pm    “Taste of the North” at the Indian River Golf Club
                            Cross country skiing, wine tasting and delicious food
                             from local restaurants, to benefit the Wildwood Grooming Fund
3:00 - 5:00pm    Fire Department Broomball Challenge:
                          Tuscarora vs Topinabee - Ice Rink; Cooperation Park
5:00 - 6:30pm   Dusk Snowshoe Hike - Burt Lake State Park
5:00 - 8:00pm   Indian River Physical Therapy Family Skating Party Ice Rink; Cooperation Park
8:00pm             Winterfest Party at The Inn Between, River St., Indian River

Sunday, January 30th
8:00am - 12:00pm VFW Breakfast
9:00am - 4:00pm Indian River Sprint Dogsled Races- Hometown Inn
For more information - 231-238-9325 or http://www.irchamber.com/

July 4th, 2010. Indian River Schedule of Events

4th of July Parade – Sunday at 2pm

The Parade will take place downtown on Sunday, 2pm the 4th of July. 

Indian River Fireworks – Saturday Night on Burt Lake
On July 3rd, the skies over Burt Lake will once again come alive with the brilliance of the Annual Tuscarora Township firework display (with a July 5th rain date).

Good Things Do Happen

Wed May 05, 2010 2:37 pm EDT

When losing a golf tournament really makes you a winner
By Shane Bacon

There are times to be competitive. Moments when all you want to do is humiliate your opponent as you defeat him. It's the nature of sports, and what our internal competition meters usually read.
That, we all know, is how athletes feel most of the time. But, at times, and these are few and far between, we see acts that defy wins and losses. A moment when a girl is brought in on crutches to score a layup to break a record or someone being carried around the field after she twisted her ankle rounding the bases. Opponents coming together to transcend the game.

That is what happened between two collegiate golfers, vying for a spot in the NAIA National Championship.
Grant Whybark (left), a sophomore at the University of St. Francis, had locked up a spot in nationals with his team, which won the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship, but was in a playoff against Olivet Nazarene's Seth Doran (right) for individual honors.

As championships go, both the winning team and winning individual are asked to move on to nationals, so if Whybark won the playoff against Doran, he'd be honoring both spots and Doran wouldn't be asked to move on.

What happened next is the type of stuff movies are made about. Whybark stood over his tee shot on the first playoff hole, looked down the fairway and back at his ball, and hit it 40 yards right of the fairway, out of bounds by a mile. He made double bogey, Doran made par, and Olivet Nazarene had a man in nationals.

What makes it so incredible? Whybark intentionally did it, because he felt Doran had earned a spot in the next round. "We all know Seth very well," Whybark explains, "and he not only is a very good player, but a great person as well. He’s a senior and had never been to nationals. Somehow, it just wasn’t in my heart to try to knock him out.

"I think some people were surprised, but my team knew what I was doing and were supportive of me. I felt Seth deserved to go (to nationals) just as much as I did.  "It was one of those things where I couldn’t feel good taking something from him like this. My goal from the start was to get (to nationals) with my team. I had already done that."
Too many times we read about cheap shots or fights or cheaters, and it is stories like this that make it all seem petty. A golfer simply knew his place, was comfortable with where he was, and thought that a senior, playing in his final tournament as a collegiate golfer, had done enough to earn one more week with the game he loved.

I'm not a big believer in karma, and I'm sure the story won't end the way it should, but if Whybark somehow won nationals, it would make for a really nice screenplay. Whybark did what most of us would never do, and although he is short a trophy in his case, he earned respect from anyone reading this story.
Nice shot, kiddo.

2010 2nd Annual Indian River Walleye Tournament

2nd Annual Indian River Walleye Tournament

Mark the date! The Indian River Chamber of Commerce, Indian River Sportsmen’s Club and Cochran Roberts VFW Post #7439 are excited to announce its 2nd Annual Indian River Walleye Tournament will be held on Saturday, May 29th.

 A maximum of 75 boats (2 anglers per boat, or 3 if one is 16 years or younger) will be given the opportunity to fish for the largest Walleye on the Inland Waterway. A purse worth up to $3600 will be available for winning, based on the number of entrants. In addition, many prizes will be given away! Entrance fees are $60 per boat. The Weigh-in will be at 3pm at Fay Martin River Resort on the Indian River. For further information on events in the Indian River area, please contact the Indian River Chamber of Commerce at 231-238-9325 or 1-800-EXIT-310 or kwegner@irchamber.com

2010 Indian River's Summer Calendar of Events

There is much to do in Indian River this summer. The Indian River Chamber of Commerce has many events scheduled:

May 29th – Indian River Walleye Tournament
June 2nd – Indian River Chamber Golf Scramble
July 3rd – 4th of July Fireworks
July 4th – 4th of July Parade
July 13th – 18th – Indian River Summer Fest
July 17th – 23rd – Michigander Bicycle Tour
July 30th – Aug. 1st – Top of Michigan Outboard Boat Races

I will post more information about these events as they get closer.

Cross In The Woods

If you happen to be near Indian River, Michigan, you may want to visit the National Shrine of the Cross in the Woods. Regardless of your faith, the largest crucifix in the world is a powerful symbol of Christianity that can be appreciated by all.
 I took these photos after a mid-October snowfall, a time when the autumn leaves were in brilliant color. Even in northern Michigan a heavy snowfall then is rare. I recall dropping my children off at school and noticing the ambient light having a beautiful blue hue. The orange, yellow and green colors shining through the sparkling white snow was just spectacular. As I exited the school, I saw the sign for the Cross in the Woods and my mind wandered to a thought, "What does the Cross look like in this snowfall?"

How glad I am that I took a moment and my camera to investigate. The scene was amazing. I have been to the Cross countless times in my life (even being married outside under the Cross) but never has it projected such a beauty for me. I treasure each photo.
 I used a Canon 35mm Digital Rebel to photograph the scene which did a great job expressing the contrasts of the colorful leaves, brightness of the snow, and blue aura. The 28 foot tall, 7 ton bronze Corpus was cast in Olso, Norway and was (at the time) one of the largest castings to cross the Atlantic Ocean. The pinnacle of the 55 foot, Oregon-grown Cross sits atop a knoll, the total structure reaching over 205 feet above ground level.

I hope you enjoy the photos. If you are traveling through northern Michigan, on your way to ski at Boyne Highlands, or visit the many other great activities in the area take a moment to visit. The Cross in the Woods is just 1 mile west of I-75's Exit 310, Indian River. You won't be disappointed.