A nearly 50-acre empty site once used to dispose of coal ash from the former Bayside Power Plant could soon be home to a new Traverse City neighborhood with a mix of 73 housing units, playgrounds, public pathways and a community garden. Traverse City Light & Power (TCLP) board members voted Tuesday to accept an $850,000 offer for the property on Cedar Run Road west of Barney Road from LivWell Homes, which plans to redevelop the property.
TCLP put the property on the market earlier this year after councilors agreed in August to certify the site as surplus land that could be sold. The property was used to dispose of coal ash from the Bayside Power Plant until the mid-1990s. The area of the property where the deposits were concentrated has a subsurface liner and has been sealed on the surface to contain the pollutants. However, due to contamination, only 33.5 of the almost 50 hectares are usable.
TCLP has considered several options for the property in recent years, from installing a solar array to exploring various developments that could work on the site. TCLP Chief Financial Officer Karla Myers-Beman previously told board members that the topography of the property ultimately made a solar array unfeasible. Residents and community groups expressed interest in turning the property into a public park, but no offers were submitted when TCLP issued a request for proposals (RFP) from nonprofits or government agencies.
As no responses were received, TCLP next decided to form an ad hoc committee to look into disposing of the property and placed the property on the market. This fall, the committee reviewed proposals and supported a recommendation to enter into a purchase agreement with LivWell Homes, a Traverse City company founded in 2014 by Chad Kotlarz that focuses on building “modern, efficient” homes in northern Michigan.
Working with First Holding Management Company, LivWell Homes is planning a “hybrid development” for the site with a mix of attached townhouse units (approximately 48) and 25 single-family properties. First Holding Management Company has experience with numerous residential projects throughout Michigan, including The Harborage & Harborage Park in Boyne City, Flats at Iron Ridge in Ferndale, Daisy Square Condominiums in Plymouth and Vaughan Ridge Condominiums in Bloomfield Hills.
In a presentation to the TCLP board, the new district planned for Traverse City is described as an “organic arrangement of mixed unit types to conserve natural resources and promote community engagement.” The apartments will focus on “environmentally friendly, sustainable architecture that utilizes the latest building technology,” according to the presentation. LivWell Homes follows a development philosophy that focuses on “designs that are cohesive and balanced, emphasizing timelessness and longevity,” the presentation says.
LivWell Homes also highlighted the amenities of green spaces and parkland in its proposal. “Significant portions of the gross land area” will be preserved for community-centered green spaces and multi-use trails, with “mixed playgrounds, dog parks, pavilions, picnic areas and parking within the green spaces,” the presentation states. The company will also prioritize “restoring disturbed areas with native plantings/trees to enrich ecosystems and attract pollinators,” the presentation said.
The company plans to begin development on the currently agricultural property by seeking approval from Garfield Township to convert the site into a planned urban residential district (PURD). According to the township's zoning ordinance, PURD zoning “provides a degree of flexibility and creativity in the planning and design of residential development projects” and invites “efficient, grouped development on portions of a site so that developers are better able to provide amenities.” and provide infrastructure improvements.”
The zoning ordinance states that such projects “should be developed using combined methods and innovative design while providing desirable open space and pedestrian connections.” In return, the township may “authorize reductions in minimum lot size and increases in maximum density that would otherwise apply,” the ordinance states. Garfield Township planning staff noted during a township meeting Wednesday evening that they have not yet received an application for a PURD or other plans for the property, but that they would attempt to contact developers for the project would need to go through the township approval process go through, starting with the Planning Commission, staff noted.
TCLP leaders said the project aligns with the city utility's goals in several ways. For one thing, the LivWell Homes project will be fully electrified, in line with the city's recently adopted building electrification policy. The purchase agreement specifies that “all new buildings must be fully electric, so that all functions, including heating, cooling, cooking and hot water, are powered by electricity without relying on fossil fuels such as natural gas or propane.” This restriction applies until December 31, 2040.”
Proceeds associated with the $850,000 property sale will also “support TCLP’s climate action plan programs and initiatives, i.e. renewable energy investments and cost savings for customers,” according to the utility. The project's emphasis on green building practices, large green spaces, native ecosystems and sustainable energy systems made the proposal a winner for TCLP, utility officials said.
“We are pleased that this property will be used in a way that not only meets the growing demand for housing in our region, but also honors our commitment to environmental protection,” said TCLP Executive Director Brandie Ekren. “This development is consistent with our vision of balancing community growth with sustainability.”