FAQs
Q. What is the difference between a donation and a pledge?
NCV’s goal is asking for donor pledges to complete the purchase of the property. NCV will not request fulfillment of donor pledges until we have achieved the necessary funding needed to transition from an option to a purchase agreement. In addition to pledges, NCV is also in need of donations right now to cover operating expenses such as appraisals, required environmental studies, attorney fees, option extensions and grant writing. We are an all-volunteer Board.
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Q. Will NCV raise the funds needed to buy the property?
Acquiring this prominent and highly desirable lakeshore property understandably requires a significant fundraising effort. We are optimistic that with the support of individuals in the community, when creatively coupled with funding from select foundations and government grants, we will raise the money required to acquire and protect the property outright. Progress toward our continued $5 million community fundraising goal thus far has enabled us to successfully partner in a substantial grant application that could help preserve and establish the nature preserve we all envision. Importantly, fundraising progress thus far has also permitted us to extend our option agreement with the seller and gives us more time to meet our $5 million goal. While we are grateful for the widespread community support, our volunteer board still has a significant fundraising needed to achieve this goal, and right now every pledge is critical. Find the pledge form here.
Q. Is the owner still planning the RV Park?
Yes. While the owner supports NCV’s alternative goal of a nature preserve and area for attainable housing, he has confirmed that if we are not successful in raising the funds to purchase the property, he will proceed with revised plans to develop an RV park on the site. The RV park proposal prepared in 2021 – for Phase 1 – was to include 355 RV units on 80 acres.
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Q. An EGLE permit application notice was posted on the property in July. What does it mean?
The wastewater permit was first applied for in November 2022 by the owner, before NCV pursued and entered into an option agreement with the property owner. Thus, the owner’s permit application is completely separate from NCV’s efforts and vision. A public hearing on the permit application was held in late 2023. If NCV is successful in its acquisition of the property, the wastewater permit application would simply go away.
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Q. How big is the housing portion of your plan and where will it be located on the property?
NCV’s vision regarding a section of the property being developed for attainable housing is that the units constructed will be high-quality, low scale and aesthetically-integrated to protect view-sheds and with generous setbacks from neighbors and to sustainably support the preserved portions of the property. With more than 211 acres, an attainable housing section of 20 or so acres – approximately 10% of the entire property – would have an immensely positive impact for our community for generations.
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Q. Is attainable housing needed in Leelanau?
The critical need for attainable housing is clear, as evidenced from very recent surveys and research by Bowen National Research, commissioned by Housing North. For example, nearly 62 percent of workers in Leelanau County travel in from outside the county. Moreover, the report found that Leelanau County needs 2,335 additional attainable housing units with 382 of these as rentals at affordable rates and 1,953 of these as owner-occupied dwellings at an affordable mortgage. Drawing on similar data and many of the same local and regional experts, the results of a special analysis were presented in March 2023 showing that our ownership level need is 32 rentals at $1,000 or less monthly and 16 owner units at $250,000 or less. For more information, the recent work led by the Leelanau Township Community Foundation is available here on their website.
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Q . Who will be able to get these homes?
People who live and work here. Local, county-based organizations working on attainable housing such as Peninsula Housing and Homestretch have experience and tested processes to ensure such homes go to those who need them and that the homes remain attainable housing stock into the future. Our community already has two positive experiences on which to build, most recently the four units known at Vincer West.
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Q . Will there be public access to the beach through the property?
Yes, we envision the majority of the property will provide recreational access to the beach for passive activities such as hiking, birdwatching, etc.
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Q. What if I don't see the answer to my question here?
Send us an email to info@newcommunityvision.org or use the contact form.
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