Steamboat Lake development approved

The preliminary plat of an 88-acre residential development on Steamboat Lake was approved by the Hubbard County Planning Commission Tuesday.

Retreat on Steamboat, 15 lots in Hart Lake Township, is being developed by Naterra Land Inc. and Robert and Edith Lindgren.

Scott Seeley of Naterra Land said they have signed a purchase agreement with the Lindgrens, who plan to keep one lot as their own. The rest will be subdivided into single-family homes.

Naterra Land has placed many covenants on the development, including no subdividing of lots, commercial uses, timeshares or multiple-family homes. Seven boardwalks across the wetlands will be shared by homeowners. A road would be built to township specifications.

Homeowners themselves, who are to form an association, must enforce the covenants, said Environmental Services Officer Eric Buitenwerf.

"We feel the environmental effect will be minimal," explained Seeley, who said they met with the township and they have no objections to the development.

There were two letters from neighboring residents objecting to the development because of property valuation, environmental impact and road issues.

"I think they've got a viable setup," commission member Jerry Cole said of the plat.

Commission member Tom Krueger agreed.

"I like they're going to do a shared boardwalk and they are going to construct their boardwalks themselves," he said.

The plat was approved unanimously.

In other business Tuesday, the commission approved:

• The final plat of K & L Properties. Developers Ken and Lisa Smith are platting 4.73 acres into two residential lots in Straight River Township.

• The final plat of Rustling Pine Estates. Developer Leroy Nater is platting 19.78 acres into seven residential lots in Henrietta Township.

• The final plat of Common Interest Community Plat 20, A Planned Community, Paradise Cove. Developers Robert and Sharon Schinnert are planning to convert Paradise Cove Resort into a 12-unit residential planned unit development on Lake Belle Taine in Henrietta Township.

• The preliminary plat of Sand Kasten. Developer Myron Hohnstadt is requesting to plat 24.78 acres into eight residential lots in Henrietta Township.

• The preliminary plat of Shanty Lake Hideaway. Developer Jay Echtenkamp is requesting to plat 41.15 acres into six lots on Shanty Lake in Lake George Township.

Shanty Lake resident Pete McAllister, who owns a farm and part of the lake, expressed concern Shanty Lake has not been meandered (surveyed) and is classified as a wetland, not a lake. McAllister claims he owns private land underneath part of the "lake."
"We're going to consider everyone on that land trespassing," he said. "I don't have any problem with your plat, you just don't have any access to my portion of the lake. The problem is, I'm going to have to throw a boat in there and pick up trash. If a guy falls out, gets tangled up in our weeds, who's liable?"

Chairman Bob Ruhnke suggested the commission seek legal advice about the matter.

"This is classified as a natural environment lake by the DNR," said Buitenwerf, who recommended commission approval.

"The DNR can't designate anything on private land," said McAllister.

The commission approved the preliminary plat, although Ruhnke said the matter would be investigated.

The final plat of Bach Woods, developed by Northwoods Log Homes Inc., was on the agenda but will not be reviewed until July.