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| PROPOSED FRONT - Shown is a conceptual drawing of what the front of the Oakwood Inn will look like after renovation work by Buckingham. |
Indiana Department of Natural Resources issued a certificate of approval to Buckingham Companies, the company looking to purchase the Oakwood Inn and Conference Center property, Friday for the installation of temporary piers along the lakefront of the Oakwood Inn.
Four 4-foot wide wooden piers will extend 150 feet lakeward of the shoreline and three 4-foot wide wooden piers will extend 170 feet lakeward of the shoreline. A series of 4 feet by 23 feet pier extensions will be placed on both sides of and perpendicular to the main piers for a typical total width of 50 feet for each pier.
The number of pier extensions installed will be at the discretion of the permit holder so as to maximize the number of boat slips required. There will be an expanse of open water of approximately 45 feet in width between the non-pier end of the pier extensions affixed to the temporary piers.
A final Y pier is proposed in a "Y" configuration at the center of the property between the four 150 feet piers and the three 170 feet piers. The stem of the "Y" will run parallel to the adjacent piers and will extend no further lakeward of the shoreline than the adjacent 150 feet and 170 feet piers.
A series of 4-foot by 23 feet pier extensions are proposed along both sides of the arms of the "Y" in the same manner as described for the other piers. In addition six 4 foot wide piers are proposed in the channel; each pier will extend approximately 23 feet perpendicular to the shoreline towards the center of the channel.
The permit is good for 24 months from the date issued and becomes effective 18 days after issued. Special conditions Buckingham must adhere to include: minimizing the movement of resuspended bottom sediment from the immediate project area; all excavated material must be properly spread landward of the shoreline on the property + or completely removed from the project site such as erosion and off-site sedimentation of the material is prevented.
Permit holder may install the approved pier configuration incrementally without invalidating this permit so long as that which is installed is temporary and in conformance with the approved plan.
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| PIER PLAN - Shown is the sketch of where Buckingham proposes to put in piers in front of the Oakwood Inn. The plan was approved by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources after several months of consideration. |
Buckingham must place the piers in conformance with the attached sketch. The piers shall be installed and removed by hand or using small tools; no heavy machinery may be used.
The piers shall be supported by auger poles or other small diameter poles resting on the lake bottom, the poles must be 3.5 feet or less in diameter, the poles must not be mounted or comprised in concrete or cement.
Scott Travis, senior development executive for Buckingham Companies, stated in an email Buckingham hopes to develop 190 piers as part of the redevelopment plans for Oakwood Inn and Conference Center. The number of approved piers is a close approximation to the number of boat slips anticipated.
John Holderman, president of the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation, stated in a phone interview he is extremely disappointed in the DNR's decision to approve the piers.
"When you consider over 90 percent of the people who emailed or commented were against it. We were completely ignored," he said. He also expressed surprise at the application stating the number of pier extensions installed will be at the discretion of the permit holder so as to maximize the number of boat slips desired.
WACF is considering appealing the DNR's decision and must do so within 18 days of the permit being issued. "We're all for the Oakwood project. We would like something positive to happen at Oakwood and for the community," Holderman said.
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| FROM THE LAKESIDE - Shown is a conceptual drawing of what the Oakwood Inn will look like from Lake Wawasee when Buckingham completes its renovations. |
He added he and other representatives of WACF have met and continue to meet with Buckingham executives and Ian Rolland, receiver for Oakwood, to find common ground. Holderman stated the WACF believes the maximum number of piers allowed is 90.
Holderman said the WACF felt appealing the permit was necessary "to slow the process down legally." Yet Buckingham has not stated when it plans to install any piers.
Rolland is not as optimistic about the situation as Holderman. In a phone interview, he stated the community "is on the verge of losing the project." In attempting to sell the property to Buckingham, the process was taking longer than expected.
Originally when Buckingham's proposal was selected by the court, it was hoped closing on the property would take place last fall, then before the end of the year. Now the hope is Buckingham will close on the property by mid-April.
"About the longest we can carry this through is the end of April," Rolland said. "There is just no other income for the foundation. In the past we've been able to overcome obstacles as they came up. If the DNR grants the piers it (Buckingham) wants, the WACF will bring ligation to prevent that."
Rolland said the WACF was adamant the number of piers be limited to 90. "They don't care what happens," he said. "If it kills the project, then it kills the piers."
Buckingham believes the 190 piers are necessary in making the hotel work, both for visitors to the hotel and for local boat traffic on Lake Wawasee. Rolland said he believes he can talk Buckingham into a compromise, where it agrees to limit construction of the piers for the first year and then re-evaluate at the end of the year. "Based on my conversations (with WACF) my feeling is they are not willing to consider it," Rolland said.
"At one time it was thought 90 piers were only allowed by the Syracuse ordinance. We've had it analyzed and it does not set the limit to 90 piers. It's just a number out of the air," Rolland said. He explained the 90 piers was the result of an analysis done by a member of WACF, but that person has since changed his mind.
"What we have at least right now is an impasse between Buckingham and WACF," Rolland said. "We've tried to be open with people, but this project is treading water. I'm at a point where I think we're doing a disservice to those who want to see Oakwood Park developed into something for the community.
Everything is in jeopardy, the Chautauqua programming is in jeopardy. If there's a new buyer, there's no telling what they would (want) to do. Ann Strong and her committee have worked real hard."
Syracuse Town Manager Henry DeJulia said it would not be good for the community if Buckingham pulled out and the project went back to square one. "As far as we know, this project is moving forward and we're hoping it will close soon," DeJulia said in a phone interview.
"It would be the only hotel on a lake in this area," DeJulia said. Such a hotel will bring people in who will spend money throughout the community. "They don't just spend money in one place. They spend it all over," DeJulia said. Another important factor is the jobs Oakwood would bring back to the community both during the renovation of the inn and in its operations. "That's important to a community like ours," DeJulia said. "It just doesn't affect Syracuse, it affects the area. You definitely don't want to lose it (the project). That would be bad for the community. I can't believe anyone would not want this to succeed."
Stressing he believes in conservation, Rolland said he also believes in order for the Oakwood project to work, people have to be willing to give and find common ground. He is particularly concerned if WACF brings litigation, taking time and money, Buckingham will pull out of the project. Rolland did stress there has been no threat made yet by Buckingham to pull out of the project.
In his email Travis stated, "Buckingham continues to listen to the community and progress is being made to redevelop this important recreational property into a quality and economically viable community asset for residents of the Lake Wawasee area."
If the project falls through and Buckingham pulls out, Rolland said the likely consequence is the property will be put up for auction.
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