A private residential development on Old Mission Peninsula was proposed at Monday night's Peninsula Township Planning Commission meeting.

Vineyard Ridge would include 47 single family homes on a 28-acre site at 6867 Center Road, across from Pelizzari Natural Area. The project is headed by Traverse City real estate broker Ken Schmidt, who has an option to purchase the parcel from its current owners.

Public comment and board questions last night focused primarily on potential traffic impact on Old Mission Peninsula. Ultimately the planning commisssion voted to request more information from Schmidt's group, including a traffic study and information on open spaces, erosion, and preservation of trees and natural features. They tentatively scheduled a special meeting for August 22 to review additional information. 

Schmidt says he “finds the property pretty interesting,” and notes he was driven to “do something that’s a little bit special.” From his perspective at Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors, Schmidt sees very strong demand – and very short supply. He believes there’s a need for more single family homes on and close to Old Mission Peninsula, and that “many people like the idea of a single family home with the benefits of sort of the care-free living of a condo association.”

Doug Mansfield of Mansfield Land Use Consultants, working on behalf of Schmidt, adds that the project “is designed to capture the social equation one might find in Florida,” complete with landscaping throughout and a pool, hot tub, fire pit and common building in a community area. A 1.25 acre vineyard is also included in the plan.

Schmidt says most – though perhaps not all – buyers would likely be 55 and older.

The two-story homes would be 2,500-3,500 square feet each. Construction timing would be driven by sales, though Vineyard Ridge is expected to develop in three phases: first the main road, common areas, and 18 units; then the extension of the road and side roads with 13 more homes; and finally phase three, which includes the final 16 homes.

The project’s application points to “substantially more conservation of the natural environment than the standard subdivision…that is allowed as a use by right.” Current zoning for the parcel is R-1C Suburban Residential, which allows for up to 60 residential units. The project would provide the required 65 percent of open space, including a 90-foot buffer to screen existing homes nearby.

Peninsula Township’s 2011 Future Land Use Map indicates the parcel is designated for “moderate residential use.”

The project will eventually have to receive approval by the full Peninsula Township Board before commencing.

Schmidt's Vineyard Ridge proposal comes on the heels of the most recent real estate sales data provided by the Traverse Area Association of Realtors, which suggests the regional real estate market indeed remains strong. For the period January-June 2016, 1,446 homes were sold in the five-county area, compared to 1,318 in 2015.

In June, however, Grand Traverse County was the only of the five counties that posted a decrease in homes sold, from 173 in 2015 to 172 in 2016. Antrim County posted the largest June increase year-over-year, from 29 homes sold in June 2015 to 49 homes sold in June 2016.