Pine Hollow Closes Doors

Pine Hollow Institute (PHI), which operated as a nonprofit, private group retreat space south of Elk Rapids, has ceased operations. The closure marks the end of a year-plus long effort that started with the gifting of a mega-million waterfront property and ends with questions in Elk Rapids Township.

According to a press release, PHI has closed due to “excessively restrictive conditions imposed by the Elk Rapids Township Planning Commission, to opposition by some of its neighbors and to delays caused by township officials.”

Pine Hollow is a 16,000 square-foot home on seven acres along 600 feet of shoreline. Owner Leslie Lee decided to open the property up to charitable use after helping fellow Elk Rapids resident Paul Hresko hold a “think tank” there on foster care reform – in doing so, she saw the potential for the space to help groups doing important work and to offer a peaceful place to do it.

“She said if you form a nonprofit, I’ll gift the entire estate,” Hresko recalls. “She had no agenda. This was complete generosity.”

From there the idea to devote it to group retreat space developed. The Pine Hollow Institute was formed, met the requirements for nonprofit status and applied to the township for a special use permit as a group retreat center in May 2014.

Dale Hull, who was hired as its executive director, says he worked closely with the township zoning administrator on his application and received assurances that it would be approved.

During this start-up phase, “PHI openly hosted meetings, retreats, fundraisers, and informational gatherings with the understanding that PHI was operating under a provisional status until the Planning Commission granted official standing as a Group Retreat,” according to the organization’s release announcing the closure.

But it was a June 2014 public hearing on the change of use when negativity started to surface, according to Hresko, who says he witnessed a lack of neutrality on the part of some township officials.

Minutes from the public hearing show Planning Commission Chair Shen Smith wondered if children were going to be at Pine Hollow and where they would be coming from, because she was under the impression that they could possibly be distressed from abusive situations. Other residents shared concerns about a group retreat center decreasing their property values and “destroying” the quiet neighborhood.

Hull responded that PHI’s focus was adult retreats and helping organizations plan for the future. PHI leaders say many area nonprofit organizations benefitted from meetings at Pine Hollow while the group worked “in good faith” toward meeting requirements like zoning, parking, accessibility and fire and building codes.

Meanwhile, opposition by the property’s direct neighbors and rumors about Pine Hollow's activities continued, including one that it was going to become a drug rehabilitation center. Both Hull and Hresko say other comments were made about “black kids coming from Detroit” and the need to lock doors.

This spring, the township resumed action on the special use permit approval process – and according to PHI officials “surprised” them with further restrictions related to the permit – “far exceeding recommendations PHI had been given the year before."

Bill White, Elk Rapids Township supervisor, tells The Ticker all the conditions required for township approval of Pine Hollow’s special use permit were “reasonable." Hull and Hresko disagree.

“It was 100 percent limiting,” Hresko says. He also believes miscommunication among township officials and also fear of change in the community ultimately spelled defeat.

Citing an “unfavorable political environment,” PHI withdrew its application for a group retreat special use permit on June 5 and on June 9 closed its doors. Lee, who served as board president, says PHI is in the process of withdrawing its nonprofit status.