Lake condos nearing state permit step

CELINA - A proposed condominium/hotel-style resort along West Bank Road is nearing the state permitting process, mayor Jeff Hazel told council members at a recent committee meeting.

Councilman Fred LeJeune asked Hazel for an update on the proposal. The man behind the vision, William Edmonds of Lakefront Maritime Developers of Mansfield, moved to Celina last summer to be closer to his project. He first revealed his plan to the newspaper nearly three years ago.

"They're doing some final analysis from the state's consultants on the dam stability," Hazel said.

A meeting will be held between the developer and state officials in a few weeks to discuss the permitting phase, Hazel added.

Edmonds this morning told the newspaper he'll have a project update in the next few weeks.

"They're really close. I mean, this is a continual process. But it's been going on for obviously quite a while, as you all well know," Hazel said. "But they have looked at stability of the dam, what was filled behind the dam. It just takes, apparently, a really lengthy process of review by (the) state. It's not the city - we're ready to go. It's out of our hands."

"So at this point we're still moving forward?" LeJeune asked.

"Yes. We're still moving forward," Hazel replied.

In July, the city's planning commission approved a preliminary site plan for the proposal, which is being called The Boardwalk.

At that time, Edmonds said the project had no clear timeframe as he continued to work with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to secure a permit to build the resort near the spillway.

Edmonds also will have to go before the city's zoning board of appeals to obtain height and setback variances and again before the planning commission for final construction plans.

He did not disclose a price estimate but said it would be a multimillion-dollar project.

The preliminary site plan, totaling 4.891 acres along Grand Lake' shores, includes four, four-story resort buildings comprising 9,900 square feet; a 6,350-square-foot restaurant; two resort-style swimming pools; retail space for offices, general retail and restaurants; and a conference area.

The buildings would contain 150 units. The site also would include 336 parking spaces - 244 on site and 92 along West Bank Road.

According to Edmonds, the condominium/hotels will be a profit-sharing venture. The 330- to 600-square-foot units with prices starting in the $80,000 range will be operated as condominiums when the owners are there. When owners are away, the units will be rented like hotel rooms, generating income for the condo owners.

The first phase includes a new Big Bamboo's Dockside Grill and one condominium/hotel building.