Condo?

These two letters illustrate the problems we are having trying to have a condo built in T.C.
We have been repeatedly disappointed, frustrated, led on and let down.  Dick emailed the builder yesterday to try to get a grasp on what the heck is going on.  To me, it sounds like more delays and more unkept promises.

This is the response we got from our proposed builder at Lone Tree.

Hi Dick -

I just made a comment to Lynne this week how ridiculous it must look to the newer clients that we can't start building yet.

We have had to jump through hoops to get the lots transferred and it is because of the people at Garfield Township, both old and new, in the zoning department. As of today, we still do not have title to the property. We just found out this week that the township is requiring notarized signatures from the people who currently live along Lone Pine Dr. You can imagine how difficult it is to try and coordinate that. Carol went door to door last night with a notary to try and make this happen. We are still 2 notarized signatures short. Once we have the signatures, I can have the amendment recorded with the county. After this happens, I can take it back to Garfield Township and get the building permit. This process has been incredibly cumbersome and ridiculous. I am just as frustrated as you, especially as we get closer to winter, so I completely understand where you are coming form.

I already have paid for and pulled the sewer, water and soil/erosion permit. The contractors have been lined up  and now pushed back again. I hope to see this resolved (2 signatures and recorded) by mid next week and we will start immediately. It should only take a couple days to get the permits. If I can get the concrete work done before things start to freeze, we should be in good shape to have the building ready in the spring. If winter is anything like last year it will play a role in the timeline. But I remain optimistic that we can be dried in before it gets bad outside. As long as the township doesn't throw anymore curveballs our way.

Thanks and feel free to send any questions my way. Brian

This is the letter that Dick sent to him:

On Thu, Sep 18, 2014 at 10:08 AM, Richard Steiger wrote:
Hi Brian,

As you can imagine, Nancy and I are extremely frustrated and actually, quite disillusioned by the Lone Tree situation. Our direct conversations with you were quite positive. We probably told you this before but at this stage in our lives we are no longer able to keep our home and property out here on the river maintained at as high a level as we have in the past. Because of this situation, we have decided that a condominium is where we should spend the rest of our lives.

As I think you know, we have shopped all of the condos in the Traverse City area. We determined that the Lone Tree floor plan, location, and price was the one which, by far, best fit our needs. As a result of our meetings and discussions with you and Lynne we anticipated having a condo available early last summer. It was for that reason we scheduled the closing on our house for June 1. Fortunately, the buyer has allowed us to stay in our home as renters through the summer.

Part of our frustration level might be caused by the lack of our direct communication with you. We direct our questions to Beccy who talks to Lynne who then, we assume, speaks to you, then passes the information on to Beccy who then informs us. We have been told that the unit would be finished by; early September, Mid October, end of November, before Christmas. What we have been told is that there has been a problem getting the latest permits from the county/township but the issue will be resolved in about two weeks. Then once permits were apparently acquired, the property had to be surveyed which will take about two weeks. Then another lot was needed because of the retention pond and the procedure must start all over again which will take about two weeks. The last comments were that all was good and construction would begin in about two weeks, just after Labor Day. Well, more than two weeks have passed since Labor Day but apparently nothing is happening.

Currently we have contracted with a moving firm to pack our furniture and possessions November 1 and put everything in storage. Luckily we will not be homeless, we will return to our Florida condominium for the winter. We do not wish to become full time Florida residents. We want to have a home here in Traverse City. For that reason we believe that it is imperative that we take action to determine where and what that might be.

We are aware that we have not signed a contract or anything and that you have no legal responsibility to us, but could you please give us a few answers. Is it your intention to build another condominium duplex in Lone Tree? If so, do you have a date certain when construction will begin? Can you possibly guarantee that we will have a place to come home to in May or June? Is there anything we can do to help the situation proceed?