HOF AT IT AGAIN WITH ZONING VARIANCES AND EXPANSIONS IN DOWNTOWN RESIDENTIAL AREAS.

[AQUAMAN]

Yes, the HOF is at it again. It's a very successful and old ice cream biz located right downtown. This time they are going to ask the City Council to give them a zoning variance/rezoning property that is now residential, to commercial. The reason? They want to build skyscraper type silos that will go up something like 52' in the air for some expansion needs. HOW COME? All I know is that they got along for about 6 decades without them, now all of a sudden, they want those huge tall silo eye sores located right downtown in a residential area that the neighbors are quite upset with, again.                           We all want our local biz's. to do well and hire more employees, but it's obvious, this new intrusion into the residential areas surrounding the plant is not a good idea for anyone, the neighbors, nor the public at large imho.                                                                                                                                 HOF is a large ice cream mfr. that practically has a monopolistic stranglehold on the competition. They've more or less put all the others out of biz. for quite a few years. Having said that, it's only common sense for mgmt. to have the foresight to make plans for expansions elsewhere, where they can grow the biz. in a prudent and resourceful manner. Like an industrial park that has quite a few vacancies and needs new blood to provide increased employment. This is something planners and mgmt. at the HOF have steadfastly ignored and thumbed their nose at for all too long. Instead choosing to ask more favors of their buddies at City Hall.                                                                   I am hoping and praying for a different outcome this time with the City Council. The HOF have gotten their way in the downtown area for all too long. Many residential properties in the area have lost significant values with this scenario, and more stand to lose if this goes thru. Put yourself in these affected citizens property rights and values, they have to deal with trucks delivering supplies daily all night and day year around, not to mention the employees coming and going along with customers.       The LDN put an article up about this last week, and if you look at the comments section made by Snide, you can see he made some very valid points about this from an historical perspective and obvious good common sense.

[AQUAMAN]

HOF, please do the right thing this time, make plans to move the bulk of your mfg. into a more suitable and proper environment of an industrial park, and make this a win-win situation for all. You can still have your ice cream outlet in the downtown area and keep mfg. and increasing sales in a new plant that everyone will celebrate. Thanks.

[XLFD]

I think this is the extent of the news of this topic that has been published insofar:

http://www.ludingtondailynews.com/news/60732-house-of-flavors-seeks...

http://www.ludingtondailynews.com/news/60906-house-of-flavors-share...

http://www.ludingtondailynews.com/news/60795-plans-shared

 

The HofFers did err, I think, in not sharing the plans with the neighbors before seeking the zoning change.  I am thinking it would be best for all concerned to try to live within the current zoning by making such storage as inconspicuous as possible. 

But I am curious as to how thinner 52 ft. silos would fall within current zoning, while the shorter, wider ones they want won't.  The City leaders loving the Neals may be the case, but if Barry Neal, as part of the DDA and executive of the area's HofF, can't do this without some concern for the neighborhood's aesthetics I would be critical of it. 

But until I see what the plans are I will sit the fence.  I think this can be done to satisfy both sides, with little extra money involved.

[AQUAMAN]

As I see it, the HOF has overburdened the downtown residential area enough already, and many times over. Everytime a small expansion was made over the last 40 years, the excuse was, this is our last expansion, so don't worry neighbors, you'll be ok. Well, that original thought has become an outright lie, and becoming a bigger lie as time marches on. The economic time for HOF to stop expanding downtown and go to an industrial park was 10 years ago or more, and now isn't the time to make more zoning variances for just the city father favorites.  I do think they could easily adjust and bring a better product more efficiently to market with the move. The Conrad industrial park has plenty of space, very cheap too from what I heard, and the tax incentives/abatements would be generous too no doubt. So, it could be a win-win situation. Just have to hear that NO from City Hallers for a change, instead of cowling down and making life more complicated and miserable for HOF neighbors and visitors alike. As for Barry Neal or any other relative/friend/business acquaintance in any position with zoning, they should opt out of any decision making as they personally have a strong conflict of interest present.

[XLFD]

When the wind-trepreneurs came to town peddling their turbines in the lake proposals they were at least kind enough to show the public what the lake would look like with the turbines in.  The new silos will have its share of potential dangers since it will need the same cooling system which nearly caused a calamity downtown a few years back, the neighbors deserve some disclosure, and I'm glad the LDN brought it to light without kicking and screaming.

[Marty Redman]

How about a little history for someone who is not so familair with the area?  I would think that the town might bend over backwards just to keep the signature downtown business of Ludington happy and content.  If that did move out, you would likely have some big footprint still in that block for years. 

 

If there getting undue privileges and violating long-existing zoning rules call them on that, but the downtown can survive a couple of silos a block off the main avenue. 

[Willy]

If HOF moves their operations from the current site my guess is they will move out of the area. HOF has been there for years and almost all of the neighbors bought homes knowing they were buying near an industrial plant. In my opinion the best thing for the community is to keep HOF and give them this zoning issue. Like X says there must be a way to come to a common agreement. I'd hate to see HOF pack up and ship out.

[AQUAMAN]

Well, I'll have to agree to disagree with the neighborhood situation. Every time in the past when these variance requests were heard, the affected neighbors did go to City Hall to complain and try to overturn the event. Sadly, their voices came on another "familiar deaf ear, the fix was in, and the agenda was set to approve it", and nobody or nothing short of a riot was going to change their votes to approve. If you look over William St. you will see an overhead tunnel type connector from one building to another, never had one in downtown or anywhere else in our history. The HOF was also given a loan/grant for something in the $100K-250K figure in the early 1980's sponsored by the COL. Shortly after, the HOF President Bob Neal decided to file bankruptcy, and the loan, to the best of my knowledge, never got repaid. Quite a few eyebrows have been raised during multiple requests for other like variances over the last 30+ years, with complainers being squashed and quieted time after time, and the "fixed agenda went forward with COL council members voting to help Bob Neal". Nobody has ever really said NO to BOB NEAL, WHY? It has been said many times in many places locally, "he has them in his back pocket". Again, WHY? If after all this the HOF mgmt. says it will move it's facility elsewhere if denied, this would equate to extortion imho, and show us just what kind of people we are really dealing with. I have heard the Neals sold this biz. to another group, but still own the property there, so, I would expect that the same clout will prevail in their favor, irregardless of locals disfavor and opposition to it. Let's just see if I'm wrong this one time on HOF, time will tell.

[easymoney]

If anyone were giving odds on this deal, I know where my money would be placed.

I'd love to return to the days when I put gum on the end of my straw rapper and stuck it to the ceilling(sp?)

A few years back, a relative of mine sent me the original pictures used for the blow ups on the walls at HOF,and, I'm in two of them. Had to come up that summer to verify it was me. Yep. I believe I was 14 at the the time

[AQUAMAN]

I like the way they decorated the old parlor, and all the old pics. of the days gone by. I think they also had a copy posted of the old menus, with prices that will spin your wheels compared to todays...lol.

[easymoney]

Those prices reflect the prevailing wage back them. In the 50's, my dad brought home about fifty bucks a week, if he was lucky. Not sure how much cause I didn't ask. I do remember him saying " if any of you kids would have cost more than a $100 to be born, you wouldn't be here"

 

[AQUAMAN]

I love your humor easy, keep up the good work. Btw, what did the present $10 pigs dinner cost back then, you remember? Us kids used to go have one on some Saturdays after the Lyric matinee let out, but mom's were not happy with us not having a good dinner appetite...lol.

[AQUAMAN]

Mom said stay away from Naughty boys like you easy....lol.