FALL LAKE TWP— The creators of the proposed Silver Rapids redevelopment project here appear to have learned some key lessons from their aborted first proposal. And one of those lessons was published by the state’s Environmental Quality Board on Tuesday in the form of a 277-page environmental assessment worksheet, or EAW, something that critics of the original proposal had long urged Lake County to require.
Lake County opted not to require the analysis in the end, which became a major sore point with residents who were opposed to the scale of the redevelopment as proposed back in 2024. Developers of the proposal opted to withdraw that original plan after the Department of Natural Resources and a local citizens group filed separate lawsuits over the density of the project, which they argued violated commitments the county had previously made to protect the wild character of lakes in the county.
This time around, the developers opted to prepare the EAW in advance, without any formal requirement from Lake County, which remains the responsible government unit overseeing zoning at the site. ISG Inc., a Mankato-based engineering and consulting firm, completed the EAW on behalf of Jamie Tatge, president of Leisure Hotels and Resorts, who is overseeing the development project.
The latest proposal for the site does reduce the number of planned new cabins, another way that the developers have adjusted their proposal in response to concerns from nearby residents and the DNR, both of which cited the density of the original proposal as their key objection. The new plan doesn’t concede much on that front, however, as the developers are proposing a total of 57 lodging units, down four from the original proposal of 61. Most of that reduction comes from a lower number of new cabins. The original proposal called for 49, while the new plan calls for 44. The EAW did not specify the square footage of the cabins nor the nature of their ownership. The original plan called for fractional ownership of 1,488 square foot lake cabins.
The new proposal makes some concessions as well on the number of boat slips and docks. The original proposal envisioned as many as 68 boat slips on 30 mooring docks at the site, which is located at the narrows between Farm and White Iron lakes. “Existing docks at the resort include 14 mooring docks and 2 docks at the existing boat launch,” notes the EAW. According to the document, the revised plan “proposes 26 mooring docks and 1 dock at the launch. Each mooring dock accommodates two mooring sites. This increases the total resort mooring sites from 28 to 52. This increase is intended to accommodate space for restaurant patrons.”
The EAW is designed to provide information to help guide official decision-making. The developers are seeking a conditional use permit for the project, which will involve at least one public hearing.
Hard copies of the EAW are available from Lake County Environmental Services, located at 601 Third Avenue, in Two Harbors. The county’s public contact for more information is Bryr Ludington, who can be reached at 218-834-8327.
The EAW is also available for public review and comment on the EQB’s website at https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MNEQB/bulletins/41e893b.
The public comment period runs through Aug. 6.