FALL LAKE- When six cabins on trailers appeared at the Silver Rapids Resort earlier this month, it prompted concerns from a few neighbors who asked the Timberjay to investigate.
It turns out the cabins on the trailers are extra-wide “park homes” belonging to the Timber Trail Lodge, another resort located on the Kawishiwi Trail. The caretaker at Silver Rapids told the Timberjay that the resort is allowing temporary storage of the units “as a neighborly favor for another area resort.”
George Pond, the owner of the Timber Trail Lodge, is selling the six units. According to documents from the Lake County Planning Commission, Pond had 10 empty RV-campsite spaces at his resort so he bought 10 of the cabin-like units to place in those spaces to rent to resort guests.
Pond went through multiple public meetings with the planning commission in 2024 over updating his permits for the resort. The capacity of his septic system was a sticking point for the new park home units.
The county planning commission determined back in September that ten park home units exceeded the capacity of the septic system, noting, “(The) septic was designed for RV flow —2 people per RV— and 10 new park models … were advertised for 6-8 people.” In November, the commission’s staff reported, “This is a shallow property (so) the four park models could be equivalent to 10 campsites.”
According to Christine McCarthy, the Environmental Services Director for Lake County, Pond was informed that to comply with the county’s septic rules, he needed to remove six of the ten new park homes on the property. Pond is now selling the units.
McCarthy told the Timberjay that the county was aware that Silver Rapids was storing the units for Timber Trail Lodge. “If they’re there more than 30 days, they will require just a land use permit for temporary storage,” she said.