The Preserve At Echo Bay
Preserving the Natural Beauty in Ottertail County
Environmentally Sensitive Land Planning
A Variety of Homestyle / Lifestyle Choices: Waterside Homesites and Single Family Sites
Nature Hiking Trail System For All Seasons
Narrative Highlights
Responsible & Sensitive Preservation Planning, which includes:
1. Where is The Preserve At Echo Bay?
3. Who is on the Neighborhood Preservation Planning Team?
4. What is the Vision for The Preserve At Echo Bay?
5. What are the Specific Goals for The Preserve At Echo Bay?
Responsible & Sensitive Preservation Planning, which includes:
- The Preserve's land plan responds to the topographic grade changes of the property. Roads are placed to minimize grading and preserve natural vegetation. The four mile long trail system will accommodate golf carts and the pedestrian trails are similarly aligned to enable a scenic appreciation of the land, docks, lake shore. The trail system offers a way to get to all your Preserve neighbors (without using a car) and all trails are fitted into the land forms.
- The Preserve's land plan and landscape architectural design enables an unusual preservation of lake shore vegetation and natural openings. As seen from eh water, except for an occasional trail and water oriented facility, there will be none of the common, close construction along the lake.
- Only a few of the residences and structures will be visible from the lake.
- The Preserve's land plan and landscape architectural design adhere to both the "letter of the law" and also to the "spirit and intent" of the Country's Shoreland Protection Ordinance. The plan avoids all bluffs and wetlands as delineated and shown by the surveyors and engineers.
- The law does not allow counting the roadway areas as open space. The unusually long distances homes are set back from the main roads and the attractive settings and plantings associated with the careful road positions cause the effective amount of open space to be higher yet.
- Extensive research into the archeological history of the land has led to thorough research into ancient histories of the area. Such information would not be found were it not for undertaking the fashioning of this lakes area neighborhood. Excavation and archival recording of found items will take place, per Minnesota law, prior to construction within the areas designated within the archeological reports.
- The new neighborhood of The Preserve is so secluded by trees, land forms, and distance from the access roads that the majority of the residences and structures will not be seen from the highway or the lake. Even from the air it will be hard to see the new structures.
- Over four miles of scenic, quiet trails wind through the woods and along the lake to offer residents an opportunity rarely found.
- The array of quality home choices will reinforce the values of surrounding properties. Often, a limited selection of home types forces people to relocate and/or change neighborhoods. When residents change their stage in life, the Preserve will seek to offer an answer. The home designs and quality will offer varied prices and maintenance levels, providing choices to existing residents seeking to change how much they have to work on their yard and home.
- These choices will enable the residents to retain their neighborhood, lake, and friends without relocating out of The Preserve.
- The opportunity to create a neighborhood within a wonderful natural setting, while protecting it, is not common. Nor is it common to have the opportunity to spend one's days and evenings living there. For some, the vision for The Preserve will be as clear of a benefit for existing neighbors on the lake as it will be for those who are drawn to the Pelican Lake area for the first time.
- The Setting: A secluded setting is of course a preference of many families and individuals seeking a lake area retreat or residence. The remote location of The Preserve neighborhood helps separate the homes from the noise and high traffic.
- Carefully Aligned Roadways: Curving roads, that bend around the land forms and stands of trees meet at traffic-calming intersections and amenities, will bring new residents and visitors home. Rather than a gauntlet of driveways, the first half-mile of entry roadway passes between newly planted pine and maple trees. The land plan intentionally holds homes away from eh entry road with existing tree and planting buffers in between.
- The Lifestyle: While some come to stay indoors while at the lake, many seek the calm or activity of a day on trails, on the dock, on a boat, or on a neighbor's deck. The selection of a day's or evening's endeavors will be as secluded as The Preserve itself, but as social as one wishes.
- Trails: The unusually complete and inter-connected trail system will invite interest through the "theater of seasons" ... biking and strolling in summer, cross country skiing in winter. To have such a scenic and athletic benefit just beyond one's back and front doors will suit many home owners' idea of a retreat.
- Over 1.5 miles of maintained trails are designed to accommodate golf carts. Over four miles of trail will be available for walking. With the homes held off the shore the large shoreline stands of trees are protected. The network of trails will bring all residents and guests through the trees and close to the natural water and wildlife setting.
- Some pedestrian trails may include designated edges of roadways, and some cart trails join with and use designated portions of roadways to achieve continuity.
- Trail-side Sitting Areas and Shelters: Anticipating active use of the trails, and trying to encourage neighboring and exercise, small shelters with benches, picnic tables and grills are located at selected locations.
- The Dam: The Pelican River empties from Echo Bay at The Preserve's Northwestern edge.
- Guided by responses to the Shoreland regulations and anticipated buyer preferences for reduced-maintenance homes, the "Bay Cottage" homes will be of varied sizes, stories, and styles.
- Final design of homes and construction will adhere to covenants, design guidelines, and pass Design Quality Committee review prior to building permit application. The Land Owners will put in place a review mechanism as well as the design guidelines.
- Generally acceptable styles of homes will include: timber / log homes, craftsman, prairie, farmhouse, and blended styles similar to those seen in Rocky Mountain ski resort areas. The styles are typified by heavier cornice designs, steeper pitched roofs, and use of heavy timber columns, beams, and trim.
- Exterior materials will be stone, brick, stucco, and sidings of natural woods, stucco, hardiplank or accepted equal. Siding color is to be of earth tones of grays, greens, tans, browns, or rusts. Other colors must be approved by the Design Quality Committee with large samples available for review. Roofs are to be earth tone shades or dark shades of green or dark grey. Cedar Shingles and standing seam metal roofs in pre-approved colors are acceptable. Retaining walls as required are preferred to be built of boulders. Cavity block walls are allowed by specific approval only.
- Building Positions: The Preserve Master Plan will indicate the suggested building positions and sizes. Final building positions will be determined by the best way to save significant trees, if present, and still accommodate the desired home / building floor plan. Custom grading of each lot is anticipated.
- Garages: Garages are required buy may be either detached or attached. In either case, garage positioning must emphasize the home from the predominant view direction from the roadways. Garage visual impact must be "tamed". All garages must use a similar design theme and materials as the primary structure. Accessory structures must conform to project approval criteria and be of similar material and design style as the home.
- Driveways: Driveway alignments must be selected to provide visual interest and focus attention on the home, not the garage, while minimizing impacts on trees, of size 6" caliper and greater, where reasonably possible.
- Limited Clearing: The homes may maintain turf areas surrounding part of all or their homes as long as trees larger than 6" caliper are not removed. The intent of this rule is to preserve the natural setting as possible for the surrounding homes while recognizing the need for families to have space for informal games close to the home. This rule is in force, independent of the position of lot lines for a particular home and the property owned. Prospects purchasing home sites will be obliged to sign a disclosure acknowledgement regarding these clearing and mowing limitations. Irrigation of areas surrounding the homes and along green space and trailways will be encouraged, but not required.