A gorgeous lake, bordered by state land’rolling hills’ridges’valleys’open spaces’pristine shoreline? acreage’deer’wild turkey? great fishing’waterfowl’a winding, paved road wrapping around the lake and over the hills’acreage’sand perks? end of the road privacy.
When looking for a home or homesite, one would be lucky to find two or three of these items.
Vista Bay has them all. Tucked away in the southwest corner of Hadley Township, in the Goodrich school district, Vista Bay is only about three miles from M-15 and Goodrich.
Vista Bay is a unique blend of parcels of all sizes, wrapping around secluded Tody Lake. More than 2,000 acres of state land (the Ortonville Recreation Area) wraps around Vista Bay, providing every kind of recreation one can imagine.
Only 17 sites are spread over 85 acres, leaving the natural beauty intact. The first 10 parcels sold in only a few months and the new landowners are going right at it. Three new homes are under construction, two existing ranch-style homes are being remodeled and an old lodge is being renovated into a 6,000-square-foot home featuring a full-size indoor pool, rock gardens and waterfall.
The grand opening of the second and final phase of Vista Bay is set for April 5-6, but getting to this point was not easy. David Czajka, president of Woodland Properties of Michigan Inc. and owner/developer of Vista Bay, has been hands on since day one.
‘This land used to be Camp Lakeview, a church camp for more than 30 years that had some strong ties to many local residents,? Czajka said. ‘Naturally, there was some opposition to my development plans and a few spirited debates at Hadley Township meetings.
‘I think what opponents feared most was that this naturally beautiful, secluded, heaven-on-earth would turn into yet another brick-arched, 20-foot-foyer, yuppie-filled subdivision. What they did not understand was that my vision for Vista Bay was quite the opposite.
Every natural feature, trees, hills, valleys and views have been left intact. More than 95 percent of the shoreline of Tody Lake will remain natural because of unique shoreline conservation areas, and a lake management program is in place so property owners will be catching three-pound bass and beautiful perch for years to come.
‘Nine out of 10 of the new property owners are from this general area, three from Ortonville alone,? he said. ‘My brother, Jim, who is certainly no yuppie, is the one renovating the lodge and is the only landowner not from this area.
‘What amazes me about all of the property owners here is the pure passion they have for Vista Bay. Each owner instantly recognized the beauty, the recreation and moved heaven and earth to become an owner here.?
Czajka has had that passion throughout his adult life. With 24 years experience exclusively in vacant land, he is an expert in land division law, site design, development, marketing, sales and service.
‘No one can design land like I can,? he said. ‘My site plans are not spit out by some engineer’s laptop. I hand-design each and every parcel.?
Woodland Properties of Michigan Inc. is currently located in Milford, but Czajka plans to bring his company to Ortonville/Goodrich by fall 2004. Call (800) LAND-BUY [(800) 526-3289].