Ed. note: Roger L. Myers, an attorney with Myers & Myers, PLLC who represents the BayView development in Suttons Bay, responded to a request from the Enterprise for comments on large development trends in Leelanau County. His comments were submitted after our deadline for a story on trends from 2007 that was published on Jan. 3. Here are his comments:

Small communities in northern Michigan will continue to require a strong tax base and that can only be driven by larger developments with a mixed product to attract not only seasonal residents but also full-time residents. BayView as planned and designed fits this bill.

The mixed use will also attract many visitors who will spend in the small shops and restaurants adding to the overall viability of the small local towns.

An added benefit of these larger developments is that they take 8 to 12 years to be completed and as such will go through growth and slow cycles in tune with the economy. They are usually able to ride out slow periods and take advantage of growth periods with major marketing programs. Since the success of these developments impacts the community tremendously, one of the keys to a successful project is a local community support.

The word of mouth and referrals to friends and family and by business owners creates a win-win situation.