From last year's disastrous drought that left Cedar Creek Lake's shoreline a weedy, murky mess in many areas, a beautiful piece of paradise is emerging this spring. That's how Martha Hershman, director of sales for Beacon Hill resort on the far northwest tip of Cedar Creek Lake sees it. The lowered water level helped facilitate a dredging project at the development to enhance the resort's private marina and home sites, she said during a recent tour of the development. "We took advantage of the drought to dredge out the canals and spread the sand out over the hills," said Hershman of the project, which kicked off with the purchase of the land in 2009. "It takes a long time to make something look like paradise." Hershman adds that one of the biggest assets of the resort development is the tidiness of its lake bed. "The rest of the lake has lots of tree stumps," Hershman said. "We don't have any stumps." The development of the gated resort is now fully ready to go, and the first lake house is under construction, Hershman noted. The $2.4 million house measures out at 5,776-square-feet of living space with 2,900-square-feet of decks and patio space, and it includes a four-car garage and two internal boat slips. Perched on the shoreline overlooking the lake, the contemporary home is being built by Carolee Kamesch of Prestige Designer Homes, who is known for her expertise in building luxurious energy-efficient green homes. Several other home constructions are expected to break ground soon, Hershman said. The builders include Fraser Fine Homes, Matie Custom Homes and Corbon Custom Homes. There are 100 home sites at Beacon Hill, which is named for the beacon tower at the entrance to the resort's marina that resident boaters will use to find their way home at night. Home sites range from $150,000 to $500,000, and the houses being built are expected to range from $500,000 to $2 million-plus. The minimum living space size is 2,500-square-foot. Lighting at night is an integral component in the design of Beacon Hill, and the driving lanes, the footpaths and the rocky waterfalls, streams and ponds of the resort will be shown off at night. In addition to the private marina that will offer boat slips for residents who build in the interior rather than on the shoreline, the resort includes a fully-lighted 900-foot jetty and observation pier and a bird sanctuary. Texas sculptor Billy Williams designed a fallen-log sculpture and the 2,300-foot rocky waterfall and stream that feed into Lake Ava Rosetta, which is a nine-acre fishing and swimming lake in the resort's interior. Three more ponds featuring natural rock settings are located in other areas that will be accessible to and can be incorporated into the landscaping designs of home sites. The Williams log sculpture will be included in the 2012 Sculpture Gardens and Art Tour on April 28, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., which will end at an "After Party" at Beacon Hill. It will be open to tour ticket holders only. A 24-boat stall marina with an amenity center for residents called "Aqua" is now in place, and it will eventually be expanded to accommodate a total of 72 boats. The amenity center includes a full kitchen, a bar, flat screen televisions, bathrooms, private storage areas and tables and chairs. Outside, there is a deck facing the lake. Another community center is planned for construction. Its amenities, such as tennis courts and a clubhouse, will depend upon what the homeowners decide they want, Hershman said. That might not include a swimming pool because most home builders are expected to include the construction of pools, she said. Although there will be a homeowners' association, there will be no dues, Hershman said. Special assessments can only be made by an elected board of representatives, she said. If the property buyer ever sells the property, then a deed restriction requiring a 3 percent transfer fee will go into effect. "As long as the property is never sold, there is never a fee," said Hershman, a former El Paso real estate agent who moved to Cedar Creek Lake last summer to oversee sales of Beacon Hill home sites. Hershman said Beacon Hill is expected to attract upscale buyers from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex who will be attracted by its incomparable views of Cedar Creek Lake and the resort's focus on "The Art of Lakeside Living." The resort is being developed by Kemp Lakeside Investments. It is entered from Highway 175, only 45 minutes away from downtown Dallas, which developers hope will further enhance its appeal. For information about Beacon Hill visit www.liveatbeaconhill.com or call 903-498-LAKE. For information about the 2012 Sculpture Gardens and Art Tour visit www.malakofftexas.com.