Way to go, Harbor Springs!

After nearly 1,750 hours throughout all four seasons, five town halls, 10 open houses, an online survey, 23 open Commission meetings-after the fourth public hearing last held last night the City Council voted 3-2 to approve the recommended updates. 

Thanks to each of the members of the Planning Commission who worked their tails off to review every single word of the zoning code.

 And a heartfelt “thank you” to Councilpersons Jamie Melke, Kathy Motschall and Jeanne Benjamin who together trusted the work of their neighbors and the extraordinary efforts to listen and find common ground through compromise.

We Love Harbor Springs Too and this website was never meant to be a movement. It was intended to remind people that those who wanted to update the code also loved Harbor Springs. I thought perhaps there could be more light and less heat.

Along the way, we have helped to raise thousands for a community friend who is battling cancer. We helped raise over $30,000 to send the Robotics Team kids to their first World Championship. We raised money for hard-working charities that support our city. We connected with people when we were all struggling during the ice storm. We celebrated our City staff, volunteers and amazing kids. We highlighted so much of the great work being done in our community to feed the hungry, provide company to the lonely, and beautify our town. We showed love not just for Habor Springs, but also the people that make it special.

Most of all, I hope this thing has been a reminder that we are a great community when we are a good community. Good in how we treat one another. Kind in how we care and listen. And as that cardigan-clad mad-genius Mr. Rodger's said, "look for the helpers." There have been so many "helpers" in this effort and to each of you, please accept my sincere, "thank you!"

It’s time to update our zoning code

In 2020, the City began an update to its Master Plan. The new plan was completed and adopted in 2022 after two years of meetings and public input.

Read more about the city’s Master Plan

After the new Master Plan was adopted, the City of Harbor Springs through its volunteer Planning Commission began a review of the city’s zoning code to make sure the document aligned with it's Master Plan.

Large portions of the current zoning code were adopted in 1976 making it nearly 50 years old. Even with revisions in 2005, the code was overly confusing and did not reflect the priorities of the city’s new Master Plan.

Think how different the world was 50 years ago.

In 1976, Steve Wozniak and his buddy Steve Jobs created the Apple 1 computer and launched a digital revolution. Things sure have come a long way!

What do the updates do to the code do to simplify things?

One of the complaints the Planning Commission heard about the old code is it was unnecessarily complex. So what does the new code do to address the issue?

The new zoning code update is designed to be more clear, simple, and fair for all. Here are a few benefits we get from the updated format:

  • 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻, 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿, 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱

  • 𝗜𝘁 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝗮𝗰h 𝘇𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁

  • 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘇𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

  • 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁. 𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝘂𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝟯𝟬 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘀. (𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆).

  • 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗷𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀

What will the updates do to help our downtown?

Here are a few updates that have made the code better and position Harbor Springs for a bright future while preserving our past. Updates to the code include:

  • Closing a loophole that does not set a hard limit on maximum building height in the Central Business District (CBD). The update sets a clear limit at 35’ which is easy to understand and enforce.

  • Eliminating 1 of 2 zoning districts (other than the CBD) downtown by combining them. This simplifies rules for property owners and make more sense for everybody.

  • Introducing basic architectural standards for buildings in the CBD to keep the look we love. Our current zoning code does not have these.

  • Some modern business types are currently not allowed in the current zoning code. Businesses like brewpubs, tasting rooms, small distillers, etc. would now be allowed. I think it would be great to have some of these to add life to downtown year around.

  • Prohibiting gas stations in the Central Business District; somehow they are still permitted in the current zoning code.

  • Prohibiting Planned Developments in the CBD unless 5 of 7 newly developed standards are satisfied before a permit process can begin.

  • Prohibiting sexually oriented businesses in the Central Business District; unbelievably they are permitted there by special land use in our current zoning code. We don’t want these but they have to be allowed somewhere, so the PC wisely moved them to the Industrial district up on Hoyt Street by the boat storage buildings.

What do the updates do to help our neighborhoods?

Here are a few important the aspects related to neighborhoods that I see in the draft zoning code:

  • The update forbids mobile homes in residential neighborhoods – many were surprised to learn that the current version allows mobile homes in the 2 residential districts that account for most of our homes.

  • The update forbids building detached single unit homes in Mobile Home Park – the current version of our zoning code allows them.

  • The update forbids building a home out of shipping containers. – the current version is silent about using them to build a home or garage or shed.

  • The update allows covered front porches to extend a bit into a lot’s front setback area. This would give property owners more options and could prevent some common Zoning Board of Appeals cases.

  • The update combines the current R1B and R1C zoning districts. The properties in those neighborhoods are so similar in real life that the PC felt an artificial distinction didn’t make sense.

  • The update preserves most other zoning districts and their minimum lot dimensions as is. People were concerned about increasing housing density and this recommendation pretty much eliminates that concern as far as I can tell.

  • The update standardizes the approval needed for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) across all zoning districts where they are allowed. There are currently different rules. The Planning Commission and community settled on “special land use” approval everywhere.

  • The update does not expand where duplexes are allowed today. This was a topic of much discussion. The Planning Commission ended up being very conservative on this.

  • The update adds shoreline protection standards recommended by the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council.

  • The update also adds up-to-date dark sky standards for new developments