Real Progress
I just got another email from the city with meeting agendas for this week's meetings. If you haven't signed up to receive notices, I urge you to take two minutes and sign yourself up. A link to sign up and to notes for the previous meetings can be found at: www.forwardharborsprings.org
At the last Planning Commission meeting, the consultant who has been involved in several zoning code processes in cities across Michigan, said no city has done more to reach out to its citizens and listen to them than Harbor Springs. That is something we can be proud of.
Letters were sent to every homeowner inviting input. We are working through 10 open listening sessions. The majority of these meetings have been available on Zoom for those who are out of town.
Hundreds of comments have been made, heard and recorded.
Consensus has been found that there are real gaps and risks in the current code based on comments from the public. That common understanding has led to the Planning Commission unanimously agreeing that is is worth moving forward with a rewrite.
Agreement has been reached that the format of the repealed code (not the content-the organization) was better than what we have now. This idea, based on public comments, has led to a plan to use the repealed code's structure as a starting place.
A schedule that will work article by article through the code to compare language, take comments, and propose new language has been adopted. That schedule pushes the review of Articles 2 & 3 (the zoning districts and requirements) to the end of the process.
What was a boil has been turned to a simmer. There are still differences, but if you have attended or seen any of the meetings you will have witnessed civil conversations and people attempting to work the problem rather than go at one another.
Friends and neighbors, real progress has been made. We should be proud. There is a long road to go, but together we are putting in the work to make Harbor Springs a great place to live, work, visit and play.
Tonight, there is a Town Hall beginning at 6pm at City Hall. On Thursday, February 6, the full Planning Commission will meet at City Hall at 5:30 pm.