We’re No Mickey Mouse Town
Many have asked, "What do the "yes" people want?" As I have said from the beginning, the specifics are a bit of a moving target. It seems to boil down to, they want to get their way. Compromises were made, additional meetings conducted, and now a public vote is taking place all to accommodate the politics of grievance.
When you have a lot, change can be scary. If things stay the same, you remain on top. If things change, who knows. Uncertainty is not a friend of wealth. We are seeing that nationally and on a micro-scale here in Harbor Springs.
We've had some great conversations over the last few months about when Harbor Springs was perfect for some. Nostalgia is a powerful thing. Was it when there were three gas stations downtown? Before the Chart Room was gone? Before three-story buildings were built? Was it back when middle-class folks could afford to live here? Or when sawmills covered our shoreline?
There are so many great memories wrapped up in this town. Because generations have spent their very best days on our beaches and front porches. First kisses, proposals, birthdays and fireworks all happen around our harbor. We are a place that has more "perfect" days than just about anywhere on earth. It is no wonder so many hold onto Harbor Springs like it is encased in amber.
But, we are not a theme park. Our residents, shopkeepers, and service providers are not cast members. As a town we need to sustain ourselves all year round. We have things we want to accomplish for ourselves not just to accommodate our guests. It is absolutely true we need the wealth summer folks bring in order to survive, but we also need our schools and livelihoods to thrive the other 9 months of the year. For that to happen, we can't keep losing population.
Doing what's right for the residents of Harbor Springs is what the new zoning code is trying to accomplish. It is just a small piece of a larger conversation about our future.
As much as anything, how we have that conversation is on the ballot. How we conduct ourselves is on the ballot. The behavior we reward is on the ballot.
We can chose to be constructive or destructive. We urge you to trust your neighbors and vote "NO" to keep our new code. Reject the politics of grievance and stand up for the people who call Harbor Springs home all year round.