Be the Heart in a Town

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The Brief

• While the Planning Commission is asking for proposed changes to the zoning, it is also important to communicate you do not want changes. Attend and speak up at the Planning Commission so they know.

• Harbor Springs Needs You! Planning Commission meeting, Thursday, January 9 , at 5:30 p.m. Zoom YouTube

• Redevelopment Ready Committee (RRC) meeting Friday, January 10, at 10 a.m. Your attendance is always helpful! Zoom

• Downtown Development Authority meeting, Wednesday, January 15, at 8 a.m. Zoom YouTube

• The City Calendar with meeting dates, agenda’s and more: Link

• View our website or provide comments on our facebook page

• Harbor Springs is not like our surrounding neighbors. We already are the quintessential lakeside resort community. We already are a place of architectural gems, a walkable and thriving historic downtown, a vibrant marina and harbor, plenty of parking pushed to overflow only three or so weeks a year, virtual unlimited access to conservancy lands, the Tunnel of Trees scenic drive, two ski resorts, Little Traverse Bay beaches, beautiful inland lakes and waterways, all surrounded by the magnificent Lake Michigan. Add to this impressive collection of assets - we are the recipients for tourism of over 20 years of economic impact and influence from Pure Michigan, to this years new “Keep it Fresh” campaign to inspire and invigorate northern Michigan travelers. In 2024, Mackinac Island was awarded the #1 summer travel locale and #2 in the fall.

The Details

Why Are We Talking About Changing the Zoning Code Again Anyway?

1. Adherence to the Redevelopment Ready Community (RRC): Make no mistake, the City Manager’s push for the RRC since the beginning of his employment in 2019 has driven this issue. If Harbor Springs withdraws from the RRC, all state requirements for increased density, automatic “by-right” approvals for development, and removing the need for neighbor’s input, among others, go away. We can revert to using approvals for variances as we have done successfully for decades and years.

We point to the four examples of neighbors involvement of how the variance process has worked and can continue to work without the layers of bureaucratic, state-controlled, requirements. See the illustrative examples in the December 30^th WLHS Newsletter.

If the city officials were in fact transparent about the RRC and how it would affect Harbor Springs, they would have encouraged citizen participation instead of using threats to effectively silence public questions about the RRC, much less criticism.

2. THE DDA and the City Manager Want the RRC: Since 2019 the DDA has worked behind the scenes to support the city’s push for the RRC. In fact, the DDA brought the RRC to the city initially. Why? With the possible, not probable, lure of grant monies to solve parking and signage concerns, the DDA and city officials took the bait and headed down a four-year process largely without full community engagement and view of the public. Hence, City Council passed a new, (we believe unnecessary) zoning code, and then in November 2024 had it resoundly rejected.

3. The RRC Mandates Increased Density: City officials are using the RRC as a template to increase housing density to address “affordable housing” for people who work in Harbor Springs. While it’s convenient for people to live and work in the same community, a majority of urban residents in the country’s largest metro areas work outside the city. There’s simply no precedent or logic to declare people who work in Harbor “should” be able to afford to live here. Many, many people in northern Michigan work in a nearby city they do not technically live in, for many reasons including affordability and personal preference. Commuting in our country is simply a fact of life.

Rather than focus on building more units on existing lots, or adding units to existing homes, (while both could be approved by our current variance process), both impact parking in residential neighborhoods. Another solution is to decrease the availability of short-term rentals (STR). About 5.5% of Harbor Spring’s homes, 63, are designated STRs.

Recognizing that STRs house both vacationers and seasonal workers, both of which contribute to our economy, it is but one piece in a larger discussion.

4. The Former City Council, Planning Commission and DDA Wanted New Zoning

The bottom line is that since 2019 the city had been steered toward adopting new zoning. Why? We’ve spent nearly five years talking about zoning. What has been accomplished? What has been neglected?

We have asked for a clear, understandable chart on what the changes were from the old zoning code to the new (now repealed) code. How can we possibly review a new code without knowing what is the 20% that was changed? Why is this information been impossible to get? Let’s schedule.

It’s time for the city to tell us what they want changed. Specifics that we can discuss.

If the City Council and Planning Commission have specific data that back up their claims the zoning code needs changing then show us specifics. Show us some evidence that we all can review.

Once again, we are asking the city to provide what changed from the old code to the new, and what city officials are proposing as to possible revisions, and most importantly, why are they needed?

Ponder this: The priority on zoning should be

1. We support changes dictated by state law.

2. We support changes to zoning districts that need revision due to a pattern of prior complaints and to solve prior issues that need fixing. We don’t see a need to address reducing the number of zoning districts until the more pressing and authentic problems are fixed.

3. We support changes to a subset of priorities identified in the Master Plan that the City Council believes should be addressed, but only after a public discussion.

4. All other changes are off the table until the three points above are first addressed.

Education

The Home Rule City Act of 1909 recognized the fundamental rights of counties, townships, cities and villages in Michigan. It established that only electors in the towns can create, abolish or consolidate local governments.

Also referred to as local control, community autonomy, and self-governance, home rule is the principle that local governments should hold strong discretion in serving their communities, contrasted with strong state government control.

The philosophy behind home rule is grounded in the concept of grassroots democracy. Yet, state programs like the Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC) were developed to transfer local power and decision making to a state agency. This is why we opposed the new zoning code. Period. Not because we did not trust our neighbors. Not because we did not trust city officials. But because it was and is a program designed and written to reduce local control by enticement of limited funding initiatives and result in dependency. Changed zoning helps developers.

This is literally the opposite of the concept of the Home Rule Act and takes decisions out of local hands.

Enshrined in the Home Rule Act is the idea that municipalities have the sovereign right through their City Charter to prohibit the State from gaining local control or challenging the town’s autonomy and self-governance.

Since the basis for home rule comes from the City Charter, it is important to be aware of any proposed changes. Our charter was adopted in 1950, with amendments in 1979 and 1993. Since the charter is the prime vehicle for protecting local control, it is important, dull, maybe, but important.

If there are currently any revisions that are being proposed or discussed in the Harbor Springs charter, they are not posted on the city’s website, nor are there any listings of any committees or commissions that have been seated to revise the current charter. We will continue to investigate any possible plans for a revised charter and make public all information.

The City of Harbor Springs former commitment to the state RRC program is at the heart of the local zoning debate. Even the leaders of the referendum VOTE NO vote have said they did not fully understand the basic principles or requirements of the state-driven program. If the leaders of the NO vote didn’t understand the unintended consequences of RRC participation, is it even possible that the average voter understood? Doubtful.

To add recent context, before November, when WLHS members attended city meetings to discuss zoning or ask to hold town halls, speakers were told if they brought up questions about Harbor Springs participation in the RRC, the police would remove that speaker. That is in the past.

We advocate returning to the grassroots principles of home rule and the philosophy of local vs. state control of our community. We would like to invite the RRC and Beckett & Raeder to engage the community with their platform of ideas and processes before zoning discussions get any further down the road. The community needs to understand the difference between building/keeping a zoning code that is authentic to Harbor Springs vs. generic concepts of the RRC that will forever change Harbor Springs.

The question stands - Do we need to become further involved with the RRC? Will the RRC help or hinder Harbor Springs retain its’ unique qualities? Will the RRC help ensure grassroots governance by the many rather than the few? Was the RRC ever meant for very small towns? Let’s talk about this.

The question stands - Do we need to change the 2005 zoning code? If so, why? Give us specifics.

The question stands – In order to change the Zoning Code, and as part of the review process, the code must hinder a goal, or an objective found in the 2022 Master Plan Goals and Objectives. Which goal or objective cannot be met in the 2005 zoning code (along with the ordinances added through to February 2022)?

Is the RRC suitable for Harbor Springs? We advocate for the City of Harbor Springs and Beckett & Raeder to clearly explain to the community the redevelopment goals and Best Practices embedded in the zoning reforms before any changes are made to our current zoning code.

An Overview of the RRC Best Practices

“The City of Harbor Springs began its participation in the Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC) program in 2019. In the past couple of years, some residents have questioned the value of the RRC program, suggesting our involvement in it will lead to a loss of local character, turn Harbor Springs into every other city, allow the State to control the direction of our small city, and invite developers to overdevelop Harbor Springs.

However, adhering to the RRC’s best practices actually strengthens our local character and provides us with avenues and tools to promote our economy, strengthen our community, and take control of our city’s direction into the future. Further, when we run through the RRC’s list of best practices, we find that not only are they beneficial to Harbor Springs, but they also align with many of the City’s long-held values and goals, established well before our engagement with the RRC and before the RRC even existed.” by Victor Sinadinoski Current City Manager

For years we applauded Tom Richards, our former City Manager, who ran Harbor Springs with a deft hand, accomplishing much of what you will read on this list of 30 best practices. Today’s City Manager provided this May 2024 update on Harbor Springs progress. Here is the link: https://www.cityofharborsprings.com/an-overview-of-the-rrc-best-practices/ All of this will be helpful as we move forward.

There are many communities in Michigan that are dealing with these issues, with and without the help of state agencies. We will actively seek out and collaborate with communities to find out what works and what doesn’t. More people than ever are showing interest in sitting on 2025 city commissions, attending meetings, and engaging in the discussions. We are asking those of you that volunteered in December to sit on Boards and Commissions that did not get chosen to contact us to attend meetings. As Karin Offield mentioned in the last Planning Commission meeting, the audience can do as much as the Planning Commission to get the zoning right. Advocacy and community education are part of the solution.

We Love Harbor Springs would like to assemble a committed group to regularly attend the meetings and highlight key points and discussions for our newsletter. Our intent is to ensure that the wide range of people we reach has a deeper understanding and remains engaged.