The Voters Have Spoken

"It is more important to do it right than do it fast."

The Brief

• The Yes initiative won as did Mayor Tom Graham and City Council Wendy Reeve. Jamie Melke also retained her seat on City Council.

• A Yes win means that voters over-ruled the City Council and repealed Ordinance 439. Any challenge to this would be a matter for the courts to decide - not the City Council or Planning Commission.

• The Planning Commission held a special meeting the day after the Election to discuss the consequences. That meeting was unnecessarily ambiguous with incorrect suggestions that Yes meant the City had no Zoning.

• The City Council then held a special meeting the following day to discuss the zoning. The City Attorney unequivocally stated that, as a result of the election, the old zoning was in effect.

• The City Attorney was asked if the City Council should reaffirm the old zoning. He concurred. That triggered a 35 day notice period for a meeting to be held December 5th.

• Tom, Wendy, and Jamie will be sworn in on Monday, November 11. There are many openings in key committees. Now is the time to become more involved in your City Government.

• There is still a general reluctance to accept the election outcome. Some incumbent committee members felt it would only take a few weeks to re-approve the new zoning. We disagree.

• WLHS believes before a new version of the zoning is put forward, the planning commission needs to meet with each zoning district in open dialog to ensure the scope of zoning changes is in the best interest of voters and property owners.

• Progress on the zoning must engage the voters, not WLHS.

Election Results

Harbor Springs unofficial local election results:

Getting the Zoning Right

We voted YES by a decisive majority, repealing Ordinance #439. This decision restores our community’s ability to guide its own future, allowing us to determine if any changes to the scale of development or increases in density are truly needed or desired. It also brings back essential, local oversight in the zoning process that had been lost in the new code.

By holding town halls, library gatherings and in-person & ZOOM meetings, the voices of the community are needed and will be heard. We will be asking what should the downtown and your neighborhood look like in ten years? Twenty years? Fifty years?

As we move forward, it’s time to start organizing the planning stages for creating a new zoning code draft. There is strong support for a collaborative approach, with many suggesting the formation of an ad hoc committee that includes representatives from the Planning Commission, community groups, full-time and seasonal residents, and other key stakeholders.

We believe it’s in the best interest of our community to take a break and revisit the zoning discussions after the holidays. Many in the community felt that the original process was rushed, and we believe it’s important not to make the same mistake again. More importantly, this pause will give everyone a chance to recharge, spend time with family and friends, and return to the table with fresh perspectives in the New Year.

The Events Following Election Day

Wednesday, November 6th, Special Planning Commission Meeting

The attendance at the Planning Commission (PC) meeting was led by the City Manager, offering three choices for the PC to consider (Agenda).

1. Do nothing and allow the Old Code to stand

2. Schedule a Public Hearing to adopt the Old Code

3. Start working on a new code

The purpose of the meeting was for the PC to make a recommendation to the City Council on the next steps now that Ordinance #439 has been repealed. Chairman Bill Mulder attempted to pull the audience into a discussion of the old code vs the new code, but the attempt fell flat. Audience members repeatedly said that without legal advice, decisions could not be made at the PC meeting and that the meeting was ill-conceived.

Nonetheless, the Planning Commission voted to recommend a 35-day moratorium on new projects and set a public hearing for December 5th, 2024. This hearing will provide the community with another chance to affirm its preference for keeping the old zoning in place during the development of a new zoning code. It’s important to note that a public hearing is a necessary step before any legislation can be voted on by City Council.

The entire scope of this meeting failed to recognize the simple fact that as a result of the referendum, the old zoning is in place until new zoning is approved through the process required under the Michigan Zoning Enablement Act.

Thursday, November 7th Special City Council Meeting

The purpose of this meeting was to review the Planning Commission’s recommendation from the prior night. City Attorney Jim Ramer stated that, in his legal opinion, the old zoning is now in effect as a result of the YES vote. The City Council accepted the PC recommendation and voted to approve the 35 day moratorium and the Public Hearing on December 5th, 2024.

The City Attorney said for “safety reasons,” he would agree to this suggested moratorium. The City Attorney was asked by an audience member to provide a written declaration for the City Council’s Opinion. However the City Council took no action on this recommendation.

The actions by the City Council were unnecessary. It is a bit peculiar that with a new Mayor taking control on Monday, the City Council would take this step despite the City Attorney stating clearly that old zoning is in effect.

Published: City of Harbor Springs Website November 7, 2024  

City Council adopted Administrative Ordinance 2024-2 which imposes a moratorium on the issuance of zoning permits for 35 days so the Planning Commission can hold a public hearing to consider the readoption of the zoning code in effect prior to Ordinance 439.

The Schedule

• City Council members Wendy Reeve & Jamie Melke and Mayor-elect Tom Graham take office on Monday, November 11, 2024

• The next City Council meeting is Monday, November 18, 2024

• The next Planning Commission meeting is Thursday, November 21, 2024

• Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 28, 2024

• The Planning Commission Public Hearing is Thursday, December 5, 2024

• The zoning moratorium the PC scheduled will end Thursday, December 12, 2024

• The last day to apply to serve on Boards & Commissions is also Thursday, December 12, 2024

• New Boards & Commissions members begin to serve in January 2025  

Help Wanted for Harbor Springs Boards & Commissions

There are several positions available on Boards and Commissions beginning January 2025. The applications are due December 12, 2024. We are hoping you will consider joining a board or commission.

The list is below and shows how many open positions are available. Please let us know your thoughts and if we can help you decide.

To learn more about the positions and to apply, please follow these links:

• Harbor Springs Citizen Participation Application (Fillable Form Here)

• Boards Commissions Recruitment Process

Board of Review
Taxes, Assessing, Law

• 2 open positions

  • Rhonda Troszak , Appointed Member (term expires Dec. 2024)

  • Richard Babcock, Appointed Alternate (term expires Dec. 2024)

Downtown Development Authority
Business Owner/Manager, Economic Development, Community Development

• 4 open positions (have only 3 listed here)

  • Sara Eshelbrenner, Appointed Member, Rocking Horse Toy Company (term expires Dec 2024)

  • Gail Brown, (Chair) Appointed Member, Resident (term expires Dec 2024)

  • Nikki Law, Appointed Member, Polished on Main (term expires Dec 2024)

Harbor Commission
Boating, Sailing, Canoeing/Kayaking, Swimming, Fishing, Marine Environment, Nature

• 2 open positions. (have 3 here - the new Mayor designates one position)

  • Jim Bartlett, Chairman (term expires Dec. 2024)

  • Kathy Motschall, Mayor’s Designee (term expires Nov. 2024)

  • Karen Strough (term expires Dec. 2024)

Parks and Recreation Board
Parks, Recreation, Sports, Conservation, Land Use, Events

• 3 open positions (only 2 listed here - the new Mayor designates one position) )

  •  Jamie Melke, City Council Designee (term expires Nov. 2024)

  • Sarah MacLean, Appointed Member, Vice-Chair (term expires Dec. 2024)

Planning Commission
Community Planning, Zoning, Land Use, Architecture, Design, Real Estate, Construction, Housing, Environment, Energy, Transportation, Engineering

• 3 open positions (have 4 here, the new Mayor designates one position)

  • Nancy Rondel, Ex-Officio Member, City Council Designee (term expires Nov. 2024)

  • Bob Thoma, Appointed Member (term expires Dec. 2024)

  • Emily Dube, Appointed Member (term expires Dec. 2024)

  • Rick Tarchinski,  Vice Chair, Appointed Member (term expires Dec. 2024)

Tree Advisory Board
Trees, Nature, Environment, Conservation, Landscape Design

• 2 open positions (have 3 here, the new Mayor designates one position)

  • Carole Winnard, (term expires Dec. 2024)

  • Tresa Johnson, Vice Chair (term expires Dec. 2024)

  • Kathy Motschall (term expires Nov. 2024) – Council Representative

Zoning Board of Appeals
Zoning, Planning, Law, Architecture, Real Estate

• 3 open positions (have 4 here, the new Mayor designates one position)

  • Madeline Heinz, Alternate – Appointed (term expires Dec. 2024)

  • Michael Behrmann, Council Representative (term expires Nov. 2024)

  • Bob Thoma, Chair – Appointed (term expires Dec. 2024)

  • Sue Stewart, Vice Chair – Appointed (term expires Dec. 2024)

Thank You

Over the past several months, so many of you stepped up to preserve and protect the character of our town. To the voters, volunteers, canvassers, and donors: thank you for your hard work, dedication, and unwavering support. This success is shared by everyone who believed in the need to preserve Harbor Springs and took action. 

We know there is more work to be done to bring our community together. Our hope is that this marks a new chapter of listening, collaboration, and finding common ground. We look forward to continuing the conversation and working alongside our new elected leadership to keep Harbor Springs a place of charm, peace, and respite.