Your Neighborhood, Your Voice: Help Shape Harbor Springs’ New Zoning Code
We need residents of each zoning district to volunteer to engage on the zoning
Harbor Springs is counting on you
Every street, bluff, and shoreline cottage in our city sits inside a zoning district. As the Planning Commission meets this summer to finish rewriting the zoning code, every district will feel the impact, sometimes in ways only the people who live there will spot. With 1,500 hundred properties, its hard to get this right.
If we want a code that protects Harbor Springs’ character and solves today’s challenges (from short-term rentals to housing choice), we need at least one resident in every district to speak for their neighbors.
That means you.
Three principles guiding the final draft
We Love Harbor Springs believes the zoning changes should adhere to the following order of priorities:
State-required updates – Accessibility, fire safety, and other mandates we can’t change.
Current property-owner priorities – Styles that fit, fixes for non-conforming lots, sensible rules for rentals or multi-family homes.
City-wide priorities – Changes that strengthen the whole community, only when district residents agree.
What district am I in?
We’ve attached a high-resolution zoning map (PDF) so you can zoom in, find your parcel, and see which of the 17 districts—AR, R-1-E, R-1-A, R-1-B, R-1-C, R-2, MHP, RM, C, TR, CBD, B-1, B-2, WF; WF-1, M-1, R-O-S —applies to you. If you’re not sure, hit reply and we’ll help.
How you can make a real difference
Here’s a simple path:
Reply “I’m in - RM - .” (2 minutes) – We’ll add you to the district-captain list and educate you on the changes.
Attend one Planning Commission meeting. (about 2 hours, in person or via Zoom) – Tell commissioners what your district needs before they vote.
“I thought zoning was boring until I realized a two-sentence change could allow the building of a new house next door, to be much closer to my lot line.”— Bluff Street Resident
“Someone asked me what my opinion would be if my neighbor were to sell their home and the buyer wanted to tear it down and put in a duplex.” — Third Street Resident
“If the single-family home next door were sold, torn down, and replaced with a duplex, I would feel concerned—not out of resistance to change, but because of what such a shift means for the character and function of our neighborhood.” — Uptown Resident
Ready to raise your hand?
Email weloveharborsprings@gmail.com with your district in the subject line (for example: “Count me in – RM”). We’ll send you:
A briefing on the draft code
Meeting dates and Zoom links
A quick outline for effective public comments
Don’t worry if you’ve never spoken at a city meeting. We’ll show you exactly how it works and you’ll be speaking alongside neighbors who love Harbor Springs as much as you do.
Help Needed
If you are willing to help with your district, we are glad to educate you on the details and explain how to engage. Send us and email at weloveharborsprings@gmail.com to participate.
Spread the word
Forward this newsletter to your block, friends, or family. The more voices each district brings, the better the final zoning code will fit all of Harbor Springs.
See you at the podium!
Here are some comments that are coming ion:
1. “I am against multi-family dwellings in our immediate neighborhood.”
2. “We share our neighbors sentiments. The likely impact (parking, noise, trash accumulation ,etc) are all likely outcomes if surrounding neighbors can't prevent the duplex from being built. ADUs fall into the same category.”
3. “While seeming so innocuous, having a friend or family member living full-time in your backyard portends the same kinds of problems.”
4. “I would like to keep duplexes a SLU (special land use). I would be worried about parking for sure. Not crazy about more concrete.”
5. “The City Planners are heading in the wrong direction again - with this duplex issue. ...absolutely against the proposal to allow duplexes in all the districts and would object based on every issue touched upon. Add to those items, is the damage to value to existing homes, and the damage to the “charm” of H.S. I am especially disturbed by the potential of inclusion of the Glenn Street neighborhood in the duplex issue! Let’s clarify.”
6. “I believe in the SLU process. Should there be an extenuating circumstance where the home owner need’s require a second family situation on the single family parcel a discussion can be had through all criteria of SLU being addressed including neighborhood oversight. The review would not demand or expect a “YES go-ahead”. Many reasons including lot dimensions that do not work well with 2-family living on a single-family lot would dictate an immediate NO to the request.”
7. “But in general, single-family properties have been bought and sold with the impression the lot is as intended - single family.”
8. “Increased density (more residents)? Because another dwelling adds occupants of any number and cannot be dictated, I am opposed to single family neighborhoods becoming two family neighborhoods - overcrowding is my fear.”
9. “Parking demands (2 to 4+ vehicles)? Every property owner is responsible for their own cars and parking within the boundaries of their own parcel / that’s all the space the owner owns. Private use of public right of ways that block public use of the street parking should never be allowed.”
10. “The public road parking however should never be considered as a private parking spot.”
11. “Unless the City conducts a future utility use study, taxpayers should not accept any zoning plan that increases density that has a real effect on water, sewer, electricity use and road wear and tear.”
12. “Driveways are often concrete, forward thinking, the use of water permeable surfaces should be mentioned in the zoning code.”
13. “As much green space as possible, as little concrete as necessary.”
14. “Renters have less buy-in. It’s not the forever home. Not in all cases, but what had worked well in summer resort communities are seasonal rentals. The challenge will always be in a resort town that the demand of the seasonal renter and the rent that can be charged will dictate a month lease, a seasonal lease, a year lease or a STR.”
15. “I would NOT be happy with any duplex being built in our neighborhood. You gave all the reasons why!”
16. When we moved to HS in 1996, we were told that there are strict rules on what can be built in town. We were told that our little town would remain quant during our lifetime. I understand "Progress" but not like this”.
17. “We need people in the position of making decisions to be for the people of HS and our needs.