Prep for the Future – Let’s start here Shoreline Resiliency
From the June 20th Meet at Planning Commission with the Shoreline Resiliency slide show being presented by Beckett & Raeder Harbor Springs Planner John Iacoangeli
There is not anything more important to the work we are doing now then being smart and forward thinking, BUT staying in the present to research what is at our finger tips.
After spending 10 months researching Harbor Springs, the meetings in City Hall and the people that are either paid to run the city or those that volunteer to help run the city I have seen nothing ( could I have missed the obvious?) that relates to or about the work the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council accomplished with funding from the Petoskey Harbor Springs Area community foundation. Entitled: Resiliency Plan for Governments in the Little Traverse Bay Watershed. Here is a little what they discuss and a link to the documents. https://watershedcouncil.org/uploads/1/2/6/3/126321286/ltbay-climate_change_report-final-web.pdf
Planning and Zoning Tools
Planning and Zoning
There are already a number of excellent documents devoted solely to planning and zoning efforts related to climate change. Viewing these documents from a mindset of resiliency will help a community cope with changes as they unfold. We encourage you to begin looking at ways you can incorporate climate resilience into plans and policies for your community. Because Michigan is a home rule state75, local master plans and ordinances play a crucial role in protecting environmental resources, and the same goes for climate change.
Identify and prioritize. After reading this document, we encourage you to use it to identify site- specific risks and vulnerabilities in the community. Identify goals and objectives and organize them into first, second, or third tier priorities. Engage community members in conversations about priorities and eventual decisions regarding climate resiliency.
Master plan. A master plan that is regularly updated provides your community with important tools. These include facts on existing conditions and trends to help understand the impact of current and future decisions. Climate change is a timely topic with localized trends that a community should understand, and creating or updating a master plan could help with this. Master plans also provide a description of where and what type of development is desired. Through a master plan, individuals and businesses can plan for the purchase and use of property consistent with community goals. Incorporating climate change into these plans can help your community become more resilient without compromising economic goals.
Master plans are comprehensive in scope. This feature gives the community an opportunity to review policies and consider new approaches, given what you now know about climate change predictions for this region. As we noted in the infrastructure section of this Plan, convening diverse stakeholders is an opportunity to educate them about what is needed, in hopes of mobilizing support for making the community more resilient.76 The master planning process is a great way to get stakeholders to participate and provide feedback.
• When you do your next update, include a climate change section in your existing master plan.
• You could also do a separate, stand-alone climate change plan for your community, building upon the points in this document.
Zoning ordinances. A local zoning ordinance can be a very effective tool for protecting water resources against climate change impacts. Zoning tools encourage sustainable development by using approaches that are flexible but protective. Communities should encourage building design standards that emphasize water use efficiency and community resilience during increased climate stress.
Further research: https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/egle/Documents/Reports/OGL/State-of-the-Great-Lakes/Report-2020.pdf?rev=cbba3622a2854b46ba6e0d81d58eb19c