Understanding How Harbor Springs Governs Itself
In the coming weeks, the Harbor Springs City Council will make several significant decisions: voting on the annual budget, considering a zoning code update that may guide development for decades, and confirming volunteers who will serve on boards and commissions, including those involved in the upcoming City Manager hiring process.
These actions highlight an important but often overlooked part of local government: the framework of documents that guide how decisions are made.
A Layered System of Rules
Over many decades, Harbor Springs has adopted a variety of governing documents. Each plays a different role:
-
City Charter – The foundational document that outlines the structure of city government. (ballot vote)
-
City Code – Local laws adopted by ordinance and enforceable by law. (City Council ordinance)
-
Zoning Code – Regulations guiding land use and development. (City Council ordinance)
-
Bylaws – Rules adopted by boards and commissions to organize their internal operations. (City Council resolution)
-
Boards and Commissions Handbook – A reference explaining expectations and procedures for advisory groups. (City Council resolution)
-
Master Plans, Training Plans, and Participation Plans – Longer-term guiding documents that inform policy direction. (City Council resolution)
-
Resolutions – Formal Council statements or policy positions, typically advisory rather than legally enforceable.
-
Robert’s Rules of Order – A commonly used framework for running public meetings.
Because these documents were created at different times, occasionally they do not perfectly align. For example, City Code sections may specify that certain board members are appointed by the Mayor, while a handbook or bylaw may describe a slightly different process. When this happens, it can raise understandable questions about which document takes precedence.
Ordinances vs. Resolutions: A Helpful Distinction
One of the clearest differences in local governance is the distinction between ordinances and resolutions:
-
Ordinances create or amend local laws. They carry legal authority and must follow specific procedures for adoption.
-
Resolutions express policy positions or administrative decisions. They are important but generally do not have the force of law.
Understanding this distinction helps clarify how appointments are made, how boards operate, and how Council decisions take effect.
Why This Matters
As Harbor Springs works through upcoming budget decisions, zoning updates, board appointments, and leadership transitions, questions about process naturally arise. Community members may read blogs, news posts, or social media and encounter different interpretations of what “the rules” require.
In these moments, it is helpful to return to the structure the city has built over time. From the Charter of 1932 to the plans and policies adopted since, Harbor Springs has a long-standing framework for making decisions. This framework is meant to ensure continuity, transparency, and consistency as elected officials and volunteers carry out their responsibilities.
Understanding how these documents relate to each other—not just which rules exist, but how they fit together—can help residents follow local decisions more clearly and engage in civic life with confidence.