Blog and Letters
Harbor Springs

Place yourself or be chosen to be on a Committee in 2024-25

This post in under construction…Please check back for more information! Openings In December, City Council will make appointments or reappointments to the following boards and commissions for
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Harbor Springs has been engaged with the RRC for years…. are we educated enough to know what’s next?

MEDC/RRC What’s in it for Harbor Springs? Helpful learning from our seemingly really remote and quiet neighbors to the North. Towns in the Upper Peninsula like
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An Argument Made: Sometimes, when you go slower, you get to your destination faster:

  For the Government to have legitimacy, it needs to meet two requirements 1) To be engaging and transparent 2) To be believed they are engaging and transparent 350
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Candidates for City Council

We need a strong slate of local volunteers to navigate the next weeks, months and year of building agreement and taking on the challenges of
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In Harbor Springs We Trust 10.21.24

In Harbor Springs, We Trust    Compiled 10.21.24 Prepared for the Town Hall. On October 17th, 2024 only 19 days before the Nov. 5th election, we learned
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By-Right Zoning: Good for Consultants and Developers; Bad for Harbor Springs

Everyone loves Harbor, but everyone doesn’t love the NO & YES vote. We were successful on getting the new zoning code on the November 5th
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We assert that the existing residents & property owners Harbor Springs should determine the future of the city

As we try to Preserve and Protect Harbor Springs, we want to be clear eyed as to the importance of following in the footsteps of
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9.1.24 Rural or Urban? The importance of remaining rural

While reading – it hit me – we here in Harbor Springs are a rural town among a county with shared community services. Seasonal population
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10.9.24 About Three Story Buildings & What the New Zoning does to Harbor Springs

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) typically focuses on economic development rather than specific zoning laws. Zoning policies for three-story buildings would more likely be
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Down Town & Two Story Buildings 9.08.24

One concerned voter writes: ‘Future Land Use’ In the 2012 Vision documents and research on the future land use, the documents @did NOT encourage changing height of
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Five Reasons to end the MEDC – Research Report #2 of 2

Did Harbor Springs City Manager do the homework before signing up for the MEDC/RRC process? This article is from January 25, 2019.   https://www.mackinac.org/five-reasons-to-end-the-michigan-economic-development-corporation The Michigan Economic Development
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History of the MEDC/RRC and its almost failure. Report #1 of 2

We hope you can get through this lengthy article; https://www.mackinac.org/S2009-06#executive-summary 2009 MEDC and it’s failures and costs to the State coffers – the entire project could
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Why RRC ? Some History

HISTORY: Anyone who supports the Redevelopment Ready Community (RRC) views, rules and regulations may have missed a valuable story of how Harbor Springs became a
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What We Want, (Changes to the Proposed Zoning Code) Submitted 5.20.24

May 6th, 2024  SPECIFIC CONCERNS Overall message/goal: Preserve the character and charm of Harbor Springs.   Our goal is to protect the integrity and character of Harbor Springs. Since
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The MEDC’s Mission is promoting Michigan’s strong image worldwide.

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One reason to Vote Yes to Repeal & Replace Ordinance #439 Zoning Code on November 5th

https://www.voteyes439.org/why-vote-yes-on-439   THE RIGHT TO FARM: Or the Right to protect the Agricultural District. With 22 reasons to Vote Yes to repeal and replace Ordinance #439 Zoning Code,
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Postal delays and your absentee ballots! 9.12.24

To piggy back on the warning about the slow service from the USPS, we may want to reinforce the importance of carefully following the directions
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Letter please for a Town Hall 4.3.24

From: Karin Offield  Subject: Letter from Karin Offield about a Town Hall scheduling Date: April 3, 2024 at 5:09:59 PM EDT To: Matt Bugera <mjBugera@gmail.com>, Jamielynnmelke@gmail.com, kathy.motschall@yahoo.com Cc: mbehrmann@cityofharborsprings.com,
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RRC ? Now ? Later ? Learn from this Survey

HISTORY: Anyone who supports the Redevelopment Ready Community (RRC) its’ long long views, their rules and lots of regulations may have missed a valuable story
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Letter refused at Harbor Light, published here. 8.28.24

Subject: LETTER TO THE EDITOR Please add my attached (and below) letter for publication in the next Letters to the Editor section of the Harbor Light.
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Housing Updates & our Neighbors 6.24

“The urbanization of Boyne City, characterized by the construction of massive four storey buildings threatens to undermine the small town charm and unique character that
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Resort Town or a Year Round Livable Historic Town? The Best Lake Town

The writer of this wonderful story uses the word “historic” about 25 times and every positive note is conveyed due to its utter lack of
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9.4.24 Petoskey News Review Story

Wed Sep 4 2024 HARBOR SPRINGS City shares official wording for ballot item Karly Graham The Petoskey News-Review | USA TODAY NETWORK HARBOR SPRINGS — The City of Harbor Springs
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Labor Day Observation – Part 1 – Please Vote Yes to Repeal Ordinance #439

Communities throughout Michigan and many states are burdened with the same question; how to make housing affordable? Harbor Springs may struggle with – what is ‘affordable’
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8.7.24 Petoskey News Review – Harbor Springs declares referendum petition ‘defective,’ puts issue on the ballot anyway.

— Contact reporter Karly Graham atkgraham@petoskeynews.com. Follow her on Twitter at@KarlyGrahamJRN. HARBOR SPRINGS — The City of Harbor Springs deemed a petition to put a referendum on the
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Three Story Buildings Matter in Harbor Springs – Protect our Views in November

  From our friends: Here is a link from the Bluff showing that if three story buildings continue to be allowed, now with the new zoning, “by
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Is there always a need for clarifications? ZONING MATTERS by LTBHP

It’s better when we can clarify/confirm any news that is published. Thank you for the opportunity.  The below article was posted in the Little Traverse Bay
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Affordable Housing 101 – Start Here to Listen & Learn what Michigan is accomplishing

This is the Housing 101 video we’d like to premiere in Harbor Springs. Let’s start here. Thanks to Nicki at the Petoskey Chamber!  
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Corrections: Please contact WLHS for any requests or complaints

7.23.24 In the past, from February 8th to recently, the property to the west of Bluff Gardens – Harbor Springs iconic store with large cutting
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FRONT PAGE NEWS Petoskey 7.19.24

Harbor Springs passed a new zoning code. Residents are working on a referendum to pause it The Petoskey News-Review— Contact reporter Karly Graham at kgraham@petoskeynews.com. Follow
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RRC History & Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s (MEDC) Grants Projects: Up North 2019 – 2024

The Enrolment of Harbor Springs in the RRC During the Master Plan process, January 2020 Jeff Grimm asked each planning commission member to complete a RRC questionnaire;
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Petoskey News 5.22.24 Harbor Springs council passes new zoning code despite public pushback

KARLY GRAHAM The Petoskey News-Review HARBOR SPRINGS — A zoning code update that’s been in the works since 2022 was approved by the Harbor Springs
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6.26.2024 Our Community and Our Voice

Letter To the Editor: ‘Our Community; Our Voice’ What we want, isn’t it a community that Council can depend on; a community of voices, of ideas, of
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Information on Long-term, Mid-Term and Short Term Rentals and Housing – details coming soon. 

07/16/2024

In mid-August, the City of Harbor Springs is going to open up the subject of STR’s again. Please attend the meetings and read below, for
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Correction made:What’s Happening to the Mobile Home Park? 5.06.2014

05/06/2024

UPDATE & Correction. WLHS researched and found the ownership of the trailer park had changed, but only within the family – not as a new
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Visuals of Harbor Springs Future

May 2024  UPDATE: The new zoning now allows three story buildings. These are the allowed three story buildings “by right” decided by City Council     While it is
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WLHS Town Hall Meeting Dates May 2024

The “We Love Harbor Springs” team is hosting two Town Hall meetings via Zoom, dedicated to discussing the proposed zoning changes that will shape the
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Letter to City Council and Community

Hello and thank-you for allowing us to keep you informed of the ‘dots’ we are connecting. This is the link to the current Harbor Springs –
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Unintended Consequences, Please sign the Change . Org Petition 4.30.24

To the Harbor Springs Community, Regarding the Redevelopment Ready Community (RRC) National & Michigan Program: There are unintended consequences that I believe have not been thought
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Letter to the City of HS – from Wendy Reeve

03/15/2024

I have attended all 3 zoning commission meetings held within the last 3 weeks. An investment of 9 hours to familiarize myself with this many
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City of HS Newsletter

03/15/2024

I got this synopsis written by Victor of HS progress in the RRC process off the cities website 3 days ago…..chilling. “We probably have another year
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Letter to Editor: Redevelopment is a Trigger Word

“Redevelopment is a Trigger Word” A few comments concerning the most recent changes to the zoning code discussion. Collapsing zoning districts from 17 to 9 makes good
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Silence Speaks Volumes

Letter to the Editor: In May 2019, having lived in Harbor Springs for less than one month, the newly appointed city manager, Victor Sinadinoski, for
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Request to the Mayor’s before May 20th, 2024

The City is proposing the largest change in Harbor Springs zoning, perhaps ever. It affects every one of the 1,600 property owners, and they each
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“Affordable Housing has left the station”: Letter to Editor 4.30.24

Dear Editor: I write not as a “character assassin,” a term carelessly thrown around by a Planning Commission Member, but rather as a concerned citizen intent
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Letter to the Editor: Regarding Nancy Rondell & Hope 4.30.24

Dear Editor: In an October 2020 interview with the Harbor Light,  while running for city council, Councilwoman Nancy Rondell highlighted the importance of local government in
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To the Community – Now 4.24- 8.11.24

03/18/2024

To members of the City Council; This paragraph is in reference to the delicate and important balance principle homeowners and most importantly second homeowners play in
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City Council Meeting Reply – 3.18.24

03/19/2024

Members of City Council; We would like to offer a correction in the spirit of transparency around a comment delivered tonight (March 18, 2024) at the
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