City Council Meeting - 2022-05-02

Detailed briefing

Harbor Springs City Council Meeting — May 2, 2022 ATTENDEES: Council roll call established a quorum; Garden Club President Nancy Zucker, city staff, and public commenters participated in person and online. • Council approved a $2,000 donation to the Harbor Springs Garden Club for seasonal city plantings. The club said it plans to install 14 gardens on May 25, maintain them for 14 weeks, and add mums in late September. It estimated total flower spending at roughly $7,000-$8,000. • Council also approved proposed Tuttle Corner Garden improvements, subject to final city approval of plans. The Garden Club is pursuing donor and grant support for work on the fountain and deteriorated concrete at Third and Traverse streets. The proposed redesign includes improved access and a lower water-filling feature; timing may be in the fall or later. • A $1,000 Chamber Foundation donation for street music was approved. Staff said the city regularly contributes that amount through community-promotion funds. Council briefly confirmed that State Street closures for the activity had already been approved. • Council authorized leashed dogs at City Beach from 6-10 a.m. and from 7 p.m. to sunset during summer hours, as a trial approach to discourage geese and reduce beach feces. The Parks Board will monitor the other beach, Zorn Park/Soul Street, through the season and consider whether rules need changes later. • The city assessor reported property assessments required slight increases after county studies found commercial and residential values at about 48% of market value. Taxable values may still rise with inflation even when millage rates are limited; this year’s inflation factor was 3.3%. Of 67 sales reported, about 25% exceeded $1 million. • Council heard competing views on a six-month moratorium on new short-term-rental licenses in residential districts. Two council members disclosed short-term-rental interests and recused themselves from voting. A motion to take no action on a moratorium or ordinance change was reported as failed, but the transcript does not show adoption of either a moratorium or an ordinance amendment. Participants requested better location, complaint, and historical-license data before further action. Worth watching: • Planning staff and the Planning Commission are expected to develop maps and historical data on short-term-rental locations, licensing, and complaints for future public discussion. • Tuttle Corner work remains contingent on updated costs, donor/grant funding, and final city plan approval. • The dog-hours approach at City Beach and monitoring at Zorn Park/Soul Street will need review after the season. Upcoming: The school bond election is May 3; Arbor Day Fest is May 28, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; East Third Street water and storm-sewer work is expected to continue into early June, weather permitting. Why it matters: The meeting paired immediate quality-of-life actions with unresolved debate over housing, tourism, enforcement, and the future character of residential neighborhoods.

No open public follow-ups are linked to this meeting yet.