City Council Meeting - 2022-05-16

Detailed briefing

Harbor Springs City Council Meeting — May 16, 2022 - Council approved the consent agenda after adding the closed-session minutes. It also approved raising the daily parking-pass fee for transient boaters from $5 to $10. The pass applies to the harbormaster parking lot; seasonal slip holders receive a pass with their slip. - MDOT presented plans to replace a culvert under M-119 east of the city limits and stabilize the slope below the road. The work is expected to begin around the end of March next year, with substantial completion targeted by Memorial Day weekend. M-119 would remain open under one-lane, temporary-signal traffic control. - The MDOT plan would temporarily prohibit left turns from Lake Street onto M-119 during construction. Council and residents raised concerns about potential diversion to Hoyt Street, including visibility, congestion and boat-related traffic. Staff said the police chief and MDOT would continue reviewing the intersection and traffic issues. - MDOT expects to seek city approval to purchase a permanent area of about 3,600 square feet and use a temporary grading area of about 30,000 square feet. About a half-acre of trees would be cleared. Council and residents asked for tree replacement or plantings in the temporary work area; staff said it would discuss that request with MDOT before negotiations proceed. - The city did not receive an EDA grant for boardwalk replacement. Staff recommended fundraising through the summer, initially toward replacing the western section, with a possible 2023 construction if funding and contractor availability allow. A nonprofit said it can accept online donations. The boardwalk viewing platform will remain closed because the structure was found to be unsafe. - Council supported using the city’s $126,000 in ARPA funding for maintenance and recoating work on two water tanks at Kiwanis Park. Staff said the work is estimated at roughly the available funding amount. Worth watching: - MDOT must return with surveyed property boundaries, an offer based on fair market value, and requests for the needed purchase and temporary easement. - Traffic management, especially impacts around Hoyt Street and Lake Street, remains unresolved. - Boardwalk fundraising results will determine whether the western replacement can move toward bidding and construction. Upcoming: Arbor Day Fest is scheduled for May 28, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; harbor-plan surveys are expected in June and July, with possible public meetings. Why it matters: The meeting advanced near-term waterfront, road-safety and infrastructure funding issues while leaving key property, traffic and fundraising details for follow-through.

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