City Council Meeting - 2022-11-21

Detailed briefing

Harbor Springs City Council Meeting — November 21, 2022 ATTENDEES: Roll call identified John Cuffs, John Leo, Jamie Melky and Nancy Rondo as present; the mayor was absent. • Council selected John Leo as acting mayor for the meeting. It also approved the consent agenda without meeting minutes; staff said the unavailable minutes would be considered December 5. • Council approved MDOT documents for an M-119 culvert project: a good-faith letter, easement valued at $1,200, and consent to grade valued at $660. MDOT said the existing culvert and slope are deteriorating and could threaten the road. The replacement would enlarge a 15-inch pipe to 42 inches, but MDOT said it would not create additional water volume or divert water to a new location. MDOT plans to plant 90 trees and maintain them for two years. • MDOT said it aims to start when weather permits, likely around April, and complete most work before Memorial Day weekend. M-119 is expected to remain open with alternating traffic controlled by three signals, rather than a full closure. • Council authorized up to $15,000 in additional waterfront-budget funding for a seasonal marine patrol officer. Staff said the Harbor Commission recommended a fuller on-water presence for rule enforcement, boater education and faster emergency response. The position would not be tax-funded, according to the discussion. • Council renewed Dock and Dredge’s Ford Park barge license for five years. The annual fee rises from $5,000 to $6,000. The agreement includes a clause allowing immediate termination if the state finds the license converts Ford Park to non-public use, and a revised provision on boom position while entering the mooring area. • The longest discussion concerned short-term rentals. The Planning Commission had proposed limiting licenses to 40 in single-family residential districts and ranking applicants through a scoring system. Council members questioned the number, annual administration, inspection details, scoring subjectivity, and effects on current license holders. Public comments included both support for stricter limits to protect neighborhoods and opposition based on property rights, tourism and rental income. • Council voted to impose a moratorium capping short-term-rental licenses at 61 in single-family residential districts. Current license holders would receive preference if they meet existing requirements. The broader proposal and enforcement details will return to the Planning Commission. Worth watching: • The city attorney will prepare a formal written short-term-rental moratorium for the next council meeting. • Planning Commission staff said a December 15 public hearing can be scheduled on short-term-rental policy. • The DDA will consider options after the county opted out of its tax-increment-financing capture, described as more than $50,000 annually for 15 years. Upcoming: Budget presentation is scheduled for December 5; council said it will also consider the missing meeting minutes then. Why it matters: Council took immediate steps on infrastructure, waterfront safety and short-term rentals while leaving significant policy and enforcement questions for further public review.

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