City Council Meeting - 2023-03-06

Detailed briefing

City Council Meeting — March 6, 2023 ATTENDEES: Initial roll call recorded John Leo, Jamie Melky, Nancy Rondell, Matt Rivera, and John Cox; a quorum was declared. • Council approved the consent agenda. It also approved a temporary sign for Pontius Flower Shop’s 100th year in business. Staff said the shop, at 592 East Main Street, is a grandfathered business in a residential district with two existing grandfathered signs. A permanent additional sign was not recommended while the zoning code is being updated; the approved temporary sign is for this year. • Residents raised concerns about MDOT’s idea to move M-119 to Lake Street through a jurisdiction exchange. Comments focused on possible added traffic, speeding, truck movements, and safety issues on Arbor Street and nearby residential streets. Another commenter objected to shifting what they viewed as state road responsibilities to the city. • The city will host a public-input meeting on the M-119 proposal Thursday, March 9, at 6 p.m., at City Hall and on Zoom. Staff said the meeting is intended to collect questions, comments, and concerns—not provide all answers. The city had already received about 230 survey responses and plans to gather input from the DDA, Planning Commission, school, and staff before Council considers a formal response to MDOT. • Planning Commission Chair Bill Mulder presented the ongoing zoning-code update. The commission is studying ways to simplify and modernize the code and is exploring housing-related options such as smaller homes, accessory dwelling units, cottage courts, tiny homes, duplexes, and fourplexes. The work is tied to the master plan and to reported demographic trends including older residents, smaller households, and demand for year-round rentals. Council members voiced support for continuing the research; no zoning amendments were adopted. • Boardwalk demolition was reported as more than halfway complete. Staff said work paused because of weather, materials were mostly on hand or expected soon, and the goal was completion by July 4 if conditions allow. The contract allows work into fall, and staff previously said they hoped to complete the platform by June. Fundraising reached $440,000, including a $20,000 Voss Family Foundation donation; staff said the matching-grant goal was essentially met. • Council discussion favored holding off on the estimated $300,000 eastern boardwalk section and proceeding in two stages. Staff also reported MDOT tree removal for the M-119 culvert work, the city’s second Tree City designation, and continuing work on potential noise-ordinance changes. Worth watching: • Whether Council directs staff to continue or decline further discussions with MDOT on the M-119/Lake Street exchange. • Boardwalk construction progress, weather impacts, and whether funding develops for the eastern section. • Which zoning-code changes advance to public hearings and formal Council consideration. Upcoming: M-119 public-input meeting March 9 at 6 p.m.; Tree Board meeting March 17; next Council meeting March 20. Why it matters: The meeting advanced a downtown-access project and began public scrutiny of road, housing, and land-use choices that could affect Harbor Springs neighborhoods and services.

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