City Council Special Meeting

Detailed briefing

City Council Special Meeting — November 7, 2024 ATTENDEES: Five City Council members, city staff and legal counsel, the Planning Commission chair, and residents. • Council approved Administrative Ordinance 24-2, creating a 35-day moratorium on issuing new zoning permits. The motion carried after each council member called during the roll call answered yes. • The moratorium follows the repeal of Ordinance 439. Legal counsel said his opinion is that the zoning code in place before Ordinance 439 is now effective. He nevertheless supported the moratorium as a safeguard because that legal position could be questioned or challenged. • Staff said permits already issued under Ordinance 439 will remain active, and those projects may continue without interruption. Staff described the affected approvals as a few projects, including two new homes and one or two porches. The city will not issue new zoning permits during the moratorium. • The Planning Commission is expected to hold a public hearing after the required notice period. Options discussed included formally readopting the prior zoning code, extending the moratorium while a new code is developed, or moving ahead with work on a revised zoning ordinance. No final choice among those options was made at this meeting. • Several council members and residents argued that any return to the old zoning code should include a sunset provision. Speakers also suggested using Ordinance 439 as the framework for revisions rather than starting over with the older code. The Planning Commission chair said the work should move quickly, but council did not adopt a replacement-code deadline. • Speakers asked for a more inclusive process, potentially involving a smaller working group representing different constituencies. One resident said seasonal and full-time voices both need to be heard. Another warned that uncertainty is already affecting clients who cannot begin design work without knowing which zoning rules will apply. • During public comment, a resident requested compact-car-only parking near Main and Spring streets, saying large vehicles can block sightlines between drivers and pedestrians. Council did not take formal action on the request. Worth watching: 1. Whether the Planning Commission recommends readopting the old code, extending the moratorium, or pursuing another interim approach. 2. Whether officials establish a firm sunset date and public process for producing a revised zoning code. 3. How the city handles new zoning applications and communicates the rules during the moratorium. Upcoming: A Planning Commission public hearing is expected during the moratorium after legally required notice. Why it matters: The moratorium pauses new zoning approvals while Harbor Springs determines which rules are legally in force and how to replace the repealed ordinance.

Agenda items

• 3A · Discuss Ordinance 439 Repeal — Next Steps and Planning Commission Recommendationapproved

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