Planning Commission Regular Meeting Meeting

Detailed briefing

Harbor Springs Planning Commission Regular Meeting — April 20, 2023 • The commission approved the March 16 regular-meeting minutes and April 6 special-meeting minutes. • A special land-use request for guest quarters at 588 E. Main St. was tabled to Wednesday, May 3, at 5:30 p.m. Staff said a positive special-land-use action requires a two-thirds majority of the full board, and enough eligible members were not available because a commissioner was recused from that matter. • The commission approved a second-story accessory-building project at 15 Woods Drive. The proposal includes space above the existing garage for an office and bedroom, an 8-by-10-foot two-story garage addition, and front and rear porch expansions. Staff said the application met the zoning-code and special-land-use criteria. The applicant said condominium-association construction guidelines mean work would begin in the fall. • The commission approved a site plan for a 192-square-foot accessory building at 467 Glen Drive. The small shed will be in the street-side front yard; staff said waterfront parcels can present a unique front-yard issue because owners often use the water side as their functional front yard. The submitted design was to be part of the approval. • The commission recommended revised short-term-rental rules to City Council. The proposal would limit licenses in single-family residential districts to 61, the number then issued, and establish a waiting list. Commissioners also discussed stating a goal of reaching 5% of residential housing, rather than adopting a mandatory reduction formula. • Public speakers raised concerns about short-term-rental density, enforcement, neighborhood impacts and safety. Others opposed license limits and urged that licenses remain available within families. Staff said enforcement letters were expected to begin the following week for advertised rentals lacking licenses or advertising occupancy above licensed limits. • Commissioners supported drafting language so that, if a license holder dies, the license may continue through the current license year unless the property is sold. They did not support adding geographic spacing rules, renter background-check requirements, or a separate category for limited occasional rentals at this time. The commission approved forwarding the revised short-term-rental package to City Council. Worth watching: • City Council’s action on the recommended short-term-rental ordinance and rules, including the 61-license cap and waiting-list process. • Attorney drafting on how a short-term-rental license is handled when a license holder dies; commissioners discussed but did not fully agree on longer-term family transfer rights. • Staff’s follow-through on short-term-rental enforcement letters and updated mapping of license locations. Upcoming: Special Planning Commission meeting May 3 at 5:30 p.m. on the 588 E. Main St. request; regular meeting May 18; joint economic-development forum May 22 at 6 p.m. at the Community Center. Why it matters: The commission advanced rules intended to balance tourism-related rentals with residential-neighborhood concerns while continuing to approve individual property projects.

Agenda items

• 5A · Public Hearing - Special Land Use, Guest Quarters - 588 E Main St.discussed
• 5B · Discussion - Special Land Use, Guest Quarters - 588 E Main St.discussed
• 5C · Public Hearing / Discussion - Special Land Use, Two Story Accessory Building - 15 Woods Dr.discussed
• 5D · Site Plan Review - Accessory Building in Front Yard - 467 Glenn Dr.discussed
• 5E · Public Hearing - Short Term Rentalsdiscussed
• 5F · Discussion - Short Term Rentalsdiscussed

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

Related issues

• Short-Term Rentalsdiscussed
• Zoning / Land Usediscussed