Harbor Springs DDA Meeting - May 13, 2026

Detailed briefing

Harbor Springs DDA — May 13, 2026 ATTENDEES: DDA board members, city staff, Farmers Market manager Hannah Bianke, streetscape consultant Tim, and members of the public. • The DDA approved allowing the Harbor Springs Farmers Market to keep its storage shed on the DDA-owned parking lot through the 2026 season. Members said the arrangement helps market setup and keeps equipment out of sight, but they also raised questions about insurance, city costs, property-use rules and long-term protection of DDA property rights. The Farmers Market will check whether its insurance specifically covers the shed. • Hannah Bianke reported that the market is entering its 17th downtown season, with more than 30 full-time vendors and about 20 guest vendors or organizations. She said the market donated more than $15,000 in fresh food last year and budgeted $7,500 to provide 15 selected families with $500 each. Market surveys estimated more than $1 million in annual spending at downtown businesses associated with market visits. • The board reviewed draft streetscape open-house materials covering downtown character zones, pavement, lighting, landscaping, furnishings, tree grates, crosswalks and curb extensions. Participants asked for photographs and aerial images to make technical drawings easier to understand, plus clearer information about bumpouts’ effects on parking and snow removal. The consultant also agreed to add information about below-grade systems that give tree roots more room and preserve planting space. • The DDA approved the lamp-post color survey process. Three posts will display Harbor Blue, Dragon’s Breath and black, with an in-person QR-code survey allowing one response per device. The survey will collect rankings and optional comments, but it is not an election. The Enhancement Committee will review the results before recommendations move through the DDA and City Council. • The board approved authorization for a 2027 drone-show contract and deposit of up to $10,000. Discussion considered expanding from the previous 100-drone show to 150 or 200 drones, but no final drone count or renewed sponsorship was confirmed. The winter show’s length would remain limited by cold-weather battery performance. • Promotions updates included a June 11 merchant workshop on Canva and social-media basics, a shop map targeted for printing by Memorial Day, a downtown website in production, and a Cobalt 360 data presentation planned for the June DDA meeting. The presenter is expected to explain the visitor data and how the DDA can use it. Worth watching: 1. Confirmation of Farmers Market shed insurance and development of consistent rules for private or nonprofit use of DDA property. 2. How the DDA weighs close lamp-post survey results and optional written comments. 3. Drone-show sponsorship and the financial exposure attached to the deposit. Upcoming: Streetscape open house on the 27th, merchant workshop June 11, and Cobalt 360 presentation at the June DDA meeting; the transcript does not give exact dates for the open house or June meeting. Why it matters: The decisions affect downtown property management, public-space design, business promotion and future DDA spending.

Agenda items

• Call to Order – Chair Brownpending
• Call to Order — Chair Brownpending
• Call to Order - Chair Brownpending
• Roll Call - Director Goodmanpending
• Roll Call – Director Goodmanpending
• Roll Call — Director Goodmanpending
• Presentation from Beckett & Raeder – Streetscape Project Plan Concept Plan Reviewpending
• Beckett & Raeder — Streetscape Project Plan Concept Reviewpending
• Beckett & Raeder Streetscape Concept Plan Reviewpending
• Consent Agenda — Financial Report, March 11 Minutespending
• Approval of Consent Agenda (Agenda, Financial Report, March 11 Minutes)pending
• Consent Agenda (Agenda, Financial Report, March 11 Minutes)pending
• Public Comment Regarding Items Not on Agendapending
• Public Commentpending
• Public Commentpending
• Old Businesspending
• Old Businesspending
• Old Businesspending
• Farmers Market Shed Storage — New York Parking Lotpending
• New Business - Farmers Market shed, Lamppost survey, 2027 Drone Showpending
• Lamppost Painting Survey Processpending
• New Business B: Lamppost Painting Survey Process (3 colors via QR code)pending
• Promotions Committee Reportpending
• Enhancement Committee Reportpending
• 2027 Ice Fest Drone Show Contract (up to $10K)pending
• New Business C: 2027 Drone Show Contract with Great Lakes Drone Co. (≤$10K)pending
• Promotions Committee Reportpending
• Promotions Committee Reportpending
• Director's Reportpending
• Enhancement Committee Reportpending
• Public Commentpending
• Enhancement Committee Reportpending
• Boardmember Commentspending
• Director's Reportpending
• Director's Reportpending
• Boardmember Commentspending
• Adjournmentpending
• Public Commentpending
• Boardmember Commentspending

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