DDA Meeting 9/13/23

Detailed briefing

DDA Meeting — September 13, 2023 • The Downtown Development Authority’s discussion centered on the Merchants Walkway project. DPW had closed the steps about three weeks earlier, and staff said they were meeting with the county inspector to determine what additional closure measures were appropriate. • DDA representatives said they were still awaiting OHM survey results and further design information. The board chair said a concept design was approved in June, but staff said engineering surveys could require changes. The chair described making the walkway safe as the first priority and said construction was probably a spring project; a fall start was discussed only as a possibility if bids and a contractor could be secured. • Adjacent property owners raised concerns about property lines, possible encroachment, drainage, vehicle access, mandated parking, trash areas, landscaping, signage and the project’s appearance. One owner said a right-of-way used for access to parking should not also be promoted as a pedestrian path. Another cited a 1982 driveway agreement and objected to a proposed Merchants Walkway sign. • DDA representatives said an earlier survey showing property lines had been filed with the county, while the newer survey was for engineering and grades. They said the city would not work on private property without the needed landscape easement and would address drainage and property-line issues. Staff offered to help a property owner obtain survey information after the meeting. • The chair reported that 2023 revenues were about $30,000 above budget, with TIF receipts still coming in. The reported ending fund balance was $174,000, compared with a $107,000 beginning balance. Of $42,000 budgeted for downtown projects, about $6,000 had been spent, mainly on two surveys. • The chair said Third Street lights had not been repaired and acknowledged a lack of follow-through after the DDA agreed in June to pay up to $2,400 for necessary repairs. The chair said they would contact Tim Knapp for help reaching the contractor. Worth watching: • Release of OHM survey and engineering information, including drainage, grades, property-line and easement questions. • Whether the DDA modifies the approved walkway concept in response to engineering constraints and neighboring-property concerns. • Follow-through on Third Street light repairs and contractor contact. Upcoming: Taste of Harbor Springs was announced for September 16; Harbor Stars for October 3; and a Meet Your City Council Candidates event for October 4 at 7 p.m. at the meeting location. Why it matters: The walkway project remains unresolved where public safety, private-property access, infrastructure design and downtown investment intersect.

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