Planning Commission Meeting 6.3.2021

Detailed briefing

Planning Commission Meeting — June 3, 2021 ATTENDEES: George Peet, Bill Mulder, Mark Boudet, Andrew Bowman, Al Daika, Beth Verhalle, Mary Katherine Hanna, and Emily Dubé. • Housing North presented regional housing information and resources for the master-plan process. Its pre-COVID target-market analysis identified a need for more than 15,000 housing units across its 10-county service region over five years; the presenter estimated Emmet County’s need at roughly 2,000 to 2,500 units. The presenter noted that rental-demand and rental-price data remain limited and inflated. • Discussion covered ways a master plan and later zoning review could support housing without expanding development into areas the community wants to protect. Examples included accessory dwelling units, mixed-use projects, reduced parking requirements, varied housing types, updated definitions for employee or shared housing, and potentially allowing long-term—not short-term—occupancy in certain accessory living quarters. • Commissioners discussed the challenge of Harbor Springs’ limited land area and high property values, along with the need to coordinate with surrounding townships. Housing North encouraged concentrating housing near existing amenities, roads, water and sewer where possible, while involving townships and protecting natural resources. • The commission supported moving ahead with a subcommittee’s proposed public-input session focused on housing and the master plan. The concept is a guided forum, rather than an open-ended meeting, with shared background information and a limited number of published questions. June 22 was identified as the earliest possible date, but the timing remained dependent on preparation. • The commission unanimously recommended that City Council oppose House Bill 4722 and Senate Bill 0446, which staff said would make short-term rentals a by-right property use and significantly reduce local ability to license, locate or otherwise regulate them. The recommendation was framed around retaining local control, not taking a position for or against short-term rentals themselves. • Staff also reported on a Michigan Supreme Court short-term-rental decision and said local ordinance language on temporary occupancy, hotels, motels, rooming houses and boarding houses should be reviewed for conflicts or ambiguity. Worth watching: • Whether the public housing forum is scheduled and whether it brings input from workers, employers, city residents and nearby township residents. • City Council’s response to the commission’s recommendation on the state short-term-rental bills. • Staff’s future review of short-term-rental and related lodging definitions in the zoning code. Upcoming: The next regular Planning Commission meeting was identified as June 17, with a special land-use request expected; a master-plan discussion may be placed on the July 15 regular meeting agenda. Why it matters: The commission is building the policy basis for future housing and zoning decisions while seeking to preserve local authority over short-term rentals.

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