Harbor Springs Planning Commission 7.16.2020

Detailed briefing

Harbor Springs Planning Commission — July 16, 2020 • The Planning Commission approved a special land use request for guest quarters/accessory living quarters at 600 W. 2nd Street. The applicant, Michael Thornton, described plans for a new home and detached garage/guest structure on a lot near 2nd Street and Ann/3rd Street. The public hearing drew no recorded comments, and the motion passed after a roll-call vote. • Building-height documentation was a major part of the review. The applicant acknowledged that the detached structure shown in the submitted plans was above the 25-foot height limit and said it would be reduced through changes to ceiling heights, roof pitch, and floor trusses. Staff said a revised site plan could be required during zoning review to show the proper height. • A commissioner also said the main house appeared close to the district's 35-foot height limit. The plans did not clearly show the original grade and the highest roof point needed to verify the measurement. The applicant said drainage planning and site staking were still underway. Staff indicated the final zoning-permit review would verify existing grade and building heights. • Summit Street resident Bill Mulder asked for direction on a lot-line adjustment involving his home and an adjacent lot. Staff explained that adding land to his existing lot would widen it, raising the required side-yard setback under the 12-percent rule and creating or increasing a nonconformity that prevents administrative approval of the lot split. • Commissioners said they were not inclined to pursue an immediate zoning-code change based on this situation. They noted that an amendment would take roughly 90 to 120 days and still require City Council action. They identified a City Council hardship appeal as the faster path for Mulder's individual request. No commission action was taken on the matter. • The commission reviewed a master-plan work-plan outline. Staff said the initial background-analysis review was complete and proposed beginning goals-and-objectives discussions at the next meeting. Public input is expected to be gathered in stages, potentially through SurveyMonkey and a virtual workshop or open-house approach. Worth watching: • Whether revised zoning materials establish that the guest structure is at or below 25 feet and the main house is at or below 35 feet from existing grade. • Whether the City Council hardship route resolves the Summit Street lot-split setback issue. • How the commission structures public input for the master-plan update. Upcoming: The next master-plan discussion was identified as August 6, focusing on goal categories and objectives. Why it matters: The meeting advanced a residential guest-quarters project while highlighting how height, grading, and lot-split rules shape neighborhood development.

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