June 4 Planning Commission Meeting Harbor Springs

Detailed briefing

Harbor Springs Planning Commission — June 4, 2020 ATTENDEES: Jeannie Benjamin, Lee Kramer, Mary Katherine Hanna, Jeff Ford, and Andrew Bowman were present by roll call; Jack Deegan was absent. Sarah Smith had resigned. • The commission approved the May 21 meeting minutes. It confirmed a quorum of five members before beginning business. • Commissioners did not elect a new chair. A nomination and second for Andrew Bowman were withdrawn after public comments and commissioner discussion favored waiting until a vacant commission seat is filled. Bowman, the vice chair, continued to run the meeting. The chair election was tabled for the June 18 meeting. • The commission voted to retain Larry Nix as consultant for the master plan review. Nix said he has worked with the city since 1990 and that this would be his third Harbor Springs master plan. Discussion recognized his local experience while also stressing the need for public engagement and fresh perspectives. One commissioner voted no. • The first 43 pages of the master plan were reviewed at a high level. Commissioners discussed reorganizing the document to make it more readable and forward-looking, potentially placing technical background information later in the plan or in appendices while keeping required material available. • Areas identified for possible updates included historical language and cultural sensitivity; lake-level changes; demographic data; seasonal versus year-round residency; short-term rentals, long-term rentals, and housing affordability; parks and recreation; school, senior, and coworking facilities; transportation; the city electric system and renewable energy; flood-zone work; and tree-related planning. • Nix and staff will prepare an outline of the plan’s major chapters and information on master-plan requirements. Staff said updated data resources could be gathered as the commission moves into detailed revisions. Commissioners and the public were invited to submit language and topic suggestions. Worth watching: • Whether a new Planning Commission member is appointed before the deferred chair election. • How the commission structures public input for a master-plan update during COVID-19 restrictions. • Whether housing, transportation, utilities, and recreation receive expanded or separate chapters in the revised plan. Upcoming: Staff will poll members to select the next special master-plan review meeting date; July 2 and July 9 were discussed. Why it matters: The master plan guides the city’s long-term land-use, infrastructure, and policy direction, even though it is not itself an ordinance.

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