Planning Commission special Meeting

Detailed briefing

PLANNING COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING — DECEMBER 5, 2024 ATTENDEES: Nine Planning Commission members, a student representative, city staff, the city attorney, and members of the public in person and online. • The commission unanimously recommended that City Council adopt Ordinance 440. The ordinance would formally readopt the zoning code that existed immediately before Ordinance 439, including amendments through February 7, 2022. The city attorney said no new changes were inserted; the readoption is intended to reduce legal uncertainty after voters repealed Ordinance 439. • A second unanimous motion concerned recommending immediate City Council action on the zoning moratorium. Discussion indicates the intent was to end the moratorium early, but the complete wording of the motion was not restated in the transcript. The existing moratorium was scheduled to expire December 11. City Council could consider the recommendations December 9. • Staff presented results from a zoning survey with just under 300 responses, including 172 people identifying themselves as Harbor Springs residents. Among city respondents, 55% favored a three-story maximum downtown, about three-quarters supported rooftop decks, and roughly 55% supported some maximum dwelling-size requirement. Responses were more divided on minimum house size, lot dimensions, setbacks and lot coverage. • Survey respondents generally favored simpler approval for single-family homes, accessory dwelling units, mother-in-law suites, home occupations without customers or employees, and structures such as garages, decks, sheds and fences. Larger homes, duplex or triplex conversions, and businesses with customers or employees drew more support for Planning Commission review. The commission took no zoning action based on the survey. • Several residents requested more public participation through town halls or zoning-district discussions. Others said the earlier zoning process already included substantial public access and stressed residents’ responsibility to attend. Commissioners expressed openness to additional engagement, but no final format or schedule was adopted. • Remote participants asked for improved camera coverage and better access to maps and speakers. A representative of We Love Harbor Springs offered to purchase an Owl-style meeting camera. Another speaker proposed renewed historic-preservation work; staff said creation of a historic commission would be a City Council matter. Worth watching: 1. Whether City Council adopts Ordinance 440 and acts on the moratorium. 2. How the commission structures town halls or other public engagement. 3. How survey limitations and demographic concerns are handled before results influence zoning language. Upcoming: City Council consideration was expected December 9; the moratorium was set to expire December 11; the Planning Commission meets December 19 for an advertised special-use hearing and to identify zoning topics for later review. Why it matters: The decisions determine the city’s operative zoning rules while a new, publicly reviewed code is developed.

Agenda items

• 5A · Public Hearing — Readoption of 2005 Zoning Code as Amended (Ordinance 440)discussed
• 5B · Discussion — Readoption of 2005 Zoning Code as Amendeddiscussed
• 5C · Zoning Code Survey Resultsdiscussed

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

Related issues

• Zoning / Land Usediscussed