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LATEST NEWS
Addendum about ‘housing choices’ to our Newsletter on 7.14.25
Some Commissioners and our City Planner consultant have pointed to housing choice tools like ADUs (accessory dwelling units) and duplexes everywhere as ways to address these challenges. But as we saw with the repeal of Ordinance #439, many in the community are loudly...
Slippery When Wet: A Reflection on Jakob’s Ladder and the Path Forward
There was a time when Jakob’s Ladder wasn’t just a staircase—it was a lifeline. Kids scampered up and down its weather-worn steps, backpacks swinging and laughter echoing down the bluff. It was a necessary connection, a vital piece of everyday life. But times change,...
Is this the reason to add a third story to our downtown buildings?
If you ask the question, this is one answer: Michigan towns are seeing a shift towards allowing taller buildings, often moving from a two-story maximum to potentially three or more stories, primarily driven by a desire to increase housing density and revitalize...
ZONING
Lands West of Bluff Gardens may soon be sold.
You may or may not know that we are a proponent of protecting and preserving the Agricultural District. As you drive around our area, before the leaves are opened, it is easy to see the increase in building and development. The above LINK is to the Emmet County Master Plan, 2021-2025 with much of it written during the previous years. It’s extremely important to know what our neighbors know, and to either choose to follow in THEIR footsteps, or go on our own. Deciding what is best for Harbor Springs.
May 15th Districts PC Meeting “Homework”
Homework Planning Commissioner Kenny Stewart at the May 1, 2025 Planning Commission meeting suggested that prior to the May 17th meeting that the community read through the Article 4 - Overlay Districts for homework. Here is his quote,"...in my preparation for...
May 15th Districts – Details from our WLHS News Letter….
Brief ZONING; Planning Commission meets Thursday, May 15, at 5:30 p.m. ZoomYouTube First Review of Article 2 “Zoning Districts” Details We know you are busy. Yet, if you own property in Harbor Springs you should attend the next meeting. The important details of zoning...
WELCOME: Articles 2 and 3 for our zoning….please review
Apr 27, 2025 Welcome to our new website – that we hope will work for YOU. When we research and pull items that we believe will be important to the conversations outcomes, we will post here. For those of you that attended the last months of meetings, you know that...
4.27.2025 “When You Make a Choice, You Change the Future” WLHS Newsletter
Index: Nine Zoning Suggestions by WLHS – Suggestions from our Readers; Three Zoning District Priorities to Preserve and Protect; State of Michigan Rules for Carriage Houses (ADUs); Housing & Community Goals taken from the 2021 Master Plan; April 17 Planning...
4.13.2025 “Your Voices, All Voices” WLHS Newsletter
Index: Call for Three Months of Unity to Finish Zoning Code Rewrite Together; We Love Harbor Springs.org Zoning Background; Poll that asks, ‘Will you attend zoning meetings?; Primary Concern: Maintaining The Identity of Harbor Springs; Shared Goals and Community...
3.15.25 “Reasons Why to Protect” WLHS Newsletter
Index: What Is a Master Plan and Other Zoning Terms Explained w LINKS; Preserve and Protect: A Brief History of Harbor Springs Stewardship; A Starter List of Eight Upgrades to Preserve & Protect by WLHS & our Readers; Mayor Graham’s Statement on the Fiscal...
WLHS BLOG
Updated: Who Has the Right to Influence Our Community?
Subject: Who Has the Right to Influence Our Community? One concern centers around who should have the right to vote on issues that affect the property they own or the city they consider home—even if only part of the year. Let’s take a closer look at the reality in our...
5.15.25 Robert Hall, Planning Commission Meeting
Dear WLHS, Can you post this for others to read? Thank you. RH We are at a critical moment in the history — and future — of our town. Over the last five years, dedicated Planning Commission committees made up of community volunteers have worked hard to make...
City Council spot is open – Are you a Volunteer?
City Council Member Michael Behrmann’s Home Hits the Market – A New Chapter Begins! City Council Member Michael Behrmann, a dedicated and passionate voice for our community, has officially listed his home for sale—and with it, he’ll soon be closing this chapter and...
UPDATED 5.28.25: The Garden Club, Flag Pole, Lower Zorn Park includes Newspaper & Letters
Added: Petoskey News Report . We respectfully urge you to vote to preserve Harbor Springs’ precious green space, reject this proposal, and return it to the Garden Club with instructions to identify a more appropriate and welcomed location. This is an opportunity to reaffirm the city’s century-long tradition of preservation, protection, and responsible stewardship.
WAS DECISION TO EXIT RRC A MISPERCEPTION? WE THINK NOT.
From the 2/22/25 WLHS Newsletter Let’s set the record straight “I just want to add that if we allow misperceptions to guide what we do, then I don’t know it will bode well in the long run for other things we do in the city.” Victor Sinadinoski, Harbor Springs City...
BLOG: 2.4.25 Asking the Harbor Springs City Council to decouple the RRC by Karin Offield
Please include in the Planning Commission packet if possible, Thank you! February 3rd, 2025 Harbor Springs City Council Meeting Submitted for the public record as a request for a new business agenda item Honorable Mayor Graham Councilperson Behrmann Councilperson...
BLOG: Those that Volunteered to Serve – Thank you – Here is the list
Use this link to download. More detail under construction. 2024 HS Board Applications 5A – Appoint Board and Commission Members Background The City has several board and commission positions available. Per the City’s Board’s Application and Recruitment Policy,...
DDA
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EVENTS
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NATIONAL & LOCAL PRESS
5.22.24 Petoskey News “Harbor Springs council passes new zoning code despite public pushback”
KARLY GRAHAM The Petoskey News-Review HARBOR SPRINGS — A zoning code update that’s been in the works since 2022 was approved by the Harbor Springs City Council on Monday, despite more than 800 people signing a petition against it. The contentious update resulted in...
4.30.24 Unintended Consequences, Please sign the Change . Org Petition
To the Harbor Springs Community, Regarding the Redevelopment Ready Community (RRC) National & Michigan Program: There are unintended consequences that I believe have not been thought out or organized – and there are property owners that are unaware of these...
Harbor Springs in the National News -The American Conservative Magazine 4.16.24
Testing : https://www.theamericanconservative.com/communities-have-a-right-to-set-their-own-housing-policy/
LETTERS
6.26.2024 Our Community and Our Voice
Letter To the Editor: ‘Our Community; Our Voice’ What we want, isn’t it a community that Council can depend on; a community of voices, of ideas, of thoughtful contributions, and of deliberate participation, open to all members of the community, that creates and builds...
4.30.24 Letter to the City of HS – from Wendy Reeve
I have attended all 3 zoning commission meetings held within the last 3 weeks. An investment of 9 hours to familiarize myself with this many pronged octopus the Planning Commission is proposing. Two days ago I read thru the RRC Best Practices Handbook. The...
Letter: 4.30.24 To the Editor: Re: Nancy Rondell & Hope by James Kenney
Dear Editor: In an October 2020 interview with the Harbor Light, while running for city council, Councilwoman Nancy Rondell highlighted the importance of local government in Harbor Springs, encouraging input from all residents. She insisted, “It is so important that...
Letter: 4.30.24 Silence Speaks Volumes by Patrick Kenney
Letter to the Editor: In May 2019, having lived in Harbor Springs for less than one month, the newly appointed city manager, Victor Sinadinoski, for some reason, felt he had a thorough understanding of Harbor Springs and that our quaint town needed to become an RRC....
Letter: “Affordable Housing has left the station”: by Maureen Kenney
Dear Editor: I write not as a “character assassin,” a term carelessly thrown around by a Planning Commission Member, but rather as a concerned citizen intent on holding elected and appointed city leaders accountable for their words and actions. This letter serves the...
To the Community – Now 4.24- 8.11.24
To members of the City Council; This paragraph is in reference to the delicate and important balance principle homeowners and most importantly second homeowners play in the economic balance of Harbor Springs – a resort town. In a business sense our second homeowners...
Letter: 4.3.24 Please Mr. Mayor let’s hold a Town Hall about the Zoning
From: Karin Offield Subject: Letter from Karin Offield about a Town Hall scheduling Date: April 3, 2024 at 5:09:59 PM EDT To: Matt Bugera <mjBugera@gmail.com>, Jamielynnmelke@gmail.com, kathy.motschall@yahoo.com Cc: mbehrmann@cityofharborsprings.com,...
SURVEYS
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CORRECTIONS
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RRC – ARCHIVED
Should we further Certify Harbor Springs as a RRC town?
At this time, we believe Harbor Springs is an "engaged" member of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Here is the full document that slide by slide shows the steps a town needs to become "Essential" or "Certified". ...
RRC & WLHS Questions about Growth
Growth Council Report https://growingmichigan.org/wp-content/uploads/2023-12-14-GMTC-Final-Report-2.pdf Pg 53 ‘Developing and rehabilitating our housing stock to create more and denser housing and additional live-work options will better match the lifestyle...
7.8.24 RRC History & Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s (MEDC) Grants Projects: Up North 2019 – 2024
MEDC Revitalization Projects PDF for sharing Here is the research: Let the voters decide. WLHS asks: Does our community need or want a zoning reform if its result is State mandated property development? Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s (MEDC) Michigan...
9.18.24 Why RRC ? Some History of Harbor Springs – Master Plan
HISTORY: Anyone who supports the Redevelopment Ready Community (RRC) views, rules and regulations may have missed a valuable story of how Harbor Springs became a ‘best’ lake city here in northwest Michigan. (This month voted by Travel and Leisure Magazine.) The...
11.12.24 What is the RRC ? Does Harbor Springs want or need the RRC?
Months ago we wrote a newsletter that talks about the Redevelopment Ready Community (RRC) & Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) Here's the link: https://wlhs.substack.com/p/wlhs-redevelopment-ready-community Here's the MAP. As of 11.24 we believe...
9.17.24 The MEDC’s Mission is promoting Michigan’s strong image worldwide.
But in order to under something, it's best to review the history of it. Here is a link to a report written in 2009 on the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). We will follow up on a new report, written recently....
9.22.24 History of the MEDC/RRC and its almost failure. Report #1 of 2
We hope you can get through this lengthy article; https://www.mackinac.org/S2009-06#executive-summary 2009 MEDC and it’s failures and costs to the State coffers - the entire project could have been axed. Instead in 2012 it was resurrected/reformed into all the...