Actual Notes from the Open Houses September 3-11, 2025
OPEN HOUSE # 1. Questions / Public Comment Wednesday 9.3.25 Zoning Open House including both public voices and statements from the Planning Chair and Assessor Attendees: Bill Mulder, Jeff Grimm, Chip Everest, Bob Buckner, Barry Lustgarten. Others attending Kathy Motshall, Wendy Reeve. Attendance: 50ish
1. Can you explain how we got all these changes and how long this has been going on?
2. Have you sought any professional help from outside experts?
3. What were the gaps you identified? Containers, Gas Stations, No Architectual Standards, Front Porches, Sex Shops, Dark Sky
4. Your high focus topics do not include ADUs “by right”; or taking neighbors out of the loop.
5. An explanation of why there are no design standards in our town. ”It’s too difficult.” “Don’t tell me what to do.” Zoning actually does, and can protect a town.
6. PDs are now in all zones, including the Waterfront. The Planning Commission okay’d Planned Development, Cluster Housing, Co-living in under twenty minutes.
7. You have still not directly answered if the 10-acre minimum and one house per acre requirements are in the Draft code?
8. The subjectivity of Planned Developments is in the first sentence of the Zoning Code.
9. Cluster Housing: The PC says is not a way to increase housing. “Cluster Housing was in the old code, so it’s nothing new that we have added.” It was limited to single family, duplex, multi-plex buildings on a minimum lot size of one acre. So what is not clear is where Cluster Housing would be allowed and the acreage.
10. “Developers can come in now and tear down homes.” Bob Buckner Planning Commissioner. There is nothing in the Proposed Draft Code that changes this. Retail is allowed in PDs.
11. Re: the Cupula Restaurant, at the time the community didn’t want it and Planning Commission did, so it went through. Isn’t this the same thing?
12. Talking to residents finds they want a town where they can talk to their neighbors about building next door; the footprint of the Pier/Walstroms/marina could make a large PD; there could be retail and commercial as mixed use in a PD in Bluff Gardens; Lots behind IGA could be changed permanently with Cluster Housing.
13. How can public roads be put into a neighbor hood without discussion?
14. We were protected by the 2005 Code. We voted down the #439 Code, and this one is worse.
15. Don’t take the neighbors out of the loop.
16. Added ADUs and new Cluster Housing and PDs would impact infrastructure.
17. How can you repeatedly say nothing in this code increases density when you’ve just permitted ADU’s in every backyard by right? And allowed PDs in almost every district? Infill is density.
18. Greg Mautz summed meeting up saying Harbor Springs cannot trust developers as much as the Planning Commission does. Developers are about one thing: Making money. They will not care about any of the issues we do, which is why we need to set strict guidelines in the code.
19. Chip Everest on the Planning Commission said some things are good but he is still against Planned Developments and boarding houses and they did not adequately discuss the location, or districts, where PDs are allowed until the end of the meeting on August 18, 2025.
OPEN HOUSE # 2. Questions / Public Comment Friday 9.5. 25 Zoning Open House including both voices and statements from the Planning Chair and Assessor Attendees: Bill Mulder, Jeff Grimm, Vanessa Warren, Barry Lustgarten. Others attending Nancy Rondel, Kathy Motschall, Bill Donahue, Wendy Reeve. Attendence: 40ish
1. Why did you decide to rewrite the zoning code after the repealed code failed?
2. How exactly did you change the dimensions, setbacks, for the permitted use of ADUs?
3. When you increased the building height in the Central Business District (CBD), how was that not a move toward Pro- Growth? 35’ vs two stories?
4. What if people decide they don’t want to change the character of the CBD with greater heights?
5. How many single-family homes have changed over the time the population has decreased?
6. When people move out of town, or die, and then the value of the homes increase due to relaxed zoning and larger lot sizes, how will you deal with the non-voters tax base shrinking?
7. Comments from two people who both own two houses in town and have never gotten a census form so they don’t necessarily stand by Bill’s statement that HS population is 1000.
8. How many new homes being built are year-round v second homes?
9. What is the trending value of new builds?
10. The consensus of first Open House was that the community in the room opposed ADUs by right, PDs, Cluster Zoning, and Co-Living. Did you hear that?
11. In the 2005 current code, how many houses could be in a 10-acre Cluster zone?
12. What were the criteria for 2005 code Cluster zones?
13. We’re concerned that PDs in the downtown will end up with large story buildings like we’re facing in East Grand Rapids.
14. We’re concerned there is not enough protection for wetlands and shoreline from PDs and other pro-growth tools, (as the PC chairman called Cluster zoning).
15. We think notifying neighbors is a sound policy for HS.
16. What triggered the changes introduced in the code after the repeal, when it was discussed for those months in sub-committee?
17. Can we remove Cluster Housing from the code?
18. How can you say Cluster Housing does not create density? If you move the houses in the Cluster Development closer together, it is a more dense neighborhood.
19. Why can’t we remove Cluster zoning from the code?
20. Protective overlays have not been discussed and used enough in terms of strengthening protections for wetlands, sand dunes.
21. Did the public have any say in the building of the Demmer home?
22. Do Co-living houses have a term limit for stays? Minimum or maximum?
23. Can you rent out a room to a family member?
24. Does Co-living sidestep Air BnBs or VRBOs?
25. Would they be licensed like short-term rentals (STRs)?
26. Does the Harbor Club have co-living houses?
27. Can an employer solve their employee issues by buying a house and making it Co-living?
28. If an employer wanted to buy a house for employees, would that be a commercial use or protection for the employees?
29. Why did you decide to allow PDs in almost every district? We would like to see districts like the Waterfront, and waterfront residential areas excluded.
30. Did not the required acreage change from the 2005 code to the draft for PDs?
31. PDs are approved currently in some districts. Why expand to all the districts you did?
32. The Glenn Drive residential area needs to be treated as Waterfront.
33. The A/V capabilities are “ridiculous.” People who aren’t in town are disadvantaged in participating.
34. The PC has done a great job with 1700 hours of work.
35. How do you commissioners envision HS looking in a few years?
36. Commissioners, what are your personal viewpoints on PDs and their influence?
OPEN HOUSE # 3. Questions / Public Comment Monday 9.8.25 Open House including both public voices and statements from the Planning Chair and Assessor Attendees: Bill Mulder, Jeff Grimm. Others attending Jamie Melke, Wendy Reeve. Attendence: 40ish
- Why are you doing this again?
- “What stops a primary house builder from building a monster house?”
- Question: “What about the height?” → 35’ homes, 25’ ADUs (2 stories).
- What about driveways in max footprint? Driveway length → doesn’t count toward minimum requirements.
- The consensus of first Open House was that the community in the room opposed ADUs by right, PDs, Cluster zoning, and Co-Living. Did you hear that?
- ADUs on back lane lots: are they different?
- Sewer: Are there separate hook-ups needed for ADUs?
- Plan for enforcement—who gets notified?
- Neighbors should be notified when an ADU is built.
10. Can businesses go into ADUs?
11. 3 houses on end of Glenn Dr. – private road w/ public access?
- 4 or less lot splits go to Admin Review?
- Residents worry plans not matching the code.
- Side yard setback now 10 ft., but lot size seems little. Neighbors not included → could be an issue.
- Could we add drainage reviews to site plans?
- If someone encroaches on your house it could be an imposition. It’s up to homeowner to get plans right not PC to worry about it. Homeowner must bear cost.
- Why not just ask your neighbor? It’s courtesy.
- Lots can be by-right, double the rules. Common courtesy to notify.
- Why wouldn’t the City send the notice?
- Be proactive.
- Jeff: PDs = rigorous process, PC approval. Really can’t use to upzone density if the lot is limited via city.
- Why expand to entire city?
- Old code had more objectives and ZBA . And old criteria not in draft re 10 acres and 1 home per acre.
- You said you talked about PUDs at 4/17, 5/21 6/19 meetings but still there are no strong objectives. Not comfortable they are the strongest. Can we relook?
- PC might not always follow criteria. How can we be sure PD is not abused
- “Why give so much authority to PC?”
- Fear: PDs could allow rules to be bent for developers.
- Debate: Is Special Land Use (SLU) vs. PD the proper process?
- Why extend PD to whole city?
- Perception of favoritism toward developers.
- Residents want protections against “backdoor zoning changes.”
OPEN HOUSE # 4. Questions / Public Comment Tuesday 9.9.25 Open House including both public voices and statements from the Planning Chair and Assessor Attendees: Bill Mulder, Jeff Grimm. Vanessa Warren, Kenny Stewart, Kathy Motchall, Wendy Reeve. Attendance 40ish
1. What is the benefit to HS?
2. Was the new code just for format?
3. Will RA stay Agricultural?
4. Keep AG to do community gardens.
5. Should still be AG, not just AR.
6. What’s AR going to turn into?
7. AG allowed 4.3 homes per acre.What is current zoning?
8. How address variances in the code?
9. Would you need a variance to build a hotel in AR?
10. Let’s talk about them. PDs
11. Can I build an ADU and rent it?
12. What can people use ADUs for?
- The cost of constructing will prevent people from building too many ADUs.
- Victor delineated your plan two or three years ago when he showed how he could generate more tax revenue. Like Cottage Company, which increased from ~40K per year to ~400K.
15. Compare the density of building in 1.3 square miles with what could be in the townships.
16. We don’t care about Petoskey or the other nearby cities doing PDs.
17. Saying some people are affluent does not help discussion. Neighbors should be notified.
18. Notifying neighbors starts a conversation rather than after the fact.
19. ADUs can be okay when old homes are being used.
20. ADUs are allowed in Waterfront by right and RIA and RIE because those lots are much bigger than in other neighborhoods.
21. Could you write the code retroactively?
22. Just drop the controversial stuff out of the code now.
23. Jeff: Community very concerned about by-right.
24. Is it possible to write a capping mechanism for ADUs?
25. You have the ability to make the changes we are suggesting.
26. Can a commercial unit or PD or hotel be built in the AR district?
27. A cluster of small homes will hold less value than if you build larger better built homes.
28. Cluster Housing becomes denser because the homes are closer together.
29. A capping mechanism would be good to consider for ADUs since in other places cities are realizing ADUs present issues.
30. I dispute that Cluster Housing doesn’t add to density.
31. We are building a legacy for our town and children
32. How are we going to take care of our families?
33. Let’s collaborate on ADUs and how to handle permissions.
34. I suggest we remove Cluster Housing from code and discuss use in Parcel X.
35. Suggest co-living in B1 and B2 MF and not in residential.
36. Take PDs out of residential, leave in CBD, B1 and B2 where they could flourish.
37. “I want everyone to leave here and say this is not increasing density” Bill Mulder
OPEN HOUSE # 5. Questions / Public Comment Thursday 9.11, 2025, 5:30 p.m., including both public voices and statements from the Planning Chair and Assessor Attendees Bill Mulder, Jeff Crimm. Barry Lustgarten, Tom Graham, Nancy Rondel Attendance 65 ish
- PC process is broken – not transparent.
- PC can’t say no – developer is guaranteed outcome.
- We must fix process.
- PC is too powerful – no accountability – acts as a rubber stamp.
- Council needs to step up – take back authority.
- Public input is lost – people don’t feel heard.
- Zoning is confusing – too many exceptions.
- Need consistency and clarity.
- Cluster Housing means Less Backyards.
- Article 10 weakened community voice – appeals are gone.
- ZBA role diminished.
- Who is watching over the ADU’s ?
- Developers find loopholes – density goes up – neighborhoods lose character.
- Need safeguards – protect single-family neighborhoods.
- Community values ignored – profit prioritized over people.
- Master Plan must guide decisions.
- AG property – residents fear rezoning.
- Once rezoned – land never goes back.
- PD process abused – intended for flexibility, used for high density.
- Historic areas at risk – overlay not enforced.
- Trust is broken – citizens vs. PC.
- We want transparency – no backroom deals.
- Confidence in city is shaken.
- People must have a voice before decisions are made.
- Need independent review – PC too close to developers.
- Community panels suggested.
- ZBA should regain authority.
- Public hearings must be meaningful – not just formalities.
- Rules keep changing – causes chaos.
- Housing concerns – too dense, parking issues.
- Traffic impacts ignored.
- Schools at capacity – no planning.
- Infrastructure first – before more development.
- Citizens want balance.
- Growth is okay – but must fit town character.
- We need vision – not piecemeal approvals.
- Master Plan must be followed or updated – not ignored.
- Building values jumped from $40K to $400K – money was not the point.
- Concern: what if all people could buy the AG property?
- Historic District Overlay? Not enforced or unclear.
- We want Architectural Standards
- Community had significant input, but it was ignored (e.g., RRC).
- The most important page in zoning is “what we can do with our property”. Which section is this ?
- Windmere is a PD in R2 – is that precedent setting?
- We have 30 acres left in City not built on. Can the community learn where those acres are?
- Architectural standards need protection.
- Sewer and electrical oversight – who checks? Is it part of process? 20 % of town not connected.
- Infrastructure authority outside city – who coordinates?
Last week Harbor Springs experienced some of the most interactive community engagements in recent history. Thank you to everyone that attended and took the time to engage. We hope these notes encourage further discussions and better communications. WLHS