By-Right Zoning: Good for Consultants and Developers; Bad for Harbor Springs

Everyone loves Harbor, but everyone doesn’t love the NO & YES vote. We were successful on getting the new zoning code on the November 5th ballot. That was a win. What is not a friend or a neighbor or a win is the new zoning.

Public hearings and community input should be preserved, not swept aside for the sake of convenience.  

It doesn’t have to stay that way – the new zoning can be modified – and the pieces of the zoning that developers can take advantage of – can be changed to preserve and protect this little town. The Planning Commissioners with Beckett & Raeder at the helm will be able to follow the communities wishes. Now that everyone is paying attention – we can move forward together. 

 

By-right zoning is increasingly being pushed by developers and special interest groups as a quick solution to housing shortages and bureaucratic delays. It allows projects to bypass lengthy approval processes, which may sound efficient, but for a small, tightly-knit community like Harbor Springs, it’s a recipe for disaster. Here’s why:

Eliminates Community Input

One of the most alarming aspects of by-right zoning is the removal of community input from the development process. Under this system, residents of Harbor Springs would have no say in new developments that could dramatically reshape their town. By-right zoning fast-tracks projects without requiring public hearings or a discretionary review process. In other words, decisions about the future of our community would be made without consulting the people who live here.

This lack of input creates a disconnect between the town’s values and the developments taking place. Harbor Springs prides itself on being a community where neighbors know each other, and decisions are made together. By-right zoning undermines this fundamental aspect of small-town life, leaving residents feeling powerless as changes unfold around them.

No Public Hearings for New Developments

By-right zoning means that even large or potentially disruptive projects can move forward without public hearings or community oversight. In a town like Harbor Springs, where preserving the character and scale of the community is a priority, this could lead to developments that are out of sync with the town’s values. Residents of nearby projects to their homes would no longer be invited to able to attend meetings, voice concerns, or ensure that new projects are in harmony with the town’s aesthetic and long-term goals.

The Danger of Unchecked Growth

Without public hearings or input, there’s a very real danger that developments could be pushed through with minimal consideration for their impact. Imagine large-scale housing or commercial projects being built without residents having any opportunity to raise concerns about traffic, environmental impact, or strain on public services. Once these projects break ground, there’s no turning back.

By-right zoning may serve developers’ interests by allowing them to build quickly and profitably, but it erases the vital role that the community should play in shaping its future. Harbor Springs deserves better. It deserves a zoning system that listens to its people and respects the town’s unique character, not one that puts profits over people.

By-right zoning is not just a technical change—it’s a direct attack on the voice of Harbor Springs residents. Let’s stand up to protect our right to shape the future of our town. Public hearings and community input should be preserved, not swept aside for the sake of convenience.