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 preferences and housing demands of the talent we are trying to retain through housing stock availability. Woven throughout the rehabilitation or building of our housing stock should be a focus on energy efficiency and reducing the cost of home ownership to create vibrant communities that will attract and retain talent.’

WLHS asks:

Isn’t Harbor Springs already an attractive community that attracts people to Emmet County? (see Travel and Leisure article)

‘To achieve this, we must modernize zoning codes to encourage mixed-use and smaller- sized housing, redevelopment of existing stock, complete-street and transit- oriented development, and other smart growth–oriented changes. Changes to local laws are an important first step, as most zoning regulations in Michigan favor single- family homes and larger lot sizes, which negatively impact the ability to create housing that aligns with preferences and needs.’

WLHS asks:

Doesn’t changing the very thing that attracts people to Harbor Springs remove the vital role Harbor Springs plays in attracting people to Emmet County? (see ‘Uglification’ article)

Growth Council Report encourages:

‘Steps that can be implemented in the short term include:

1. Provide incentives to local units of governments to update their zoning ordinances and master plans.

2. Incentivize developers to build housing to meet the needs of low-income to middle-income households, including rental and for-sale housing, by funding the gap between the cost to build or renovate missing middle housing and the market price.

3. Expand equitable down-payment assistance programs to eliminate the barriers to homeownership, which is one of the most important ways to establish generational wealth and build roots in a community.

4. Create a public-private lender collaborative, with involvement from community development financial institutions, to identify new ways to increase lending to low- to moderate- income home buyers.

5. Provide tax credits for employers who invest in affordable housing to increase the supply of workforce housing in more rural areas where low housing supply is a more significant problem.

WLHS asks:

Are these State guided reforms the right reforms for our community if the reforms change the very aspects of what makes our community attractive to visitors and residents? (see The State Growth Report from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation)

 Background:

In 2014 Harbor Springs updated it’s Master Plan. The City Manager, the City Planner and the Planning Commission did not recommend changing the Zoning code.

In 2019 the City Council with little community discussion endorsed, and urged by the Downtown Development Authority Chair and the new City Manager, the pursuit of the State-wide urbanization program called the Redevelopment Ready Community. It’s original purpose was to better access State grants which would in part assist in solving the parking problem in downtown Harbor Springs, (May 6, 2019 City Council minutes; Lio, Cupps Jr., Bugera, Naturkas, Johnston) according to the promises of the Downtown Development Authority Director, the new City Manager and the City Accessor.

The community has learned in order access grants Harbor Springs must participate in a multi-year governance update certification process which requires an adherence to zoning reform recommendations published for the City Council’s endorsement in 2022. (See Harbor Springs Baseline Report)

How does the RRC help us? Or does it ?