Why should the City Council send the proposed zoning back to you? It is far easier to fix these issues now than to live with their consequences later. We hope you’ll consider taking the proposed zoning code back into 2026 meetings, and finish what is almost ready to go…. Thank you to everyone involved,
1. No matter what the City Planner says, Planned Development Is Becoming a Loophole, Not an Exception
PDs are meant to be rare tools for projects that deliver measurable public benefit. The current draft treats PD as a flexible alternative to zoning, not a limited exception. With no firm thresholds or objective tests, PDs risk becoming the default path for projects seeking to exceed zoning—undermining the entire purpose of having districts and standards at all.
Why should the City Council send the proposed zoning back to you?: To restore PD as an exception, not a developer’s shortcut.
2. Subjective Standards Invite Inconsistent and Unpredictable Decisions
Terms like “compatible,” “harmonious,” “desirable,” and “appropriate” are opinions, not enforceable standards. They leave approvals to shifting interpretations of future Planning Commissions, opening the door to arbitrary decisions, pressure from applicants, and legal vulnerability.
Why should the City Council send the proposed zoning back to you?: Harbor Springs needs clear, objective, measurable criteria—not language that can mean anything to anyone.
3. PD Flexibility Favors Luxury and Visitor Projects Over Year-Round Housing
In resort communities, discretionary tools almost always tilt toward higher-profit uses—boutique hotels, condos, short-term rentals—rather than housing teachers, workers, and families. The draft offers no guarantee that PDs will serve year-round housing or community needs.
Why should the City Council send the proposed zoning back to you?: Without firm standards, PDs will continue to reward projects that maximize profit, not those that strengthen the resident community.
4. Density Controls Are Functionally Meaningless
The draft’s “1.5x density cap” sounds protective but fails where base zoning has no numeric density at all. In those districts, the cap provides no real limit—allowing density increases without a clear ceiling.
Why should the City Council send the proposed zoning back to you? Density must be anchored to real, numeric baselines in every district before any multiplier is applied.
5. The Draft Encourages Tourism-Driven Growth Without Guardrails
When zoning flexibility aligns with tourism and placemaking agendas, a town like Harbor Springs will see:
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rising land values,
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loss of long-term housing,
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displacement of workers,
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seasonal economies replacing year-round communities.
The PD language, as written, enables this pattern to continue.
Why should the City Council send the proposed zoning back to you?: The code must protect community balance, not institutionalize over-tourism.
6. Once Adopted, These Weak Standards Become Permanent Law
Zoning is not easily undone. Approving a code that everyone agrees still has “fixable” weaknesses locks Harbor Springs into subjective, discretionary standards for decades—inviting exactly the kinds of projects future residents may regret but be unable to stop.
Why should the City Council send the proposed zoning back to you? It is far easier to fix these issues now than to live with their consequences later. We hope you’ll consider taking the proposed zoning code back into 2026 meetings, and finish what is almost ready to go…. Thank you to everyone involved,
Sincerely, the We Love Harbor Springs team