By Karin Reid Offield and team,
The proposed zoning code is close to completion, and that progress should be acknowledged. However, zoning is permanent law. When adopted before key weaknesses are resolved, those weaknesses do not remain theoretical—they become enforceable standards that shape development outcomes for decades.
History shows that it is not the obvious provisions of a zoning ordinance that cause long-term harm, but the small gaps, subjective standards, and discretionary pathways that only reveal their impact over time. Please read Lynee Wells 12.12.25 letter in an upcoming WLSH Newsletter.
The following comparisons I found may help illustrate why “almost finished” is not finished enough, when the goal for many of us is to preserve and protect Harbor Springs.
1. An Unfinished Foundation in a Historic Home
Approving the zoning code as drafted is comparable to restoring a historic Harbor Springs home while leaving known gaps in the foundation because the structure appears sound overall.
- A building may look complete, but the foundation determines its long-term stability
- Once a foundation is poured, it cannot be selectively corrected without major disruption
- Even small weaknesses eventually compromise the entire structure
Zoning parallel:
- The proposed code contains subjective standards that rely heavily on interpretation
- These gaps become structural weaknesses once the ordinance is adopted
- After approval, those standards are effectively locked in, regardless of future consequences or intentions to go back to the code for “modifications”
Zoning is the foundation of the community. If it is not fully secure at adoption, the entire framework can be vulnerable.
2. A Boat Launched Before All the Seams Are Sealed
Approving the zoning code prematurely is like launching a wooden boat before all seams are fully caulked because it floats well enough at the dock.
- The boat may perform adequately at first
- Real stress comes later—weather, waves, and sustained use
- Small leaks that were ignored early become serious problems under pressure
Zoning parallel:
- The code may appear functional today
- But future developers, attorneys, and planning commissions will test its limits
- Vague or discretionary language becomes a point of legal leverage
- Over time, precedent—not community intent—fills in the gaps
Zoning failures rarely occur immediately. They occur later, when pressure is applied and the ordinance is interpreted in ways never intended.
3. A Trail Built Without Clear Rules of Use
Passing the zoning code without tightening its standards is similar to opening a trail without clear rules of use, signage, or enforcement—assuming all users will act responsibly.
- Ambiguity invites conflict
- Different users interpret the same space differently
- Once expectations and precedents are set, they are difficult to reverse
Zoning parallel:
- Subjective terms such as “compatible,” “in harmony,” or “not detrimental” depend on who is interpreting them
- Different planning commissions will reach different conclusions using the same language
- This opens the door to case-by-case zoning decisions across the city
This approach risks reintroducing the very unpredictability and inconsistency that the community previously rejected and asked the Planning Commissioners to attend to.
Conclusion: Completion, Not Delay
This request is not about reopening the entire zoning process or creating an endless review cycle. It is about finishing the job.
- The community has identified a small number of remaining weak spots
- Addressing them now strengthens the ordinance before it becomes permanent law
- Once adopted, the zoning code governs Harbor Springs regardless of future intent or regret
An unfinished zoning code does not remain unfinished. It gets “finished” later—through interpretation, appeals, and precedent—often in ways that permanently alter community character.
For a town committed to Preserve & Protect, adoption should occur only when the code is fully ready to carry that responsibility.