Hereโs to you, Harbor Springs!
This summer, our effort celebrated its one year anniversary. We were on vacation, so I kinda let it pass without much fanfare. But as our summer visitors head home and Harbor gets a little quieter, I thought I would take a moment to say, "Thank you!"
In a little over a year, I've written 400 posts, created 185 different Lil' Nubbins, and added 550 followers. I am amazed to say that this little effort has had 100,615 page views just in the last month.
I am proud of what this effort has become. If it is judged by the character of the people who seem to appreciate what is shared here, then it continues to be a success!
Itโs time to update our zoning code
In 2020, the City began an update to its Master Plan. The new plan was completed and adopted in 2022 after two years of meetings and public input.
Read more about the cityโs Master Plan
After the new Master Plan was adopted, the City of Harbor Springs through its volunteer Planning Commission began a review of the cityโs zoning code to make sure the document aligned with it's Master Plan.
Large portions of the current zoning code were adopted in 1976 making it nearly 50 years old. Even with revisions in 2005, the code was overly confusing and did not reflect the priorities of the cityโs new Master Plan.
Think how different the world was 50 years ago.
In 1976, Steve Wozniak and his buddy Steve Jobs created the Apple 1 computer and launched a digital revolution. Things sure have come a long way!
What do the updates to the code do to simplify things?
One of the complaints the Planning Commission heard about the old code is it was unnecessarily complex. So what does the new code do to address the issue?
The new zoning code is designed to be more clear, simple, and fair for all. Here are a few benefits we get from the updated format:
๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป, ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ, ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ
๐๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ ๐บ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐh ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ถ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐น๐ ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐๐. ๐ ๐น๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐น๐น ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ฌ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐. (๐ง๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐บ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐).
๐ช๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ, ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ท๐๐บ๐ฝ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐น๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ธ๐
What do the updates do to help our downtown?
Here are a few updates that have made the code better and position Harbor Springs for a bright future while preserving our past. Updates to the code include:
Closing a loophole that does not set a hard limit on maximum building height in the Central Business District (CBD). The update sets a clear limit at 35โ which is easy to understand and enforce.
Eliminating 1 of 2 zoning districts (other than the CBD) downtown by combining them. This simplifies rules for property owners and make more sense for everybody.
Introducing basic architectural standards for buildings in the CBD to keep the look we love. Our current zoning code does not have these.
Some modern business types are currently not allowed in the current zoning code. Businesses like brewpubs, tasting rooms, small distillers, etc. would now be allowed. I think it would be great to have some of these to add life to downtown year around.
Prohibiting gas stations in the Central Business District; somehow they are still permitted in the current zoning code.
Prohibiting Planned Developments in the CBD unless 5 of 7 newly developed standards are satisfied before a permit process can begin.
Prohibiting sexually oriented businesses in the Central Business District; unbelievably they are permitted there by special land use in our current zoning code. We donโt want these but they have to be allowed somewhere, so the PC wisely moved them to the Industrial district up on Hoyt Street by the boat storage buildings.
What do the updates to help our neighborhoods?
Here are a few important the aspects related to neighborhoods that I see in the draft zoning code:
The update forbids mobile homes in residential neighborhoods โ many were surprised to learn that the current version allows mobile homes in the 2 residential districts that account for most of our homes.
The update forbids building detached single unit homes in Mobile Home Park โ the current version of our zoning code allows them.
The update forbids building a home out of shipping containers. โ the current version is silent about using them to build a home or garage or shed.
The update allows covered front porches to extend a bit into a lotโs front setback area. This would give property owners more options and could prevent some common Zoning Board of Appeals cases.
The update combines the current R1B and R1C zoning districts. The properties in those neighborhoods are so similar in real life that the PC felt an artificial distinction didnโt make sense.
The update preserves most other zoning districts and their minimum lot dimensions as is. People were concerned about increasing housing density and this recommendation pretty much eliminates that concern as far as I can tell.
The update standardizes the approval needed for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) across all zoning districts where they are allowed. There are currently different rules. The Planning Commission and community settled on โspecial land useโ approval everywhere.
The update does not expand where duplexes are allowed today. This was a topic of much discussion. The Planning Commission ended up being very conservative on this.
The update adds shoreline protection standards recommended by the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council.
The update also adds up-to-date dark sky standards for new developments