Our Words Matter

For those of you who follow this page, you know I am fond of words. Often, I use too many.

Words can be powerful, they can be comforting, they can be true, or they can deceive. Giving someone your” word” is as strong a pledge as anyone can make.

In a time where we have been conditioned to not believe the words that are spoken by our leaders, it is easy to forget that hypocrisy used to be disqualifying. Saying one thing one in public and the complete opposite in private conversations was a good way to lose an election.

Harbor Springs, you should be very proud of your Planning Commission. They have been genuinely true to their word and continue to make good progress on a new zoning code.

A year ago in November, the Planning Commission was asked to return to its work revising the zoning code. If you remember, the postcards we received urging us to repeal the code said:

"A Yes vote will return the zoning code to the old zoning code and allow for a new code to be written with community input."

That was what was promised. Those were the words that were used to convince voters. And it is exactly what the Planning Commission has undertaken.

We began 2025 with a series of 10 public listening sessions including six town halls and four open houses. All conducted before a single word of a new code was written.

Anyone who attended in person or online, would have been impressed at the respect and civility exhibited at the meetings. I wrote up each of the six town halls and if you missed them, you can find my notes here: https://www.forwardharborsprings.org/about

One of the concerns about holding these meetings in the winter is that our summer visitors may not be able to participate. So, they were heavily publicized, and anyone could join and participate online. And, as it turns out, the process continued from the cold of winter all the way through this hot summer. The Planning Commission has worked all year and every meeting has been open to all either in person or online. Our summer guests have been able to attend each and every meeting, and many have.

Every voice has been listened too. Every comment heard. All have been welcomed. Hours and hours of public input has been received.

At the suggestion of the community, the Planning Commission has proceeded word-by-word through the zoning code to examine each line, ask for input, and weigh options.

In addition to more community input, we have gotten new voices on the Planning Commission itself, just as those who sought repeal wanted.

Of the nine members of the Planning Commission, four are new and have brought fresh eyes to the zoning code. Each was nominated by a new Mayor and appointed by a new City Council since last fall. Their dedication has been extraordinary. Whether I agree with them, or not, they continue to be exceptional volunteers doing their best under a significant amount of pressure.

In the middle of June, the spokesperson of repeal supporters rose to the podium and publicly said to the community and the City Council:

“It's taken time to get here, and it hasn't been easy, but we're here now and that matters. Over the past months, we've had a real debate, not just about zoning, but about how decisions that shape our community get made. It brought emotion. It tested relationships, but it came from a place of care for our homes, our neighbors, and our future. Let's be honest, the timing wasn't always right. Some things moved too fast. But our intent never wavered. This wasn't about disruption. It was about making sure change didn't happen in silence. It's not that we lack trust or believed anyone acted in bad faith.”

I believed those words. I took them to heart and felt like they were a real acknowledgement of the progress we have made together.

Some of you know, I have had a career in public service. I have been a part of nearly 100 planning processes over the years. I can honestly say, I have never seen a community be more open or transparent in writing a zoning code. Dozens of public meetings, town halls, open houses, augmented with surveys and pleas for input sent directly to every mailbox in town have led us here.

Now, we get to find out if folks will be true to their word. I sure hope they are.

The Planning Commission meets tonight to continue its discussions of the zoning code. The meeting begins at 5:30 at City Hall or online. Complete information can be found at: https://www.cityofharborsprings.com/event-detail/planning-commission/?glm_event_from=08/14/2025