HARBOR SPRINGS — More than two years ago, the Harbor Springs planning commission started to take a look at the city's zoning code and work on updates.
The commission went through the zoning code and made a recommendation to the city council, including updates that reduced the number of zoning districts from 17 to nine, allows the building of accessory dwelling units and more. The council was supposed to vote on the code in March, but postponed the vote after community members asked for a public hearing scheduled for the summer so more property owners could talk about the zoning. The council held a public hearing on May 6, and adopted the ordinance on May 20.
The city heard from dozens of residents who were against the zoning code proposal. Council passed the ordinance anyways.
Now, a group of citizens are working to file a referendum to repeal the ordinance.
Since the zoning code discussions started, a new political action committee called "We Love Harbor Springs" formed. What started with dozens supporters has turned to hundreds, and now the group's goal is to have a seat at the table.
J.R. Elliot, a member of We Love Harbor Springs, said the goal isn't to scrap everything that's been proposed in the ordinance, but rather to have more conversations about the code, and hopefully reintroduce some oversight and communication that she feels may have been removed with the updated code.
On the group's website, weloveharborsprings.org, they published the full list of what they like from the zoning code, as well as what's missing that they'd like to see.
According to the website, the group would like to keep the simplification that came with the updated zoning code and the reduction of number of zones, for example. The group would like to have more conversations and plans for things like the central business district, plans for affordable housing and parking, for example.
Harbor Springs Zoning Administrator Jeff Grimm told the News-Review in May, after the ordinance was passed by city council, that the changes will allow for more processes to build on private property to be streamlined, such as not requiring people to attend a meeting with the zoning board, but rather allowing the city planner to determine whether things fall within the city code.
By streamlining the approval process, fewer opportunities to offer feedback about new builds — like accessory dwelling units, for example — are open for neighbors and community members, Elliot said.
"We were trained to trust," Elliot said. "We had no reason to keep our finger on the pulse. Everybody knew what the expectation was — to protect this character, and the peace and quiet, and it wasn't a problem before."
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To get the referendum on the ballot, the group needs to collect signatures from at least 25 percent of the registered voters in Harbor Springs. Signatures from non-homestead residents do not count.
According to statistics displayed during a city council meeting in October 2022, there are around 1,200 registered voters in Harbor Springs. Around two-thirds of the homes in the city are second homes, made up of non-voting members. Around 302 total signatures need to be collected to get the initiative on the ballot, Elliot said.
A change.org petition from February regarding the updated zoning code garnered more than 1,100 signatures.
If enough signatures are collected, the ordinance will pause, and the council will have two options: put the issue on the ballot or rescind the ordinance completely.
According to the We Love Harbor Springs website, members of the group will be set up at the west end of the Harbor Springs Farmers Market to collect signatures from registered voters. Those unable to attend the market can set up a time to sign with the group by emailing signthereferendum@gmail.com.
Signatures will stop being collected on Friday, July 26, Elliot said.
— Contact reporter Karly Graham atkgraham@petoskeynews.com. Follow her on Twitter at@KarlyGrahamJRN.
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