The Cottage Company’s downtown hotel and spa project, newly named Hotel Janelle, once again came before Harbor Springs City Council Monday night, April 16. With two agenda items focusing on the hotel’s planned unit development permit on the docket, only a handful of folks were scattered in the audience (and most were present for other agenda items).

“During our first meeting in March, Council took action on the hotel, and there were four items on the planned unit development list that you said you wanted to talk more about and bring back at a later date,” city manager Fred Geuder said to Council members as he reviewed a seven-page memo that described what Council wanted to discuss, what the Planning Commission suggested, and any additional information garnered on the subjects.

Geuder said the memo was also sent to immediate neighbors and Rob Mossburg, owner of The Cottage Company of Harbor Springs. He said responses to the four items— restricting parking and/or traffic direction on Gardener Street, restricting outdoor activities on the green space at the southeast corner of the property as well as the rooftop deck, and restrictions on an outdoor fireplace—were received from Mossburg and David and Mary Wood. TheWoods are Bay Street neighbors to the site and have filed a lawsuit against the City (Mossburg recently joined the suit on his own behalf) relating to its approval of the hotel.

“The first item to look at is traffic on Gardener Street,” Geuder said. “What Planning Commission suggested was for Council to take a look at the situation with the chief of police. I have attached notes from Dan (Branson, police chief), which indicate that Gardner St. could be a one-way south of Main St. to Bay St. Parking could stay on both sides of the street.”

Mayor Jean Jardine then opened the topic up for public comments.

“I think it’s a good plan, because the biggest problem on that street is the two way traffic. It is a hazard right now as it is and it just makes sense to have traffic only going south to exit on Bay Street, because that corner is far less dangerous,” said resident Bruce Ohmart.

Mike Corcoran, attorney for the Woods’ then stood on behalf of his clients. Mayor Jardine reminded the audience that public comment was limited to two minutes.

Information from: www.harborlightnews.com

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 19th, 2007 at 1:07 am and is filed under Hotel, Real Estate. Tags: Branson Corcoran development Planning Commission Property . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.