Council asks city attorney to negotiate terms for private owner to remove hedge, protect park

Harbor Springs ' The city council agreed by consensus to ask the city attorney to draft an agreement with a property owner seeking access across park land to remove trees and replace a hedge.

Robert Sears, identified in the meeting as the owner of 1 Beach Drive, proposed removing portions of an existing hedge and installing a fence so crews could access a tree on or adjacent to his property. The Harbor Commission had referred the proposal to council. Residents raised concerns about park aesthetics, dog-beach access and potential city costs; one speaker cited an estimate of about $30,000 to remove the hedge, grind stumps and restore the area.

"If he wants to remove the trees and do what he needs and put new trees there with his money and not involve the city I think then I would be open to that," Nancy Randall told the council. Other residents and commissioners asked that any agreement protect the park with clear timelines, specify whether the fence would sit on private property, require the owner to replace removed vegetation with specified sizes and to maintain new plantings for a period (several speakers recommended two to three years).

Council members repeatedly emphasized that any work should not cost the city. The council asked the city attorney to prepare written conditions that address scope, a restoration timeline and warranty/maintenance requirements and to coordinate with Parks, Tree Board and Harbor Commission before returning to council.

Next steps: city attorney will draft a short, condition-based agreement for council consideration, including completion deadlines, restoration requirements and monitoring obligations for replaced plantings. Council also asked staff to flag blackout dates when work would not be permitted (for example, major event weekends).