Gull Harbor Neighborhood Meeting
Thursday, May 14th 6:30pm EST
Address: 37891 Gull Harbor Drive
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/dgq-csmf-dhu
Or dial: (US) +1 775-553-0910 PIN: 693 836 941#
Contact: Adventure@Protopia.com
Gull Harbor Natural Area Summary of Discussions & Actions
DRAFT St James Township NEW Zoning Ordinance & Map
- https://webgen1files1.revize.com/stjamestwpmi/SJT%20Zoning%20DRAFT.pdf?t=202603081527320&t=202603081527320
- https://webgen1files1.revize.com/stjamestwpmi/SJT%20Zoning%20Map-DRAFT.pdf?t=202603081528190&t=202603081528190
EXISTING Island-Wide Zoning Ordinance & Map
- https://webgen1files1.revize.com/stjamestwpmi/Document%20Center/New%20node/Government/Planning%20Commission/beaver_island_zoning_ordinance.pdf
- https://webgen1files1.revize.com/beaverislandmi/St%20James%20Twp%20Zoning%20Map.pdf
ANNOTATED St James Township NEW Zoning Ordinance
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We’re reaching out regarding the recent community efforts to enact changes in St James Township and the Gull Harbor Neighborhood in particular. You may have read about them on the Township website or Facebook, but if you’re not familiar, two different administrative changes are moving forward at a rapid pace that will affect your property and those around it.
-First is an effort by the Michigan EGLE (Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy), part of the state government, to close a portion of Gull Harbor Drive permanently. They seek to close the section from the nature preserve all the way to Lake Drive along the water. Nothing has been decided regarding these efforts, but discussions are ongoing. Below is a link to the St James Township summary of discussions & actions.
-Second is an effort by St James Township to completely rewrite the zoning code. This new proposed zoning code would not apply island-wide like the current code. It would only affect St James Township parcels and the outer islands. Public comment is open regarding the draft until April 20th, 2026. We encourage you to read the draft zoning code linked below. If you’d like an annotated version citing the changes from the current zoning code, we’ve begun a working document also linked below.
While we support improvement and recognize the need for communities to adapt and change to meet different needs, we are a little stressed about the disorganized way both of these efforts are moving forward. That’s why we are hosting a meeting of Gull Harbor residents and property owners to discuss these administrative efforts and how we envision our neighborhood’s future.
We are convening both in-person at our home (the “Island Aerie” on Gull Harbor Drive) and simultaneously online using Google Meet (link below). To keep the meeting productive, we are starting small with just the property owners and residents on Gull Harbor Drive for now. These changes are coming whether we respond to them or not – so it’s best that we make an effort to organize and have our voices heard clearly.
Some proposed discussion topics
-Gull Harbor Drive: What are some preferred solutions if the state were to permanently close the road? Are there any solutions for keeping the road open? Is there a positive scenario we can dream up that we prefer? What are our resources we can use to enact solutions that we prefer over ones that are not ideal?
-Zoning – What type of “zone” should Gull Harbor parcels be, or are there multiple? What are the most objectionable parts of the Draft Ordinance? Are there positive changes that we’d like to see as part of a new zoning ordinance? What makes Gull Harbor unique and what should we strive to preserve? Is there anything we’d change? What are our dreams for the future and how can the new zoning ordinance help make those a reality?
-Other Topics: What are the next steps to respond to the specific actions proposed by the township and the state? How can we stay organized and informed? Should we speak as one voice, or as individuals? What’s next?
Who we are
We have met most of you and are grateful for your continued friendship. If we have not yet met or interacted much in person – hello! We are Nathan Altman and Sarah Mueller – our art and media business is called Protopia Studios. We have lived here on and off for the past 6 years. Sarah’s parents, Dave and Patty, have lived at 37855 Gull Harbor Drive since the late 90’s. We look forward to meeting you and hope this approach will lead to a fun and meaningful time together!
Best,
- Nathan Altman & Sarah Mueller
Protopia 