Nuclear
Last week’s “STR cap may go nuclea’ anyway” story already has. Then came the shooting in Pennsylvania.
I applaud Saugatuck City Council for trying to protect peace, quiet and safety in Community Residential neighborhoods. That’s what R-1 zoning is meant to do. We work hard and invest in our dreams to arrive at some place like what is called “The Hill.”
There are no easy answers to short-term rental issues faced by resort communities. As tourists they steal our hearts and we think maybe someday we’ll live there too.
City councilman Gregory Muncey emailed me after the story to say I’d misquoted him. The city attorney did vet him for conflicts of interest before the 4-2 July 8 vote, which placed 20-percent STR caps in the district, but didn’t say that it that night.
He and Russ Gardner were the “no votes.” Logan White, who like Russ said the lawyer had questioned him, added he was now buying an STR and recused himself.
A familiar majority voting bloc — Mayor Lauren Stanton, Helen Baldwin, Scott Dean and Holly Anderson — were in favor. Had the lawyer vetted everyone beforehand? Gardner wondered.
I had Zoomed into that meeting and lead-in July 3 workshop and may have conflated quotes made between them. Or during talks with friends and shopkeepers while out taking pictures Whatever the excuse, I am sorry. There is more than enough fuel on flames these days.
Saugatuck’s STR debate, in my 18 years here, has been the most-divisive I have covered since tri-community consolidation efforts went down in 2013. It too pitted friends against friends, neighbors against neighbors. “Politics” showed itself for what it can be, especially in small towns, personal.
The Commercial Record has survived and thrived here as a business since 1868. We aren’t funded by government but supply-and-demand local markets — i.e. what our name is, commercial — and strive to remain, in an era where social media has provided difficult ad competition — a must-read on local streets.
So when Realtor Ethan Baarde asked rhetorically at council’s July 3 workshop, “It’s all about money-money-money? Yes, it’s about money. We need money” — not only wasn’t he being craven, he spoke for us too.
“Money is the root all evil” misquotes 1 Timothy 6:10 of the Bible. “For the love of money,” it reads in full, “is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
Money is our means in this world to survive first, then do wonderful things we might not without it: watch our families grow up happy, healthy, give back to causes we believe in, dare I say have fun! But when it becomes our end? That’s what 1 Timothy is about.
Tourism is Saugatuck-Douglas’s economic driver. It helps get us there. Late Tower Marine owner R.J. Peterson worked till near his end at age 94 because work gave him fulfillment and joy, plus enabled him to help family and friends. For him, money itself had long become secondary. The best play is work, R.J. felt, and the best work play.
Workaholism can also isolate us. I speak from experience and show scars to prove it. I love writing, photography and the lakeshore to where I’ve lost touch with the loved ones whom I most need.
None of which corrects misquotes, misattributions … whatever word fits best here. I invite all to view the aforementioned workshop and meeting on the saugatuckcity.com website.
Better (?), go back over almost two years of STR Task Force, Parks and Public Works Committee, Planning Commission and Council workshops, meetings … It gets hard for most working people to do as much so as not to miss any nuance.
If I have a home and family (I do) and live on “The Hill” (I don’t), I would cherish them after my work to get here. A place where kids safely walk to school, ride bikes and skateboards on shady streets … where other family and grandkids can reunite to share not just Saugatuck summers, but its year-round, magic.
Not all renters are boorish and disrespectful — most, by far, are not. They appreciate their chance to be here. Nor do STR owner/renters — many of whom want to earn enough so that someday they live in their homes full time — want their dreams trashed and neighbors livid.
Maybe there are no “sides” when the big picture is that we all love Saugatuck. Maybe it’s time to lay down arms, as Sunday’s Donald Trump shooting shows, and to pick up alms..
Maybe we aren’t as alone on this spinning globe as we think.
