By James Windell
A special meeting was called by the South Haven Planning Commission on March 23, 2026 in order to hold four public hearings. Three of the public hearings related to special land use applications. The other had to do with a Zoning Map Amendment for 241 Oak Street, South Haven.
Allison Koetsier, one of the owner of The Victoria Resort, which has been located at 241 Oak Street for more than 100 years, submitted a request to rezone the property from the R-1B District to the RM-1 Zoning District.
The Victoria Resort began its life in the 1920s as the Glassman Resort. It was built during South Haven’s golden era of tourism, when thousands of visitors arrived each summer by steamship on Lake Michigan. Travelers would step off the boats and make their way to resorts like this one for fresh air, beaches, and a slower pace of life. Victoria Resort LLC purchased the resort in early 2025. The applicant appeared before the commission requesting a rezoning only and has not proposed any developmental changes at this time.
Speaking before the public hearing, Koetsier said that they would like to develop a gathering space for people using the B&B as well as the cottage on the property. However, there were several residents who spoke during the public hearing voicing opposition to the rezoning. While no one questioned the current owner’s intended use of the rezoning, they indicated concern about a future owner of the property and what they might do. For instance, one resident stated that if the property is sold in the future, the new owners could build houses or condos.
Zoning Administrator, Kelly Getman-Dissette, told the Planning Commission that if the current owner or future owners wanted to build on the property or make any major changes they would have to come back before the Planning Commission to request a special land use. Nonetheless, the Planning Commission engaged in a lengthy discussion with some members supporting the concerns of the residents who spoke during the public hearing. Commission Paul Fitton, though, said that he saw no reason why the commission shouldn’t rezone the property. “This has been a business for a hundred years,” Fitton said. “This was a business before it was a neighborhood.”
After going over the criteria for rezoning, most commissioners found that the rezoning request was appropriate and there were no factors that would lead the commission to deny the request. Finally, a motion was made by Larry Heinig to approve the rezoning. A majority of the commission voted to approve rezoning the property to RM-1 Multiple Family Residential.
The Planning Commission, after disposing of this highly debated rezoning, took on three Special Land Use applications.
The first had to do with 224 Elkenburg Street, South Haven. Terry and Tracy Brown submitted an application for special land use to use the dwelling unit at 224 Elkenburg Street as a short-term rental (STR). Amendments to the Zoning Ordinance that were passed in May of 2025 permit dwelling units within the STR overlay district to be used as STRs when authorized by the Planning Commission as a special land use.
The dwelling at 224 Elkenburg Street is a two-family dwelling located at Unit #8 of Phase II of the Trailside Condominium in the RM-1 Multiple Family Residential zoning district. The unit has three bedrooms and an attached garage with additional parking on the driveway.
The Everett Park development was initially approved as a multi-phase planned unit development (PUD) in 2006 with 198 dwelling units, an extension of the Kal-Haven Trail, and neighborhood commercial at the south end, off Aylworth Ave. Two parking spaces were required for each dwelling unit in Phase II. The PUD has been amended several times since its initial approval, most recently to permit the development of 24 townhomes along Elkenburg Street and Indiana Ave (Phase II). To date, 19 units of these units have received building permits.
A staff report noted that the development has been included in the STR overlay district where STRs are permitted by special land use. Staff reported that the proposed use of 224 Elkenburg Street as an STR is expected to be similar to neighboring properties as several neighboring homes are also STRs.
During the brief public hearing no residents came forward to dispute the request. Commissioner Michael Campbell moved to approve the request. The motion was seconded and a majority of the Planning Commission voted in favor of the motion.
The second Special Land Use request was from the owners of 509 Phoenix Street. Theresa Nowak submitted an application for special land use to use the third-floor efficiency dwelling unit at 509 Phoenix Street in downtown South Haven as an STR. Amendments to the Zoning Ordinance that were passed in May of 2025 permit dwelling units within the STR overlay district to be used as STRs when authorized by the Planning Commission as a special land use.
The building at 509 Phoenix Street is located in the City’s Central Business District and consists of main floor commercial space, Nature’s Country Cupboard, and two upper-level dwellings, referred to Unit A and Upper Unit. Unit A is currently registered as a business STR unit, and the Upper Unit is a personal rental unit. Nowak has applied for zoning compliance determinations in order to register under the new STR ordinance. However, she said she would like to convert the Upper Unit from a personal/Class II rental into an STR.
A staff report indicated that the dwelling units at 509 Phoenix Street, which are already STRs, are served by a separate entrance that does not conflict with other buildings on the street. Also, the building has already been constructed, and no new construction is planned. Getman-Dissette said that the applicant intends to comply with all additional licensing requirements to use the dwelling as an STR, and no variances are being sought. In addition, it was pointed out that the units are included in the STR overlay district where STRs are permitted by special land use.
Although there is no on-site parking, renters would be able to use municipal lots or on-street parking. In accordance with Section 704.2, there is no minimum parking requirement for non-residential uses in the CBD.
A short public hearing was held and no residents indicated concern with the special land use request. The commission voted to approve it.
The last of the public hearings had to do with an application by the owners of property at 500 Virginia Ave., South Haven, to be granted special land use in order to replace an inground pool in the lakefront yard. The property at 500 Virginia Ave. is also known as Oak Harbor Marina and it is located in the B-3 Waterfront Business zoning district.
Chris Coble of Blue Water Pools represented the owners and he told the commission that the pool was installed in the late 1980s and has reached its end of useful life. A staff report indicated that while pools are typically permissible by right under Section 2112, on waterfront lots pools must be approved as a special land use if placed on the waterfront side.
Although it was noted that pool replacement has begun, Getman-Dissette said that many people don’t realize they need a permit or Planning Commission approval before beginning construction. A majority of the commission voted to grant special land use for the new pool.
