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East Lansing City Council Meeting Recap 9/5/23


** Thanks for reading!
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Thanks for checking out the East Lansing City Council Recap. This publication is sent out after regular, discussion-only and special City Council meeting. Plan for future meetings by viewing the 2023 meeting schedule here. (https://www.cityofeastlansing.com/997/2023-Meeting-Dates) Readers are encouraged to contact the East Lansing City Manager's Office with questions: (517) 319-6920.

The City of East Lansing occupies the ancestral, traditional and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabeg – Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi peoples land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw.


** Highlights from the Sept. 5 Meeting
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The East Lansing City Council met on Tuesday, Sept. 5 at the East Lansing Hannah Community Center (ELHCC) for a regular meeting.

City Council voted to excuse East Lansing Mayor Pro Tem Jessy Gregg who was absent from the meeting.

During communications from Council, East Lansing City Councilmember Dana Watson indicated that she had attended the "Rent is Too Damn High" rally at the State Capitol earlier in the afternoon and noted that it is an important issue for the East Lansing community. She also noted that she does not have office hours, but that she is available to meet with community members and make space to hear what people have to say.

East Lansing Mayor Ron Bacon welcomed all of the students back to school, including Michigan State University (MSU) students and students in East Lansing Public Schools (ELPS). He noted that he and East Lansing City Councilmember Noel Garcia Jr. had recently met with leadership from ELPS, including Superintendent Dori Leyko. Mayor Bacon also expressed excitement about the East Lansing Youth Commission. Additionally, he thanked City staff from the Department of Public Works (DPW), East Lansing Fire Department and East Lansing Police Department for all of their hard work over the weekend with an MSU home football game at night.

East Lansing Interim City Manager Randy Talifarro also welcomed the students back and expressed gratitude for how well recent events, such as Moonlight ExtravaGRANDza and the first MSU home football game had been handled. He noted that the East Lansing Family Aquatic Center closed for the season on Labor Day and that it had near-record attendance for the final weekend of the season. Finally, Interim City Manager Talifarro introduced the City's new Planning and Zoning Administrator Landon Bartley.


** Public Hearing: Consideration of Ordinance 1520 to Rezone Seven Parcels (Burcham Drive/Grove Street)
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Watch the public hearing (https://youtu.be/BWenJlXmips?t=1497) . Ordinance 1520 involved a request from Hagan Realty, LLC, to rezone seven parcels of land totaling 1.85 acres. The properties are located at 135 Burcham Road, 709 Grove St., 715 Grove St., 725 Grove St., 743 Grove St., 755 Grove St. and 765 Grove St. The proposal is to change the zoning of these parcels from R-2, Medium Density Single-Family Residential District, to RM-32, Center City Multiple-Family Residential District. View the Agenda Item Report. (https://cityofeastlansing.civicweb.net/document/105141/Consideration%20of%20Ordinance%201520,%20a%20request%20from.pdf?handle=D0A4B60646F845A9B8786DB6F4552BCC) After discussion and public comment, the issue was tabled until the next regular Council meeting on Sept. 19.



** Public Hearing: Consideration of the Sub Two-Acre Wetland Located at 2680 East Lansing Drive
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Watch the public hearing. (https://youtu.be/BWenJlXmips?t=6338) East Lansing Environmental Specialist Cliff Walls reported that the property owner at 2680 East Lansing Drive (near Costco and the old DPW site) wished to expand their parking facilities. The City's wetland consultant conducted a site investigation and identified a 0.71 acre emergent wetland and open water stormwater detention basin. It was their professional opinion that Wetland A should not be regulated by the City and that it is not essential to the preservation of the natural resources of the City. View the Agenda Item Report. (https://cityofeastlansing.civicweb.net/document/105074/Consideration%20of%20the%20sub%202-acre%20wetland%20located.pdf?handle=D9CEEF6982D044B3ABD9267123245DB6) East Lansing City Councilmember George Brookover moved approval, seconded by Mayor Bacon. The motion passed unanimously.



** Public Hearing: Consideration of a Modified Site Plan & Special Use Permit Approval for 115 Albert Ave.
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Watch the public hearing. (https://youtu.be/BWenJlXmips?t=6969) The modified site plan and special use permit would convert the existing Black Cat Bistro into Los Tres Mex Grill. The conversion would alter the existing seating configuration, reduce the overall occupancy, modify the building façade and add an additional outdoor dining area. The 11,588 square foot space is zoned B-3 (City Center Commercial District). The proposed plan would reduce the interior occupancy to 67 from the currently approved 110 occupants for Black Cat Bistro. Seating will be provided for 51 patrons on the interior, plus an additional six seats along Albert Avenue and 48 in the adjoining outdoor patio. View the Agenda Item Report. (https://cityofeastlansing.civicweb.net/document/105137/Consideration%20of%20a%20request%20from%20E%20_%20G%20Connectio.pdf?handle=8479D78F73C64ADA838022ED8A990A89) Councilmember Brookover moved approval, seconded by Councilmember Garcia. The motion passed unanimously.



** Second Reading of Ordinance 1524: Mayor's Youth Commission
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Watch the discussion. (https://youtu.be/BWenJlXmips?t=7457) The purpose of the East Lansing Youth Commission is to engage the youth of the City of East Lansing, ages 14-18 who are either residents of the City of East Lansing or ELPS students, actively involving them in the functions of City government, schools and libraries. View the Agenda Item Report. (https://cityofeastlansing.civicweb.net/document/105036/Second%20reading%20of%20Ordinance%201524%20Mayor_s%20Youth%20.pdf?handle=E4D6D418DE1949438460C637AF160461) The motion was approved on a vote of 3-1 with Mayor Bacon, Councilmember Watson and Councilmember Garcia in favor and Councilmember Brookover opposed.



** Consideration of the Humana Medicare Advantage 2024 Insurance Renewal
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Watch the discussion. (https://youtu.be/BWenJlXmips?t=8191) Mayor Bacon asked to recuse himself for professional reasons. Humana Medicare Advantage's 2024 insurance renewal for retirees initially included an increase in premiums of 4.76%. However, after the City's Human Resources Department asked Humana to revisit the proposed increase, the company responded with a rate hold (no change in the premium rate) for the 2024 renewal. View the Agenda Item Report. (https://cityofeastlansing.civicweb.net/document/105121/Consideration%20of%20the%20Humana%20Medicare%20Advantage%20.pdf?handle=3283770632F745308769ACFA9B184B5F) The motion passed unanimously.


** Other Items
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1. Council approved traffic control order no. 492, for the placement and enforcement of parking restrictions in various locations in the downtown area. View the agenda item report. (https://cityofeastlansing.civicweb.net/document/105173/Approve%20traffic%20control%20order%20no.%20492,%20for%20the%20.pdf?handle=ABBCCB1E4A114F859E8C259D9C295476)
2. Council approved a contract with Young's Environmental Cleanup Inc. for emergency spill clean-up services and authorized the Interim City Manager to sign. View the agenda item report. (https://cityofeastlansing.civicweb.net/document/104951/Approve%20contract%20with%20Young_s%20Environmental%20Cle.pdf?handle=8CD261AADBF54D518F0FB94372490FC4)
3. Council approved a resolution recognizing the SET SEG Foundation as a nonprofit organization located in the City of East Lansing for the purpose of obtaining a charitable gaming license from the Michigan Lottery Bureau. View the agenda item report. (https://cityofeastlansing.civicweb.net/document/104962/Approve%20a%20resolution%20recognizing%20the%20SET%20SEG%20Fo.pdf?handle=A7C813CE6E7943D19FA36D99BC6D040C)
4. Council approved a mural contract for $30,000 for artist Jazzmyn Benitez and authorized the Interim City Manager to sign. View the agenda item report. (https://cityofeastlansing.civicweb.net/document/104934/Approve%20a%20Mural%20Contract%20for%20$30,000%20for%20artist.pdf?handle=42329CCD431C4CE297A979D9438405F5)
5. Council approved a contract with RS Engineering, LLC for design services for the Harrison Road Bridge Deck Rehabilitation in an amount of $379,018 and authorized the Interim City Manager to sign. View the agenda item report. (https://cityofeastlansing.civicweb.net/document/105290/Approve%20a%20contract%20with%20RS%20Engineering,%20LLC%20for.pdf?handle=6B25BF9696E946CD96E7802AFAA815E5)
6. Council approved a resolution accepting the Development Project Agreement for Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant #TF22-0175 Northern Tier Trail Extension to Coolidge Road in the amount of $300,000 and furthermore allocated $360,000 from developer contributions and the Parks portion of the Income Tax Fund for the local match, and authorized the Interim City Manager to sign. View the agenda item report. (https://cityofeastlansing.civicweb.net/document/105051/Approve%20a%20Resolution%20accepting%20the%20Development%20.pdf?handle=A44FFCD7360745F2A1444BD7E7445349)
7. Council set a public hearing for Oct. 3, 2023 for consideration of a request from 530 Albert 2023, LLC, for site plan and a special use permit approval for 530 Albert Ave. The proposed application would construct a five-story building with 122 units of affordable rental housing and approximately 1,100 square feet of commercial space. The 0.68 acre site is zoned B-3, City Center Commercial District. View the agenda item report. (https://cityofeastlansing.civicweb.net/document/105203/Set%20a%20public%20hearing%20for%20October%203,%202023,%20for%20c.pdf?handle=F0EC0CC668824E96A03D0CF71F545ADA)

To learn more about all items discussed during the meeting, view the Agenda Packet. (https://cityofeastlansing.civicweb.net/document/105295/)
Next Meeting: Tuesday, Sept. 19
Regular Meeting


** Additional Information
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The City of East Lansing has transitioned back to in-person public meetings and East Lansing City Council meetings have been temporarily relocated to the East Lansing Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road. Regular and discussion-only Council meetings take place at 7 p.m. A remote option for viewing the meetings and providing public comment continues to be offered for City Council and Planning Commission meetings via the City's public meeting portal (https://cityofeastlansing.civicweb.net/Portal/) . The number to call in for public comment is posted at the top of each meeting agenda.

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