Changes to two ordinances to allow private entities to provide their own parking were discussed during the East Lansing Planning Commission’s Wednesday work session at City Hall, 410 Abbot Road.
Because of the increasing demand for parking downtown and with recent interest in redeveloping properties formerly planned for City Center II, the ordinances — 1287 and 1289 — are aimed to help alleviate parking issues.
The city code requires any new development provide parking within the municipal, or city, parking system.
“However, we do not have any provisions in here for circumstances we’ve run into lately where we do not have enough municipal parking to accommodate development on the west side of the city,” Planning and Zoning Administrator Darcy Schmitt said.
“That’s problematic when the city has an ordinance that requires parking in the municipal parking system but can’t accommodate them.”
The provision would be open for any type of development, but most likely will be used for residential uses, such as proposed apartment complexes near the corner of Abbot and Albert streets at the site of a former Fifth Third Bank.
Previous redevelopment plans in the city, including renovations to 341 and 345 Evergreen Ave., were rejected by city council, primarily because of lack of parking.
The planning commission will bring back the ordinances to hold public hearings on them in March.
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