East Lansing city officials are inviting residents to voice their opinions on the final stages of the Northern Tier Land Use Plan at a public hearing Wednesday.
The forum will give residents a chance to voice their opinions of how the land should be developed. The property consists of area north of Lake Lansing Road and west of Chandler Road.
The East Lansing Planning Commission has been working on the project for 10 months and has taken public input all along, Commissioner Fred Bauries said.
The final proposal for the Northern Tier is in its fourth version since 1993.
The 23-page document outlines major developments occurring in the area and includes the construction of the Eastwood Towne Center in Lansing Township, an office complex and four student apartment projects.
East Lansing officials brought the land into the city with a land-share agreement, also known as a Public Act 425 agreement, with DeWitt Township in 1998 and 2001. The property increased the size of the city by 20 percent.
Much of the area’s future is in the city’s comprehensive plan, the basis of development within East Lansing for the next 10 to 20 years.
Several public forums were held earlier in the year to discuss the development of East Lansing. The Northern Tier was part of the forum.
The forum gave residents a chance to ask questions and discuss future developments.
Officials hope to establish five goals for the area, including setting aside land for park and recreational use, maintaining natural resources, designing and developing the area efficiently and involving the transportation system.
The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. and with only one other item on the agenda, the commission will be able to devote as much time as necessary to public comment, Bauries said.
Once the public has voiced its final concerns, the proposal will return to a subcommittee of the commission, although Bauries said he doesn’t foresee any significant altercations.
“There have been opportunities for public hearings and input all along,” he said.
“It’s a fairly complex and complete document.”
Commission Chairman Kevin Beard said there isn’t much in the way of controversy surrounding the Northern Tier plan.
“We’ll take people’s testimony on what we have proposed,” he said. “We may or may not make modifications based on that.”
The most likely candidates to attend the meeting are residents of the Northern Tier and the commission will be willing to listen to any issues that may arise, Beard said.
“It’s unfair to anticipate where concerns or issues might come up,” he said.
“We haven’t had any inclination of any serious problems.”
East Lansing resident Kathryn List said she wasn’t aware of the meeting, but probably wouldn’t attend.
“I don’t pay as much attention as I should,” she said. “Unfortunately at my young age I just don’t have much interest.”
