East Lansing officials might put a halt on rental licenses in single-family zones during its 7:30 p.m. meeting today in its chambers, 101 Linden St.

The ordinance would restrict rental housing licenses in single-family zones and defines rental houses as commercial property.

Council members can approve a moratorium, which will halt residents from applying for rental licenses in those zones for the next six months, said Annette Irwin, the city's operations administrator with the Code Enforcement and Neighborhood Conservation Department. The council also can set a public hearing, to be held March 25, to make the moratorium permanent.

Irwin said about 10 rental licenses are in the process of being approved, and the city is no longer accepting other requests.

"We've done our duty," Mayor Mark Meadows said. "One-third of housing in the city is rental. There are better opportunities out there."

Meadows said he doesn't expect to see fewer rental houses, and occupancy will not be lowered.

But Fred Bauries, an East Lansing landlord and vice chairman of the East Lansing Planning Commission, said the city is taking its rental policy to extreme measures.

"I think that it is going way too far," he said.

Bauries, who rents three houses surrounding his Hagadorn Road home, said the council has done a good job containing the renting problem, but it's the homeowner's right to rent the property.

"Someone will have to challenge it," he said. "The council may be surprised when people find out the significance of this and oppose it."

The council also will introduce an amendment to the city charter to eliminate August primary elections in odd-numbered years.

East Lansing voters can make the change on the November ballot, opening the November primary to all candidates who file 90 days before the election.

"I see it as a method to increase voter participation," Meadows said.

Meadows said traditionally primaries have low turnouts, and eliminating the proposal would give voters more candidates to chose from and allow the candidates to be properly supported by their constituents.

The city will still have primary elections in even-numbered years when federal and state candidates run for office, City Clerk Sharon Reid said.

If the council approves the proposal, it will most likely be added to the November ballot. If voters support the proposal, it will go into effect in 2005.

Primaries for council members are only held if there are twice as many candidates as there are seats open. In order for primaries to be held in the 2003 election, at least seven candidates need to run for the three open seats. Meadows, Mayor Pro Tem Sam Singh and Councilmember Beverly Baten are up for re-election. Several applications for the positions have been picked up, but none have been turned in, Reid said.

Holding a primary costs the city between $15,000 to $20,000, Reid said.

Farmington Hills eliminated odd-year primaries in 1985 when 67 percent of voters were in favor of the proposal, Farmington Hills Deputy City Clerk Pam Smith said.

"It's been a success," Smith said. "I have not heard any complaints from voters about not holding primaries."