The third annual regional cooperation meeting was held Thursday, and brought officials from surrounding cities to discuss traffic, green space and land-sharing agreements.
The meeting is held every year on the Thursday following Election Day, and this year's included constituents from East Lansing, Okemos Public Schools and Meridian, Bath and Williamston townships.
The Meridian Township Board hosted the meeting, which gave city officials a chance to bring their topics to the table.
The Meridian board presented details on its Greenspace Plan, which was unveiled last month. The plan is designed to connect the township through parks and recreation facilities and provide bicycle and pedestrian-friendly alternatives to driving.
Board members presented the plans to give the other city officials a chance to voice suggestions and to make them aware of what the township had drafted.
Following the presentation, East Lansing City Councilmember Vic Loomis raised the issue of traffic concerns.
As new developments pop up across East Lansing, Loomis said there are increasing traffic problems that the council plans to focus on with a task force.
"Coolidge and Abbott roads have become most problematic," Loomis said. "Not only has traffic increased, but so has the speed."
Loomis added that the council also plans to look at traffic on Lake Lansing Road and Grand River Avenue.
Meridian Township Trustee Andrew Such said his board also is concerned with traffic, but is having a difficult time handling its problems because Ingham County holds jurisdiction on its roadways.
Officials in Meridian Township had tried several times to get speed limits reduced, but the county never honored its request, Such said.
Susan McGillicuddy, Meridian Township Supervisor, said she wanted to see all cities work together to try and solve their traffic problems.
"Having that dialogue between our communities would be beneficial," she said.
Township representatives also voiced concerns with East Lansing land and tax-sharing agreements. Officials used the time to express disappointment with situations that arose out of those agreements.
East Lansing recently granted a wetland use permit to a local developer for properties on Lake Lansing and Abbott roads and also passed the developer's site plans. The property is part of land annexed to East Lansing from Meridian Township.
Meridian Township officials voiced concern that the provisions in the agreement might be violated, but Loomis said the East Lansing City Council made enough changes before the wetland permit and plans were passed to keep the spirit of the agreement.
Bath Township also annexed property to East Lansing and holds a similar land-tax sharing agreement. Mark Ritter, superintendent of Bath Township, said his board still has bad feelings over the situation, but wants to continue to work with East Lansing.
"At some point, we have to move on and accept what happened," Ritter said. "If there are issues or situations arising... let's work together up front."
