When the East Lansing City Council’s Tuesday meeting approached 1 a.m., the council decided to defer its decision on the site plan, special use permit and zoning plans for City Center II until its June 17 meeting.
“I realize people are waiting, and want to move forward,” Mayor Pro Tem Diane Goddeeris said. “But I don’t want anyone to throw it in our face – ‘You approved a site plan at one in the morning, what were you thinking?’”
However, while the project still has not been passed, the council approved several changes to the conditions for City Center II.
One of the changes is that the development agreement will include language limiting the number of August-to-August leases throughout City Center II.
“There’s more work to do to determine whether or not should be a ‘magic number,’” City Manager Ted Staton said. “I’d think 10 to 15 percent could be August-to-August.”
Kevin McGraw, development director for Strathmore Development, suggested placing different requirements on different buildings throughout the project.
There should be the most limitations on Building A, the proposed 10-story building on the corner of Abbot Road and Grand River Avenue, he said.
Another change is that at a minimum, the usage of Building A is to include Naya, which is a restaurant and wine bar, approximately 120 units of Indigo Lodging, a two-floor theater, and no more than 80 residential for-sale units.
“(This is) a very important consideration for me to get comfortable with Building A,” Mayor Vic Loomis said.
This would guarantee quality, class-A, financially-sound users, he said.
Traffic concerns, and screening of dumpsters and of the townhouses were also discussed at the meeting.
At the June 17 meeting, City Center II will be for discussion by council members only, with no public hearings.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
