The rental restriction overlay ordinance was passed in 2004. Overlay districts can be created as one of two residential zones — the first restricting new rental licenses and the other allowing current owners to apply for rental licenses — if two-thirds of the residents in the designated overlay area provide signatures of support.

The proposed zone then must go through various commissions and a City Council vote before it is implemented.

Annette Irwin, operations administrator for code enforcement and neighborhood conservation, said the ordinance requires examination because some residents have had difficulty selling homes. She said residents are unsure how the overlay ordinance affects the city’s housing market.

“We get some anecdotal evidence that people can’t sell their home or can’t rent it because it’s an overlay district,” Irwin said. “But sometimes people come to us and say, ‘Hey, I can’t sell my house because no one knows about the stability (in the overlay district).’ So it goes both ways.”

Three East Lansing overlay districts were created in December after residents voiced concerns about property values, poor care of rental properties and student tenants. Since 2004, 16 overlay districts were created, with nine in 2004 and 2005. Four overlay districts were introduced in 2009.

Councilmember Nathan Triplett is a proponent of the committee. With some of the main issues being property values and rental housing, Triplett said it’s important to ensure home prices remain bearable.

“We want to have stability, but we also need to provide access to affordable housing to meet the different housing needs of East Lansing residents,” he said.

Getting the green light

The council also will consider a plan to cut down energy use in municipal buildings by upgrading lighting systems.

Tim McCaffrey, director of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Arts for East Lansing, is seeking an additional $24,000 for design and engineering consultants to analyze a project that would replace old light fixtures and install occupancy sensors in municipal buildings.

Original estimates to update seven buildings exceeded the $213,200 block grant for energy efficiency awarded to the city by the federal government by more than $100,000, with an estimated energy savings of more than $23,000 per year.

Actual energy savings will be smaller given the plan’s reduced scope as the city picks which buildings to enhance.

“We know City Hall and (54B District Court) is the No. 1 priority, and beyond that we are going to figure out where to get the maximum bang for our buck,” McCaffrey said.

The city also believes it will receive about $30,000 in rebates from the Lansing Board of Water and Light through its energy efficiency programs.

McCaffrey said consultants will help East Lansing reduce costs and find the best scenario when it looks for contractors to make the improvements.