“I have great support from my colleagues,” Haskell said. “Council is so supportive, and I truly appreciate that. We will continue to do the best we can.”

Ordinance 1287 was extensively discussed and unanimously approved, a move that made a series of amendments to the zoning code involving nearly all aspects of parking and paving in East Lansing.

With no major renovations taken place since 1994, some language had been added in areas that were unclear, according to a staff report from the East Lansing Department of Planning, Building & Development.

“A great deal of time and energy has been put into this ordinance,” East Lansing Mayor Pro Tem Nathan Triplett said. “There’s conflict, but there’s also some concrete real world situations that we have to find a workable situation to.”

Other outdated sections of the ordinance included a no-clear allowance for previous pavement, as well as a parking standard that forces multiple-family projects toward four bedroom apartment units at the expense of other unit types, the staff report said.

On the business agenda, the unanimous approval of a consideration for Lahanas to enter into a contract with Shared Systems Technology Inc. which will update the Division Street, City Center and Grove Street parking structures

East Lansing Mayor Diane Goddeeris emphasized the changes will be to the inside, not the outside of the parking structures.

The meeting concluded with a unanimous approval of the consideration of the Lahanas’s contract as East Lansing City Manager.

“I look forward to continuing to serve the council and the community as your city manager,” Lahanas said.