During transitional move-in and move-out periods in East Lansing, it’s not uncommon for students and residents to see couches and other debris illegally thrown on the side of streets in city neighborhoods.
Keeping East Lansing school buildings intact and in use became a central discussion at the East Lansing City Council’s Tuesday meeting, and a motion in favor of preserving all school buildings in East Lansing specifically for the public school district was passed unanimously by council members.
A public hearing on the city of East Lansing’s first application for a medical marijuana dispensary still will be brought to the table at today’s East Lansing City Council meeting, although the Michigan Court of Appeals recently ruled medical marijuana sales through dispensaries illegal. Because the application to establish a medical marijuana dispensary at 3448 E.
Under the shadow of the Ann Street Plaza’s iconic clock tower, a pair of empty storefronts appears out of place — two dark picture windows set against the nighttime liveliness of The Post bar next door.
In face of finding a new city manager, dealing with a struggling economy and serving thousands of student residents, a new candidate for City Council is stepping up for the challenge.
A conflict between an MSU fraternity and the city of East Lansing has reopened discussions regarding the grand vision of a neighborhood near the middle of campus. Wednesday, the East Lansing Planning Commission called for city officials to begin revisiting future plans for the East Village area, after a proposal by the FarmHouse Fraternity to expand its house resulted in a sticky conflict with a lingering city ordinance. The fraternity was stalled in its efforts to add another wing on to its house, 151 Bogue St., due to a standing city zoning ordinance put in place to facilitate the now-idle East Village project, which sought to incorporate high-rise mixed-use buildings in the Bogue Street area.
In coming months, MSU students and East Lansing residents likely will help the city council replace the city’s highest-ranking official. The council likely will discuss how students and community members will play a part in selecting the new city manager — who carries out the city’s major changes and day-to-day operations — at its 7 p.m.
A group of East Lansing residents quietly are making preparations to run for city council this fall, pitting themselves against three one-term incumbents. East Lansing resident Don Power leads a coalition of three challenging candidates for the open positions, who are racing to get the 50 required petition signatures each before the Aug.
One conflict between the city of East Lansing and an MSU fraternity could determine the future face of a neighborhood near the heart of campus. The FarmHouse Fraternity was stalled in its efforts to construct another wing on its house, 151 Bogue St., because of a lingering city ordinance put into effect for the now-dormant East Village development project, which sought to incorporate high-rise, mixed-use retail and living establishments in the Bogue Street area. The ordinance states every new building in the East Village area must reserve 50 percent of its first floor space as retail space, such as a clothing store — a requirement not meant for a fraternity house but still required in FarmHouse’s development plans, said Isaac Sheppard, the chairman of the FarmHouse Fraternity’s building commission. “We don’t see a way to have a retail store as part of FarmHouse Fraternity,” Sheppard said. Representatives from the FarmHouse Fraternity are scheduled to address the East Lansing Planning Commission — who hold the power to approve or deny the project — concerning the issue this Wednesday. The future of the entire area could hinge on how the conflict is resolved, as it could solidify zoning rules that would determine the type of buildings that can be built in the area, East Lansing City Councilmember Kevin Beard said.
The East Lansing city council authorized the construction of the first building in a high-rise development project that will carve a new shape in the city’s skyline.
The East Lansing City Council is slated to make a significant stride in a pair of development projects that will add to the downtown skyline. The council is set to approve the first of two mixed-use development agreements that would authorize construction of an eight-story, mixed-use building near the Ann Street Plaza, on the corner of Grove Street and Albert Avenue.
Just hours after summer officially began, the East Lansing city council approved an ordinance outlining how residents must respond to winter weather. The council unanimously approved a revised snow removal ordinance that will impact students in rental houses come winter, specifying the time frame in which residents and businesses must remove snow, ice and other obstructions, such as broken bottles, from city sidewalks.
Although summer officially begins Tuesday, the East Lansing City Council is set to approve an ordinance that would dictate the way off-campus students respond to winter weather. After more than a year of discussion on the issue, the council likely will approve a new snow removal ordinance that would require residents to shovel sidewalks within a set time frame, subjecting them to a tiered fine system for failure to clear their sidewalks of snow, ice and other debris — including broken bottles and other trash.
Although medical marijuana dispensaries have been legal in East Lansing for more than a month, Ken Van Every said he would never expand his business to East Lansing. “They’re putting a lot of restrictions on it,” said Van Every, a Lansing dispensary owner.
In coming months, East Lansing residents might see more efforts to shift the city in a green direction. The East Lansing City Council discussed setting new, environmentally friendly goals through the expansion of a climate sustainability plan at their work session at 7 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 410 Abbot Road.
East Lansing city officials are calling for student volunteers to serve on city boards and commissions, particularly one geared to forge a connection between the MSU student body and the East Lansing community. Eleven positions remain open on the University Student Commission, an advisory board to the city council that provides input on legislation and policies that affect students.
The East Lansing City Council is scheduled to hear the thoughts of city residents as the first stages of a sidewalk renovation program are set to begin soon. Some sidewalks might be repaved several months earlier than originally planned, as the city is considering including the repairs in the 2011 Local Street Project, a city initiative that gives repairs to residential streets. The council plans to hold a public hearing on the issue during its regularly scheduled meeting 7:30 p.m.
The East Lansing City Council discussed the city’s role in two redevelopment projects that will renovate the heart of downtown East Lansing.
The East Lansing City Council is scheduled to discuss two redevelopment projects that will change the face of downtown East Lansing. Two mixed-use projects, both located near the Ann Street Plaza — the iconic center of downtown East Lansing — will commence this summer if all goes as planned, Mayor Vic Loomis said. The council will discuss the details of the development agreement at their work session tonight at 7 p.m.
The first step in a $2 million plan to revamp city parking structures is set to begin early this week. Crews will begin renovating the Grove Street parking structure and repaving concrete curbs, ramps and stairwells, as well as upgrading the building’s lighting and elevator systems, Planning & Community Development Director Tim Dempsey said.