[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6349784,"mediaKeyId","2236317-5fb606bbebaed80fda3243933519478a","parentId",2236317,"title","East Lansing council probes Field House expansion, pizza shop plans amid capacity and policing concerns","audioSeconds",2181,"startMs",1996000,"endMs",4177000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2236317-5fb606bbebaed80fda3243933519478a&start=1996&end=4177","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2236317-5fb606bbebaed80fda3243933519478a/thumbnail_1996000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6349784/East-Lansing/Ingham-County/Michigan/East-Lansing-council-probes-Field-House-expansion-pizza-shop-plans-amid-capacity-and-policing-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6349784-2140b9091bf19d6d594b95a78b478c5e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771188500&Signature=HL0zxP8~u3xRC7bzSCpU4BJkCiIIPauhIKhj3oX4gTsdWQYBz-C46HVKm-mkoySGmqR7-N3U7Og06JU8aVe1Fv-l57ITKaYFNDqF1Gjam~Unqfms5xMOB3TjHlBKepPuMeWyzYxmUo62FR4b3jC8FYVhzHVOCaaxaa38Gq-jL21hFnLCsvx-g56TmHhRNQWcFaRfG9MrMNOXvDNl2Y53pUv-3SNeP3W5Zp6zz~iqwcDFwwXpkzQoONzase57lM5k4BA5J2e6wdSY4KfSnPHLyH9LXAtxUTdG7VKbIagNv4GJQGOF-nXoY4FEhm9h5~GwLYrtgMld~dcFpH2s~6AmZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-02-05T14:45:14Z","article","At the Feb. 4, 2025 East Lansing City Council meeting, the council held a public hearing and extended discussion on a special‑use request from 213 Ann Street Inc. to expand the Field House sports bar into adjacent Suite B with alcohol service and to convert vacant Suite C into a pizza shop without alcohol service. The planning department noted the planning commission recommended approval on Dec. 1, 2024, and the Downtown Development Authority recommended approval on Nov. 21, 2024.

The request, as presented by Alicia Wright of the planning department, would expand Field House seating by 50 (bringing the field‑house total to 196 by staff calculation) and add a 43‑seat pizza shop, for a combined seated total of 239 patrons; the applicant also seeks to retain an existing 330 standing‑room capacity that was approved previously. Wright told council the pizza shop hours include a proposed closing of 3 a.m. and that the project shares a kitchen footprint in the existing building.

The proposal drew repeated questions from council about how the suites will connect, who can move between spaces, how a retained 330 standing‑room allowance would be used, and how the city would enforce limiting alcohol service to specified suites. Council members asked for clearer floor plans, an orientation map and a written list of proposed conditions before the item returns for final action.

Micah Siegel, legal counsel for 213 Ann Street, said the expansion “is to expand our private event capability” and described Suite B’s additional seating as intended primarily for private events and catered gatherings. “This is exactly the kind of business that we should be trying to attract as a community,” Siegel said. Jason Bamford, a partner in the proposed pizza operation, said the side‑piece restaurant is “to accommodate a cleaner dining space for people that wanna come in” and that the pizza shop will be a separate, primarily dining‑focused business without alcohol service.

Council members pressed the applicants on enforcement and operational details. Council member Meadows said he would not support restoring or granting the full 330‑person occupancy without a clearly enforceable condition limiting the ways that capacity can be used: “I'm not going to be voting to give you 3 30 seats,” he said. Meadows and others asked for a specific condition stating that Suite C (the pizza shop) remain alcohol‑free and for a reliable mechanism to control flow between suites on weekends and game days.

Council members and staff also raised questions about public‑safety impacts downtown. Council member Aldman noted police calls ranking data that later appeared in the meeting packet and asked for context on how this establishment's calls for service compare to other downtown businesses.

Staff and the applicants said the project will improve internal circulation and security controls, including locking the door between suites at 9 p.m. and providing security as needed, and that shared circulation will be reconfigured to better control egress and flow. Siegel said an elevator serves Suite A (the Field House upstairs and the Second Floor event space) and that the newly configured Suite B would be used largely for private events and catering for institutional clients.

Council closed the public hearing but did not take a final vote on the special‑use request. Staff were asked to work with the applicant to provide clearer, corrected drawings (council members noted an apparent north‑arrow/orientation error in the plans), a labeled, exploded diagram of suites and a draft of potential conditions (including any limits on the 330 standing‑room allowance and a clear prohibition on alcohol in Suite C) for council consideration at a future business meeting.

The council requested additional information before final action: a clearer depiction of suite layouts and circulation; a written condition defining allowed uses for Suite B events versus routine overflow; confirmation of which legal entity holds the SDM (specialty designated merchant) license; and explicit language to ensure Suite C will remain alcohol free. Planning staff noted the existing certificate of occupancy history and that the packet includes prior floor plans, which staff will clarify.

The matter will return to a future business meeting with revised drawings and proposed conditions for a final vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Regular Council - 04 Feb 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At the Feb. 4, 2025 East Lansing City Council meeting, the council held a public hearing and extended discussion on a special‑use request from 213 Ann Street Inc. to expand the Field House sports bar into adjacent Suite B with alcohol service and to convert Suite C into a pizza shop without alcohol service.","taxTitle","East Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan","taxId",55176,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6349773,"Votes at a glance: East Lansing council actions Feb. 4, 2025",3117,1779000,4896000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2236317-5fb606bbebaed80fda3243933519478a&start=1779&end=4896","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2236317-5fb606bbebaed80fda3243933519478a/thumbnail_1779000.jpg","/articles/6349773/East-Lansing/Ingham-County/Michigan/Votes-at-a-glance-East-Lansing-council-actions-Feb-4-2025","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6349773-bb2285f9f1bd992e00b1ae2bc757b89b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771188500&Signature=DHd6qNEk2Xzs8iLI8lrmum58rxIzOHJeQMVByvroHGibTiNY-xtzspAECK6KR0XjB1~xoCe5M2YYyBsKRi7yyoOEZ4jeaL6gq6n715v74fUwVz9E3Q9S83JKbV5Q0ZOinJ7xe80siP-HWa9aiJTaR5GBVDVe4WkEkxAMIQXJXRZvbHmGb2-U-M~yZrNN6j9PgTxK9e8z8lpH~mdyOoTV8KlHndkRi5dn7CCZnF0WUk~yu6aNKvhemNWDUSKuQXuMDfgQOaZK3ta1UsujJItjP5A~8LlLFpEMxNXp74pi03M5a5PCdqL5FbqUTMX5Z2RMe0I0ml7iQQB~6Gj0jaJpeA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The East Lansing City Council took the following formal actions at its regular meeting on Feb. 4, 2025. Vote tallies reflect the unanimous voice votes recorded unless otherwise noted.

Approved motions and outcomes

1) Approve modified meeting agenda (remove consent item 3.5 to business; substitute Ryan Putz for Elizabeth Singh on planning commission appointment). Outcome: approved unanimously.

2) Approve minutes of Jan. 21, 2025 with two corrections to replace the word “accepted” with “exempt” in two places of the draft minutes. Outcome: approved unanimously. (Moved by Meadows; seconded by Watson.)

3) Consent agenda approvals (passed unanimously):
- 3.1 Appointments/reappointments: Leslie Wilbur, Gabriel Biber, Nina Silbergleet to Arts Commission (terms through 12/31/2027); Scott Slooseki to Planning Commission (term through 12/31/2027); Ryan Putz (as amended) to Planning Commission (term through 12/31/2027).
- 3.2 Resolution honoring heroism of first responders and victims during events of 02/13/2023.
- 3.3 Resolution recognizing February 2025 as Black History Month in the City of East Lansing.
- 3.4 Resolution directing the city manager to undertake the decennial review.
- 3.6 Set a public hearing for 03/04/2025 on a special‑use permit request at 1351 East Grand River (Los Tres Amigos Brookfield Lehi).'Note: 3.5 was pulled from consent and moved to business agenda for separate consideration.

4) Item 4.1 (CDBG substantial amendment for FY2025): Staff presented a proposed reallocation of $3,695 from a nonprofit to a pilot security deposit/first‑month rent assistance pilot for low‑to‑moderate income households. Council opened and closed the public hearing and directed staff to place the amendment on a future business meeting; no final appropriation was approved that night.

5) Item 4.2 (213 Ann Street special use public hearing): Council opened and later closed the public hearing after extended questioning of staff and the applicant; no final vote was taken. Council directed staff and the applicant to return with clarified and correctly oriented floor plans and draft conditions.

6) Business item 5.1: Motion to defer amendments to business license fees for amusement/video arcade, dance hall, entertainment, restaurant, and takeout stores and repeal of the moratorium to March 4, 2025. Outcome: deferred unanimously.

7) Business item 5.2: Award contract to Gordon Construction Services to construct two nursing rooms and one single‑occupancy toilet room (City Hall and Hannah Community Center). Contract amount: $139,890; project contingency authorized: $21,000. Motion approved unanimously. (Moved by Mayor Brookover; seconded by Council member Altman.)

8) Business (added 3.5): Approve purchase of public‑space recycling receptacles. Corrected purchase amount: $39,995 (packet had a typographical error showing $37,220). Motion approved unanimously. (Moved by Council member Altman; seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Singh.)

9) Motion to enter closed session pursuant to MCL 15.268(1)(c) (collective bargaining strategy) and MCL 15.268(1)(e) (attorney consultation regarding pending litigation). Roll call vote recorded as unanimous; council adjourned to closed session.

10) After reconvening to open session, council approved tentative collective bargaining agreements and authorized the city manager to sign both agreements:
- Tentative agreement between the City of East Lansing and the International Association of Fire Fighters dated 01/09/2025. Motion approved (moved by Altman; seconded by Meadows). Outcome: approved by voice vote.
- Tentative agreement between the City of East Lansing and the East Lansing Independent Employee Union dated 01/31/2025. Motion approved (moved by Altman; seconded by Meadows). Outcome: approved by voice vote.

11) Adjournment: Motion to adjourn passed unanimously.

Notes and clarifications
- Several motions were voice votes recorded as unanimous; where a roll call occurred it was for the closed‑session motion under state statute MCL 15.268.
- The purchase price for the recycling receptacles was corrected on the record to $39,995; the packet contained a lower figure that staff characterized as a typo.
- The CDBG substantial amendment was discussed and will return to a future business meeting; no FY2025 reallocation was adopted Feb. 4.

If council minutes or staff reports are required for formal citation, refer to the official Feb. 4, 2025 agenda packet on the City of East Lansing website.","Summary of formal motions and votes taken by the East Lansing City Council on Feb. 4, 2025, including consent appointments, resolutions, a construction contract, recycling receptacle purchase, and ratification of collective bargaining agreements.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6349780,"East Lansing delays business‑license fee changes after councilors seek more data on police responses and staffing",302,2583000,2885000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2236317-5fb606bbebaed80fda3243933519478a&start=2583&end=2885","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2236317-5fb606bbebaed80fda3243933519478a/thumbnail_2583000.jpg","/articles/6349780/East-Lansing/Ingham-County/Michigan/East-Lansing-delays-businesslicense-fee-changes-after-councilors-seek-more-data-on-police-responses-and-staffing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6349780-cb441808aab335d82a69de5c7ab7d60d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771188500&Signature=OqwfdenThhybkwhCSUoG6LpPL7TfunGmDG3w5mLXc5EgB8pltMIYqYIcW53QMxqKPGcblVM1fYxnL4A9VE2TsTGxFcXEr~y992KFCjanzWOHW0co4XWI4ZWzoB9xRz00PMpT050Tw8w3YNSfSjWtTKfcDViACEgP6PWDafoo9w897tkBw0PHxa5mFYeIsy-LUKvljjdrPJHrabOwZ8siyaC9TDbQitHtZcGfkLoGPB1ePwbOcNVZx3Zaky3hijfn~r8BlJ~NisbjKVP3ti1r0qYvY60wC3CuDzWQCogLzAuVXXmp2JlhI1o4BDHSm~DcT-H~FlRnGXA4tXiBLtwEIw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its Feb. 4 meeting the East Lansing City Council voted unanimously to defer consideration of amendments to business license fees for amusement/video arcade, dance hall, entertainment, restaurant, and takeout stores and to defer repeal of an existing moratorium. The council moved the item to the March 4, 2025 business meeting to allow staff to gather more feedback from downtown hospitality stakeholders and refine proposed billing definitions.

City Manager staff told council the revised approach would, for certain entertainment businesses (primarily downtown bars), allow the city to bill for “actual police response” when officers are dispatched for incidents such as fights, noise violations or assaults. The manager said the concept is modeled on fire‑department billing practices for repeated false or preventable alarms and that the administration wants to clearly define what types of police responses would be billable and which would be considered baseline public safety services.

Council members requested additional data and context before taking action, including: the period covered by the calls‑for‑service dataset (staff said 2024 year‑to‑date), a breakdown of calls to specific downtown businesses (the packet later showed Harbors had 103 calls in 2024, Lou & Harry’s 51, and Fieldhouse and Riviera Café 40 each), whether other nearby jurisdictions (Meridian Township/Okemos) were included for competitive comparison, and how many police vacancies the department currently has (staff said the department had about 5–7 vacancies out of 47 positions).

Council member Meadows moved to defer the item to March 4 to allow staff time to refine billable definitions and solicit hospitality‑industry feedback; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously by voice vote.

City staff said they had circulated the revised recommendation to downtown hospitality representatives earlier the same day and apologized for the late notice. The manager asked for additional time to clarify the methodology, including which specific responses (fights, assaults, noise complaints tied to licensed establishments) would trigger billing and what would remain a city‑provided baseline service.

The item will return to council on March 4 with additional stakeholder input and a more detailed draft of billable events and fee mechanics.","The City Council voted unanimously Feb. 4 to defer proposed amendments to business license fees for entertainment and restaurant categories until March 4 to gather additional input from downtown businesses and refine a proposal to bill certain entertainment businesses for actual police response costs.","actionData","errors"]

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East Lansing council probes Field House expansion, pizza shop plans amid capacity and policing concerns

Votes at a glance: East Lansing council actions Feb. 4, 2025

East Lansing delays business‑license fee changes after councilors seek more data on police responses and staffing