East Grand Rapids reviews revised Gaslight Village concept plan; commissioners press for traffic, multimodal and utility studies

Zoning administrator Jay Gianotti presented a revised concept plan for the Gaslight Investors Planned Unit Development (PUD) covering 2255 Wealthy Street and 515 Lakeside Drive and asked the City Commission for direction to develop PUD amendment language rather than a final approval.

The proposal would increase residential units to about 149 from the roughly 107 units shown in the PUD approved in 2004, add about 10,000 square feet of commercial space and include a commitment to reserve a minimum of 10% of residential units as attainable rentals. Gianotti said, "As mentioned, tonight we are being formally presented a revised concept for the Gaslight Investors PUD site at 2255 Wealthy Street and 515 Lakeside Drive." He added, "This is not a vote to approve any plans at this point," and reiterated that further reviews and public hearings are required before final approval.

Why it matters: the site abuts Gaslight Village and Reeds Lake and has drawn strong public interest because of its scale, proposed height and parking implications for nearby streets and schools. City staff and consultants told commissioners the concept plan can proceed to the next stage only if detailed follow-up studies address traffic, multimodal circulation,…