Planning Commission recommends denial of rezoning for Riverside Golf Course

The City of Battle Creek Planning Commission on Sept. 24 voted unanimously to recommend that the City Commission deny rezoning request PRZ25-006, a petition from Interstate Capital to conditionally rezone the property at 245 East Columbia Ave., commonly known as Riverside Golf Club and Banquet Center.

Staff told commissioners the parcel (parcel corrected in the meeting as 0063-00-100-0) is currently split by Columbia Avenue and is mapped in the city’s future land use plan as open space or recreation, which conflicts with the applicant’s proposal to allow commercial and light industrial uses on the north portion of the site. City staff recommended denial because the proposed light industrial portion appears inconsistent with the adopted master plan and may not integrate well with adjacent residential neighborhoods.

Greg Delaunay, representing Interstate Capital, told the commission he has led large development projects in the region and argued the site could support a mix of residential, commercial and some industrial uses. “It is a beautiful view. I get it,” Delaunay said. He said the north parcel’s topography includes an about 80-foot elevation difference from nearby backyards and that proposed buildings would be lower than the adjacent homes’ viewlines: “There’s an 80 foot…