Battle Creek commission approves rezoning at 26 Harvard, backs nonprofit raffle and several city agreements

The Battle Creek City Commission on Aug. 19 approved an ordinance to rezone 26 Harvard Street from R-2 two-family residential to T-3 neighborhood commercial and passed multiple resolutions authorizing city agreements and recognitions, including support for a Share Center charitable gaming license.

The rezoning affects a property on the east side of Harvard Street between Calhoun Street and Frelinghuysen Street. The commission opened and closed a public hearing on the application without public comment and then adopted ordinance O7-2025. The clerk read the ordinance description and the commission voted to adopt the ordinance; the clerk announced the ordinance "has been approved." (See provenance.)

The commission also approved a one-year agreement with the Leila Arboretum Society to provide educational programming, park stewardship, urban forestry consultation, and installation and maintenance of downtown seasonal plantings and a winter water display for fiscal year 2025–26. The motion passed and the clerk said the vote was unanimous.

Commissioners approved a personnel-related resolution affirming that the city attorney "exceeds expectations" and increasing his base…