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Council votes: lane conversion on Hazlett Road approved; contracts and permits approved or referred
Summary
Council approved a range of items on March 18 including a Hazlett Road lane conversion, a $697,000 signal contract for the Trowbridge Gateway project and several land-use and consent items.
The East Lansing City Council on March 18 concluded a packed agenda with several votes on street projects, contracts and land-use permits.
Hazlett Road lane conversion: The council approved a resolution supporting the reconfiguration of Hazlett Road between Hagedorn Road and Park Lake Road from four travel lanes to three (one continuous left-turn lane plus bike lanes) with two improved pedestrian crossings. The council voted 4-1 to approve the measure after a staff presentation that cited the city's non-motorized transportation plan and a consultant traffic study concluding the road diet would improve safety without reducing level of service. Funding was described as coming from major-street funds with a future MDOT cost-share agreement to follow.
Trowbridge Gateway signal contract: Council approved a contract with Rawhorn Electric, Inc., for signal work associated with the Trowbridge Gateway project in an amount not to exceed $697,000, including a project contingency (15% noted in the packet) to cover unforeseen utility relocations or supply lead times. Staff said the work is expected in late summer or early fall owing to signal-equipment lead times; the vote was unanimous.
Special use and land-use items: Council unanimously approved a special-use permit for restaurant operations at 1351 E. Grand River Avenue (Las Tres Amigos/Brookfield LLC) subject to conditions, and unanimously referred a revised special-use request for 213 Ann Street back to the Planning Commission for further review after staff and councilors identified discrepancies between revised plans and earlier Planning Commission materials. Council also approved several consent-agenda items including a five-year maintenance contract for soccer fields and a resolution recognizing March as Women's History Month.
Other business: Council referred a proposed HVAC replacement contract for City Halljail-area equipment back to staff to allow for a broader review of facility needs and potential financing options. The council also authorized staff to continue work on downtown parking reports and set public hearings on zoning-related ordinance proposals. The meeting ended with unanimous adjournment.
Votes at a glance (selected items): - Consent agenda (multiple items including Fishback change order, added budget work session, downtown parking system report, rental license, Women's History Month resolution): Approved unanimously. - Albert Alfresco site plan and lane closure (Agenda 5.1): Approved unanimously (see separate article). Amendment to reinstate pre-2024 larger footprint failed 3-2 (Altman and Singh yes; Meadows, Watson and Brookover no). - Resolution supporting Hazlett Road lane conversion (Agenda 5.2): Approved 4-1. - Contract with Rawhorn Electric, Inc., Trowbridge Gateway signal work (Agenda 3): Approved unanimously; contract amount not to exceed $697,000 plus contingency. - Special-use permit, 1351 E. Grand River Ave (Las Tres Amigos) (Agenda 5.5): Approved unanimously, subject to conditions referenced in staff report. - Special-use request, 213 Ann Street (Agenda 5.4): Motion to refer to the Planning Commission for review of revised plans approved unanimously. - HVAC replacement for City Hall jail area (Agenda 5.6): Referred back to staff for broader facility review and possible financing alternatives (motion approved unanimously).
Why it matters: The votes advance multimodal street projects, traffic-safety work, and downtown business permits, and the council asked staff to take additional steps on planning and facility finances to ensure projects align with operational needs and community feedback.
