Planning Commission holds public hearing on special-use permit for two restaurants at 1351 E. Grand River

The East Lansing Planning Commission on Jan. 8 held a public hearing on a special-use permit request for 1351 East Grand River Ave., where the applicant seeks approval to operate two restaurants (the Morning Post and Dinolfo's) with alcohol service and a seasonally modified patio. The commission opened and closed the public hearing and did not take a final vote; staff and the applicant said the matter will return for action at a subsequent meeting.

The request covers interior alterations to create two distinct dining concepts in a single building, plus alcohol service and a modified patio. Planning staff told commissioners the property currently has an existing special-use permit with an occupancy cap of 154 and that the applicant is asking to change that capacity to 172 (an increase of 18). Staff also noted the Morning Post has already begun operating in the space and that the project has proceeded through building permitting.

Ian Tyler, who said he represents the business at 1351 Grand River, described the businesses and operating plans. "What we've done is opened a breakfast place with a West Coast Southwest flair," Tyler said, and added the Morning Post has been serving for several weeks. Tyler said the Morning Post is operating roughly from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. and that the operator seeks to serve morning alcoholic beverages such as "mimosas, Bloody Marys, Irish Coffee in the morning." He said Dinolfo's will operate as a higher-end seafood-and-steak dinner concept, open Wednesday through Saturday in the evening hours.

Tyler provided the seating breakdown he is using on site: 93 indoor seats for the Morning Post plus 28 patio seats that can be used by the breakfast concept, and 56 indoor seats for Dinolfo's plus the same 28-seat patio. He said the two concepts share back-of-house kitchen and restroom space and are not intended to operate simultaneously. "It would be impossible to run both these restaurants at the same time," Tyler said, describing the layout and how the interior is to be managed.

Commissioners asked several operational and design questions. Vice Chair Ed Wagner asked whether the patio structure would be permanent; Tyler said the patio walls are seasonal, removable vinyl panels that can be unzipped and stored in warm months while the roof element is permanent. Commissioners also asked about signage and separate entrances; Tyler said Dinolfo's will use a sliding door from the patio for its entrance and that the applicant plans building and yard signage and window markings to direct patrons to the correct entrance.

Tyler said the dinner side is likely to include occasional live jazz from about 10 p.m. to midnight on select nights and described the night offering as aimed at adult diners. The applicant acknowledged there have been some delays or complications with the state liquor licensing process and that Dinolfo's had opened previously without full liquor service; the commission noted that liquor licensing is handled at the state level.

No members of the public spoke during the hearing. After taking comments from staff and the applicant, commissioners closed the public hearing. The commission indicated it will consider the special-use permit request and related approval at a future meeting (the applicant and staff said the item would return in two weeks for formal action).