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Planning Commission recommends rezoning four Evergreen Avenue parcels to B-3 city-center commercial
Summary
The East Lansing Planning Commission voted to recommend that City Council approve ordinance 15-54 to rezone 314, 328, 334 and 340 (aka 344) Evergreen Avenue from RM-32 city-center multiple-family residential to B-3 city-center commercial, a change staff described as a technical fix to reflect prior marketing and DDA expectations.
The East Lansing Planning Commission on Aug. 2025 voted to recommend that City Council approve ordinance 15-54 to rezone four parcels on Evergreen Avenue from RM-32 (city-center multiple-family residential) to B-3 (city-center commercial).
Planning staff said the rezoning is essentially a technical correction to match how the properties have been marketed and understood by the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and prospective developers. Landon Bartley, planning staff, told the commission the parcels have switched between RM-32 and B-3 several times since 2017 while various proposed projects were under consideration and that the DDA purchased and has marketed the properties as B-3.
The DDA held a special meeting July 9 and voted unanimously to support the zone change, Bartley said. Commissioners asked whether rezoning to B-3 would allow new on‑site parking; staff clarified that new on-site parking is generally prohibited in the B-3 district unless the planning commission (and by extension council) waives that restriction because of demonstrated need.
Commissioner Chapin moved that the planning commission recommend council approval of ordinance 15-54 to rezone 314, 328, 334 and 340 (also listed as 344) Evergreen Avenue from RM-32 to B-3; the motion was seconded and the motion carried.
If City Council approves the ordinance, future development proposals for those parcels will return to the planning commission for site-specific review, including any waiver requests for on-site parking.
The DDA and city staff said they see the change as a step to enable redevelopment on those city‑owned properties that have been on and off the market while project proposals evolved.
