Council approves Land Shark special‑use permit with 10 conditions; occupancy capped at 240

The City Council approved a special‑use permit allowing Land Shark (101 E. Grand River Ave.) to expand its bar and dining area, permit alcohol service and increase patron capacity to a maximum of 240 people.

Planning staff said the applicant agreed to add 28 physical seats in response to a prior request by council. The motion included ten conditions of approval: build per submitted plans and staff testimony (subject to revisions); maximum indoor occupancy limited to 240 in accordance with building and fire codes; obtain required permits from the Department of Planning, Building and Development; design and develop the project to meet state and local codes; approval to take effect upon recording of a fully executed memorandum of special use with the Ingham County Register of Deeds; persons under 21 not permitted after 11 p.m. unless accompanied by a parent or guardian; maintain required state liquor license and city entertainment permit; work with police to implement an effective security plan and staff training; operate consistent with responsible business practices so as not to place excessive demand on public safety; and comply with performance standards in section 50‑94 of chapter 50 of the city code and chapter 18 of the city charter.

The motion passed with a recorded outcome of 4‑1 (one alderman opposed). The vote record in the transcript noted the roll but did not capture individual yes/no names beyond the single opposition notation.

Why it matters: The approval allows a downtown nightlife business to increase capacity while attaching conditions intended to protect public safety and minimize neighborhood impacts.

Next steps: Staff will ensure required permits are obtained and that the memorandum of special use is recorded with the Ingham County Register of Deeds as a condition of the approval.