Planning Commission recommends rezoning four Evergreen parcels to B‑3

The East Lansing Planning Commission voted to recommend City Council approve Ordinance 15-54, which would rezone four parcels at 314, 328, 334 and 340 (aka 344) Evergreen Avenue from RM-32 (City Center multi-family residential) to B‑3 (City Center commercial).

City planning staff (Mister Bartley) told the commission the rezoning is largely a technical fix: the parcels have cycled between RM-32 and B‑3 several times since 2017 and staff and the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) had been marketing them as B‑3. The DDA held a special meeting July 9 and voted unanimously to support the change; council subsequently introduced the ordinance and referred it to the Planning Commission for a recommendation.

Commissioners asked about parking policy under the B‑3 district. Staff and DDA representatives explained that B‑3 generally prohibits new private on-site parking unless the Planning Commission and council waive that restriction for demonstrated need, and that municipal parking or negotiated project agreements have been part of prior downtown development discussions. The commission debated parking implications and the history of development proposals for the block, including prior interest from projects such as the Graduate and Abbott developments.

Commissioner Chapin moved that the commission recommend council approve Ordinance 15-54 for the four identified parcels (parcel numbers were read into the record); the motion was seconded and the commission voted in favor. The transcript records "motion carries," but a roll-call tally was not recorded in the transcript.

The commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to City Council for final action.