East Lansing Council approves several zoning and project measures; Hazlett road MDOT agreement passes 3-1

East Lansing City Council on July 15 approved a package of ordinances, code corrections and program guidelines while moving several other items forward for later action.

The most prominent approvals included a unanimous vote to amend the zoning code to allow taller fences in properties zoned C (Community Facilities), and a unanimous vote on an omnibus set of corrections and clarifications to the city's zoning and sign chapters. The council also adopted a resolution affirming that the Planning Commission may adopt the city's 2024'2025 comprehensive-plan update, clearing that review to proceed at the commission level.

Not all measures passed unanimously. Council approved a cost-sharing agreement with the Michigan Department of Transportation for rehabilitation of Hazlett Road (Saginaw Highway to Park Lake Road) on a 3'1 vote; Council Member Meadows requested outreach to MDOT for pedestrian-safety improvements along nearby Grand River. The council also approved program guidelines for the Street Closure Request Program for Businesses (used to temporarily close adjacent street segments for retail events) on a 3'1 vote after discussion about administrative burden and program costs.

Several routine items were handled on the consent agenda earlier in the meeting, including a traffic-control order establishing a multiway stop at Kensington Road and Chesterfield Parkway (TCO 497) and various contracts, grants and board appointments. The council referred a proposed rezoning for four downtown DDA parcels on Evergreen Avenue to the Planning Commission for a public hearing.

Who said what - Mayor Brookover moved the fence-height amendment after a public hearing and City Planner Landon Bartley summarized the Planning Commission's unanimous recommendation. Bartley told the council that most C-zoned properties in the city are city-owned and that the amendment is targeted to community facilities. - Matt Apostle, Community and Economic Development Specialist, presented the comprehensive-plan update process and said the Planning Enabling Act gives the Planning Commission the authority to adopt the plan unless the council asserts otherwise. - Public Works Director Ron Lacoste and consultant representatives briefed the council on the MDOT cost-sharing agreement for Hazlett Road.

Votes at a glance (key motions recorded on July 15) - Amend section 50-147 (fence height in C Community Facility Zone District) — Ordinance 15-50: Passed unanimously (4-0). Mover: Mayor Brookover; second: Council Member Altman. - Zoning and sign-code corrections — Ordinance 15-43: Passed unanimously (4-0). - Resolution affirming Planning Commission authority to adopt the comprehensive-plan update — Resolution 2025-5: Passed unanimously (4-0). - MDOT cost-sharing agreement for Hazlett Road rehabilitation (local match + contingency appropriation): Approved 3-1. (Meadows, Altman, Watson yes; Mayor Brookover no.) - Street Closure Request Program guidelines (Downtown Management Board recommendations): Approved 3-1. - Referral of proposed rezoning for four DDA-owned parcels on Evergreen Avenue to the Planning Commission: Approved unanimously.

Why it matters The zoning changes and clarifications streamline regulation for city-owned community facilities and remove ambiguities in the sign and zoning chapters. The Hazlett Road agreement advances a major resurfacing and safety project with federal and state funds but requires a significant local match. The street-closure guidelines formalize a downtown program the city has run as a pilot and set standards for future events.

What comes next - The Planning Commission will hold public hearings and is expected to complete its review of the comprehensive-plan update and the Evergreen-parcels rezoning in coming weeks. - Staff said they will continue outreach with MDOT on pedestrian-safety elements linked to the Hazlett project and implement short-term Harrison Road crosswalk improvements before school starts.

Ending note: The council handled a mix of technical code fixes and higher-profile infrastructure decisions at the July 15 meeting, and several items will return to the council or the Planning Commission for further review.