Property owners take issue with East Village-related letter
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East Village-area property owners upset about a recent Lansing State Journal letter to the editor by an East Lansing official had their say Tuesday at the East Lansing City Council meeting.
In the letter, East Lansing City Manager Ted Staton responded to allegations that the city intends to use blight designations and eminent domain to seize land from property owners.
The property owners in attendance Tuesday said they felt they were being portrayed as trying to extort money from the government. Staton responded by saying his comments were directed to the Mackinaw Center for Public Policy, an organization that had published a separate letter in various newspapers last month.
The land in question is located at the proposed site of the city’s East Village development project, which would replace several student housing units and businesses, including Cedar Village apartments and McDonald’s.
San Diego-based Pierce Education Properties currently is 12 months into a 30-month deadline to complete the land acquisition of the properties located in the planned East Village area but hasn’t acquired any properties.
Riot ordinance
In other business, Council held a public hearing regarding an ordinance that clarifies riot conduct. The Inter-Fraternities Council voted in support of the ordinance Monday.
“It helps alleviate discretion with the implementation of this and dictates the person’s rights,” said Alex Fike, president of the Inter-Fraternities Council.
The ordinance wouldn’t change the city’s law against rioting, but would clarify prosecutable actions at a riot, said assistant city attorney Tom Yeadon, a drafter of the ordinance.
Officials have said the ordinance was drafted after students who were prosecuted after Cedar Fest last April asked that the city clarify what students couldn’t do. Yeadon said laws against chanting and shooting off fire extinguishers were among the actions in question.
Another public hearing regarding the ordinance is scheduled for March 17.
Commentary
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Super Senior
(03/04/09 12:02pm)Report
“Yeadon said laws against chanting and shooting off fire extinguishers were among the actions in question.”
WTF? How do you possibly codify that and enforce it? Are they going to go back and look at pictures and if anyone has their mouth open they will be thrown in jail?
This shows just how far the city is willing to take this just to keep from getting one night of bad press. Apparently nothing is off the table for these old curmudgeons. I hope Nathan Triplett is trying to provide the voice of the students in all of this, otherwise shame on you Nate.
EL hates students
(03/04/09 12:17pm)Report
Check out the page about the East Village project from East Lansing’s website and tell me this thing is not a done deal.
http://www.cityofeastlansing.com/EastVillage/
Here is the opening paragraph: “The East Lansing/MSU community HAS EMBARKED on an innovative project to create an exciting urban neighborhood known as East Village. This high-density, mixed-use development WILL BE a unique addition to our city, enhancing the college town atmosphere. The development WILL ENABLE East Lansing to become a more attractive and dynamic destination with an even higher quality of life.” (emphasis added)
That is not the language of discussion and dialogue. That is the language of this is being a done deal with all the gears already in motion. All that is left now is giving the appearance of taking input from citizens and property holders.
blight?
(03/05/09 10:18pm)Report
cedar village isnt blight! its ridiculous for people to think that…in east village powerpoints they show pictures of georgios and 7-11 and call it blight…blight is when a neighborhood look decrepit and bombed out (ie parts of detroit)…while cedar village may not be the most aesthetically pleasing neighborhood in parts it most certainly inst blight