Project Decision Delayed Due to Lack of Quorum at Planning Commission

Above: Existing townhomes on Albert Avenue built by the Hagans, similar to those proposed in the application that has been delayed due to lack of a quorum at the last Planning Commission meeting.

East Lansing’s Planning Commission was unable to conduct business at its most recently scheduled meeting for lack of a quorum. This means a developer’s proposal has been pushed back in the approval process, and this issue could persist if more residents don’t soon apply for and get appointed to the Commission.

Planning Commission Chair Dan Bollman explains that the problem has arisen from the ordinarily nine-member Commission losing several members. Currently serving with Bollman are Kathy Boyle, Jack Cahill, Hannah Grall, Andy Quinn, Leo Sell, and Chris Wolf. But the group recently lost two members and will soon lose another.

Bollman tells ELi, “After having served several terms, Don Davis’ latest term expired in 2017. At around the same time, Rory Neuner announced her need to resign since she was moving out of the City. Commissioner Grall has announced that her last meeting will be April 11, since she will be graduating. (Fortunately, she has identified one or more possible replacements).”

At the meeting on March 14, the Planning Commission was scheduled to continue review of a site plan and Special Use Permit application from Hagan Group, LLC, to construct a three-unit, three-story townhouse-style residential structure downtown, similar to one the company has previously built and rented out. But the Planning Commission could not continue work on the application, because, in Bollman’s words, “we did not assemble the necessary quorum of five members.”

Bollman says the failure to continue review of the Hagan project on March 14 was “a (hopefully minor) inconvenience” for the Hagan Group. “However, if the Commission had had a time-dependent proposal on its agenda, the additional delay might have meant the difference between the project’s success and failure. The two large construction projects underway in the City (Center City and The Hub) faced [just] such a limited timeline.”

The Park District project is expected to come back to Planning Commission in a new form soon, and internal staffing records from the City suggest many additional projects likely to come before Planning Commission soon. Planning Commission also takes up other issues like zoning for marijuana facilities and land-use planning.

Explaining the role of the Commission, Bollman says, “twice each month, the Planning Commission completes the necessary research for the items on its agenda. We study the applicable portions of the Zoning Ordinance and meet to determine a recommendation that is forwarded to Council.”

Bollman tells ELi, “Frankly, I have been frustrated with City Council’s setting the Planning Commission’s recommendations aside. Yet, I understand that, as the elected body, Council needs to make its decisions based on a broader range of issues than those considered by any one individual board.”

Who should consider applying for Planning Commission? Says Bollman, “The City needs knowledgeable, engaged individuals to participate in the process that informs and shapes Council’s decisions. For me, that means bringing my knowledge and experience as an architect to the planning process.”

Planning Commission constitutes a significant time commitment. Not only does it often meet twice a month for several hours, there is a great deal of “homework” required in advance of the average meeting.

But Bollman is hoping more East Lansing residents will step up to help: “Speaking selfishly, I’d like to see the Planning Commission with a full complement of members as soon as possible in order to avoid a repeat of our lack of a quorum. Taking a larger view, there are several advisory Boards and Commissions that have vacancies in their ranks. If Planning is too great a commitment, then people might consider other opportunities to participate.”

Information about vacancies and application instructions are available through a dedicated page of the City’s website.