Government

East Lansing's City Council may be making big decisions about the Center City District proposal next Tuesday, June 13. What do we know and not know at this point?

The Country Mill is suing the City of East Lansing, alleging the business has been excluded from the East Lansing’s Farmer’s Market “solely because the City dislikes the farmer’s profession of his religious beliefs about marriage on Facebook.” ELi brings you the details.

ELi's Jessy Gregg sits down to talk with incoming Interim Police Chief Larry Sparkes to hear about his philosophy of policing.

What kinds of protections are built in for the City of East Lansing in the the Development Agreement with DRW/Convexity, the would-be developer of the blighted Park District? We explain in advance of next Tuesday's City Council vote on the agreement.

The East Lansing Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (BRA) has approved a revised tax increment financing (TIF) plan of $56 million for the proposed Center City District redevelopment. ELi's Chris Root reports.

What's happening at the corner of Abbot Road and Grand River Avenue? A reader asks, and we bring you the news, based partly on the Mayor's public remarks last night.

Results of a new Freedom of Information Act request show that the City of East Lansing withheld key data on the Center City District proposal for over three months. Mayor Mark Meadows tells ELi, "There is no hidden staff agenda or suppression of information involved here.”

Reviewing East Lansing Police policies, outgoing Chief Jeff Murphy assured City Council that the ELPD does not treat immigrants differently than it treats any other people. Chris Root reports.

We fact-check yesterday's LSJ's editorial on East Lansing development, finding that the LSJ Editorial Board got some facts right, and some wrong.

Citing changing driving habits, at its May 9 meeting, City Council reduced the amount of parking required for new developments. Council also revisited the contentious issue of parking rules in the Chesterfield Hills neighborhood. ELi’s Jessy Gregg reports.

Who cut down all those mature trees in Stoddard Park, and why?

ELi has discovered that developer Harbor Bay’s Mark Bell made false representations to East Lansing’s Planning Commission on his Center City District proposal. Questioned by ELi, Bell neither denies nor explains the misrepresentations, but insists he is honest.

City Council held public hearings on the Center City District site plan and tax plan last night, although no current plans were available. Council voted to do it all again in June. Here's what we've learned.

Did the Planning Commission really reject the Center City District proposal? If so, why does the Planning Director's letter to Council seem to suggest otherwise?

The Avondale Square project happened because City leaders were convinced they should spend taxpayer money on "needed" housing types. The project wasn't supposed to end up costing taxpayers over $5 million.