Public Works

A recent presentation to East Lansing’s Downtown Development Authority (DDA) unveiled the Brownfield tax increment financing (TIF) plan for the proposed mixed-use redevelopment where Spartan Avenue meets Grand River Avenue. If all goes as presented to the DDA, the developer will be asking East Lansing’s City Council to approve $9.5 million in TIF reimbursements for expenses related to the redevelopment.

At their work session this past Tuesday, East Lansing’s City Council was presented with a draft lease agreement between the City of East Lansing and Patriot Solar Garden East Lansing, LLC, for community solar project at Burcham Park. Lansing Board of Water and Light (BWL) is also a partner in this project.

According to an update we just received from the City, "Crews are moving forward with the extension of fall bulk collection on the City's west side (residences west of Abbot Road) this week, Nov. 23-25, as scheduled; however, collection will be limited to large bulk piles of leaves. Fine cleanup (blowing and sweeping) is not possible due to the cold temperatures and snow/ice."

Public debate on how (and whether) to manage deer in East Lansing heated up last night at City Council’s meeting, with the new Council deciding not to take any formal action on the matter until at least February. The plan had been to have the culls in the two East Lansing parks start this month, but Council elected last night to put off the cull. Their interest is in part to try to see, from results of the legal hunt this year, how many deer around the area are actually shown to have chronic wasting disease. (Hunted deer are supposed to be tested before people eat them.)

The City has announced that fall bulk leaf collection is being extended on the west side of town and may also be extended on the east side of town. The extension is happening because the leaves are dropping later than expected.

Photo: Recent groundbreaking ceremony for the project now called “300 Grand,” formerly known as “The Gateway.” In the photo, members of the DDA/BRA, which approved a $1.9 million TIF for this project, include DTN’s Colin Cronin (third from left) and Mayor Nathan Triplett (second from right).

During the past week, you may have noticed the large green rolling recycling bins appearing at houses and apartment complexes across East Lansing. These 96-gallon carts, funded by a grant from The Recycling Partnership, aim to expand the list of possible recyclables the city accepts. The list of new recyclables is available here.

Above: artist’s rendering of the planned building, not showing the planned plaza.