Dear Fellow Pinecrest Neighborhood Residents,

As you may know, perhaps from a recent email to this list from Mike Vasievich, the East Lansing Planning Commission will hold a public hearing this Wednesday, June 27, about the Meijer proposal for a Gas Station/Convenience Store at the northwest corner of Lake Lansing Road and Marfitt Road, and about a change in the zoning ordinance that this project would require. Mike has made several relevant documents available at http://elansing.net/pinecrest, including a preliminary report by the Planning Department staff. The preliminary report includes with it a summary (written by Mike and I) of a May 21 meeting about the proposal attended by a number of Pinecrest and other nearby neighborhood residents. It also includes several emails commenting on the proposal. The report itself sees many positives in the proposal and does not seem to find any serious problems with it.

The Pinecrest Neighborhood Association held its June meeting on June 11. The lead item on the agenda was discussion of the Meijer Proposal. The meeting needed to be relocated to the East Lansing Public Library on short notice, probably with some adverse effect on attendance. Ten neighborhood residents attended, including city council members Kevin Beard and Diane Goddeeris. Darcy Schmidt of the City Planning Department attended (and also arranged for the meeting room), as did representatives of the Meijer corporate office and the architectural firm Meijer is working with. The representatives showed diagrams of the site plan (now included in the preliminary report), described the proposal and responded to questions. Residents raised questions similar to some raised at the May 21 meeting. These included concerns about effects on traffic, lighting, and the positioning of signs. Some residents raised concerns about the appearance of the Meijer lot as things now stand (e.g., the amount of debris, the nursery materials stored in the parking lot in full view), and wondered whether this project, despite the relatively attractive site plan, would make matters worse. Another issue was whether the gas station could be expected to attract travelers from US-127 at all hours. The Meijer rep indicated that Meijer is proud of this store, wants to be a good member of the community, and will be reponsive to neighborhood concerns. At the same time she noted that some decisions are up to the store manager, who was not present at our meeting or the May 21 meeting. One resident spoke in favor of the proposal.

After the guests left, members discussed what position the association should take with regard to the proposal. It was decided that given the small number of residents present, and the fact that there was apparently a lack of unanimity even in the group present, the association should not take a position for or against the proposal. I will attend the Wednesday Planning Commission meeting and describe the Association's involvement. I may make some personal remarks, but if so will label them as such.

We now have a rather extensive email list, so I assume that many neighbors have heard about the proposal and the upcoming hearing. Perhaps I should gather from the light attendance at our association meeting and the lack of of email or phone contact I have received that most residents have no strong feelings about the proposal. If you do feel strongly about it, it is your right to express your views at the hearing, or you can contact the Planning Commission directly, email being one convenient way. You can send email to Darcy Schmitt dschmitt@ci.east-lansing.mi.us . Feel free to contact me as well.

The Planning Commission will not take action on the proposal this week, but may at its next meeting two weeks later. If it decides affirmatively, the proposal will later come before City Council, and there will be another opportunity for comment.

I will note in closing that whether you favor it or oppose it, this proposed development should not be regarded as inevitable. Several previous proposals by Meijer for a gas station at this store were rejected, as described in the staff report. It also bears noting that as the property is zoned and the zoning ordinance currently reads, this proposal does not fit. Even if the project moves forward, citizen input can have an impact on the conditions that are placed on it.



Sincerely,

John Goddeeris
Pincrest Neighborhood Association President
goddeeri@msu.edu
332-6489