Planning Commission Chair Joseph Sullivan at the Jan. 10, 2024 Planning Commission meeting. (Dylan Lees for ELi)

Planning Commission Recommends Grove Street Rezoning, Seasonal Sauna Park

Rezoning needed for Hagan Realty to build rental housing on Grove Street will head to City Council with the recommendation of the Planning Commission, after the body unanimously supported the request at its Nov. 12 meeting. 

Hagan Realty is proposing to build townhome/apartment buildings that would house no more than 48 residents at 743, 755 and 765 Grove Street. The proposal includes 40 to 42 parking spaces. If City Council eventually approves the rezoning request, the project will still need site plan approval from council before it can take shape. 

Last year, a similar rezoning request from Hagan Realty was narrowly rejected 3-2 by City Council. This rezoning request is for three parcels of land, smaller than the seven parcels requested last year. 

An arial view of the where the proposed development would lie, along Grove Street and near the intersection with Ridge Street. (From agenda packet)

Throughout the process, there have been residents that have spoken in favor and against the proposal. At the Nov. 12 meeting, four residents spoke in favor of the rezoning and one spoke against. 

Two of the speakers in favor were Michigan State University students, who said they had good experiences living in Hagan Realty buildings, and that more affordable housing is needed as the student population continues to grow. 

“I can assure you that there is a want and need for this exact type of housing,” said MSU senior Kyle O’Connor. “If you don’t believe me, feel free to show up to the Hagan Realty office when they raffle off properties to students. The entire parking lot is full and students are there from the early morning until night time.”

Brian Hagan of Hagan Realty said the local business owners try to keep units affordable because they have to “show our faces” around East Lansing. In response to a question from a commissioner, he said their most expensive units are currently $1,000 per month, while studio apartments in the new high rise apartment buildings can go for about twice as much. 

A sketch of the townhome/apartment buildings Hagan Realty is proposing to build near Grove Street. (From meeting agenda)

“There were 200 people at our office on our first day of leasing,” Hagan said, noting that their units are already booked for the 2025-2026 renting cycle. “Could we have charged more? Absolutely.”

There has been debate about if the location on Grove Street is appropriate for the project, with residents opposed saying the increased density would create traffic and parking issues.

Those in favor of the proposal, however, say the project fills a need and fits in with surrounding features, including a sorority house.

At the Nov. 12 meeting, Deborah Stuart, who lives near the site, spoke in opposition to the project. Along with concerns about traffic and density, Stuart worried about stormwater management challenges the project could bring. Large storms flooded the area twice last summer.

Principal Planner Landon Bartley said it is “very important” to consider stormwater management during the site plan review, but is likely not appropriate when considering the rezoning request. Multiple commissioners agreed with that analysis. 

While a final site plan for the project has not yet been presented, finding a way to mitigate harm from stormwater may be key for Hagan Realty, if they are to have the project eventually approved. 

After widespread flooding this summer, City Council has had several discussions about reducing flooding, and increasing stormwater mitigation standards on developers. At one point, council even considered putting a temporary moratorium on development in the city while stormwater standards are being reviewed, though the idea was not approved.

At tonight’s (Nov. 19) City Council meeting, an item is on the consent agenda to set a Jan. 7 public hearing for the rezoning request. 

Planning Commission recommends sauna park approval. 

As soon as January, there may be a sauna park near the intersection of Grand River Avenue and Delta Street in the vacant lot next to Crunchy’s. At the Nov. 12 meeting, the Planning Commission unanimously recommended the proposal from Timber Sauna Company be approved. 

A rendering of the proposal by Timber Sauna Company. (From agenda packet)

The proposed sauna park would include two saunas, a check-in yurt/changing area, two cold plunge stations, a restroom trailer and a storage shed. The site would be surrounded by a four-foot-tall fence. The Planning Commission added a condition that the fence must include an additional two feet of lattice to increase privacy. 

The sauna park would be seasonal, with Timber Sauna Company proposing it be open through April, 2025. The park would be open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. 

The Planning Commission recommended the project, with commissioners saying they like the idea of there being a new thing to do downtown. The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) also recommended the project be approved at its October meeting. 

An example of a sauna that was included in the meeting’s agenda packet.

The main concern commissioners had was the fence surrounding the park decreasing the visibility of pedestrians in the busy area.

“I walk and drive through this intersection of Delta and Grand River daily,” Commissioner Chelsea Denault said. “It is an awful and very dangerous intersection.”

While other commissioner’s shared Denault’s concern, the commission ultimately opted to recommend that City Council approve the project. Commissioners expressed optimism that Timber Sauna Company will be able to work with staff to work out safety details before council votes on the proposal. 

In an email, Bartley told ELi the project is not being voted on at the Nov. 19 City Council meeting because the applicant needed to make a few changes to their plan following feedback from the Planning Commission. The plan is to have the proposal before council on Dec. 3.