Bed and bistro approved by City Commission; deal met with MDOT for crosswalks

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Jean Prout’s dream of opening a bed and bistro is one step closer to fulfillment.

Mount Pleasant city commissioners approved a conditional rezoning Monday for Prout to continue with her plans to transform an old Victorian house into The Ginkgo Tree Inn, 309 N. Main St.

The property was classified as OS-1 for office use, but will now be a C3-general business.

Prout was thrilled with the decision.

“It’s so exciting,” Prout said. “We are in the process of gutting the place and working on the plumbing, electrical work and heating.”

The commission also decided to enter into a cost agreement with the Michigan Department of Transportation to install striped crosswalks at the Mission Street intersections of Blue Grass Road, Preston Avenue, Bellows Street and High Street.

Mount Pleasant will contribute $13,200 to repainting and upgrading them. The new crosswalks will be much larger with thermoplastic inlays.

“We have a chance to change driving behavior,” said Rich Morrison, director of community services. “We are hoping to encourage drivers to slow down and become more alert that there is pedestrian crossing in this area.”

The creation of a Redevelopment Liquor License Development District was approved by commissioners. The RLL Development District will be made up of part of the Central Business District Tax Increment Finance Authority and the Mission/Pickard DDA districts.

By combining these two areas, which house mainly locally-owned and operated businesses rather than franchises and corporate entities, the RLL Development District will create a new economic draw for businesses looking to relocate to the city, said Downtown Development Director Michelle Sponseller in a letter to City Manager Kathie Grinzinger.

“The city met its quota for liquor licenses, but this is a way to keep restaurants and businesses coming to the area,” Grinzinger said.

The applicants for liquor licenses will still have to go through all the other steps necessary to open a business.

The commission will have complete control and discretion in setting a policy for requirements to obtain a liquor license through them. If not approved by the City Commission, the Liquor Control Board would not have the authority to grant licenses.