Planning commission recommends rezoning land in University Park
The Mount Pleasant Planning Commission voted Thursday to recommend rezoning land in University Park to give Central Michigan University legal control over its buildings in the area.
University Park, the area south of Bluegrass Road near Theunissen Satidum, is primarily university land. However, the approximately 300 acres is categorized as "RCD," or Research Center Districts. This area is set aside for scientific, business, industrial research operations and related testing and production in a park-like setting.
City Planner Jacob Kain said the CMU claims to already have legal control over the area, and rezoning would formalize that control.
The city will still be allowed to provide feedback on any changes to the property. A second proposal passed alongside the rezoning ordinance would allow the City of Mount Pleasant to rezone the land as RCD if CMU ever sold the land to another entity.
Commission Chair Keith Cotter expressed concern about the university putting up a hotel. He said he did not believe the CMU was malicious, but could hurt hotel business in town if it built a hotel.
"Could they start opening up things that could take away business from the rest of the city?" he said. "I guess they can anyway."
The proposal will go back to the city commission for a final decision at its Aug. 8 meeting. A public hearing will also be held during the meeting.
City Manager Nancy Ridley said after a June 14 city commission meeting that the city's relationship with the university is positive. The rezoning will "add clarity."
"There weren't really issues that arose," Ridley said. "It was more a lack of clarity about what does CMU have to approve and what does the city have to approve, what boards do I go through if I wanted to build out there. No conflicts, but just confusion by people who might want to build out there."
