EAST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- A controversy in East Grand Rapids came to a head at Monday night's city commission meeting.
They were asked to consider whether to take the first step toward making East Grand Rapids a historical district.
During the over three hour meeting, the commission looked at the pros and cons of the study and heard dozens of public comments.
Their vote Monday night was not to decide if East Grand Rapids becomes historical district or not, but if they conduct a study, which is the first step in the process. In a 5 to 2 vote, they decided there will be no study.
Roughly 150 people showed up to Monday's meeting, and the majority of the public comments were against a historical district. This whole controversy comes because some people are upset people are tearing down their homes and rebuilding in the east.
The pros in tonight's presentation were based upon talking to other historical districts in Michigan. They say a historical district would make property values rise, that historic aspects would be preserved.
People opposed to East Grand Rapids becoming a historical district and the study say it will cost about $50,000 that could be used elsewhere, and the city would be able to tell them what they can and cannot do with their house, they believe that's what city zoning is for.
The commission thought that a historical district would not benefit a thriving community like theirs and were not convinced it would attract new developers or increase property value.
