EAST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — East Grand Rapids city attorney provided an update on a dispute over the Gaslight Village development Tuesday, with plans to halt further discussions until ongoing litigation is resolved.
The controversy centers on a protest petition first submitted Oct. 6 that aimed to require a super-majority of at least five votes to approve the development's concept plan. However, that same night, the plan was approved 4-3 by simple majority.
For previous coverage on the protest petition click here.
Jerry Anderson, representing East Grand Rapids Responsible Development, a group formed by neighbors, said "a protest petition was literally ignored for several weeks."
East Grand Rapids City Attorney John Huff, determined the approval process was administrative, not legislative, making it ineligible for a protest petition, according to City Manager Shea Charles.
"In his opinion, this process is actually an administrative process not a legislative process. So it's not subject to a protest petition," Charles said.
The ruling, on both the protest petition and a referendum petition prompted neighbors to file a lawsuit against the city.
For previous coverage on the referendum petition click here.
For previous coverage on the lawsuit click here.
During Tuesday's meeting, what was originally an agenda item to consider approving a resolution rejecting the petition was motioned to become an update from the city attorney, who said future discussions would move to the courtroom.
"From this point forward, any public discussion of this matter by the city will be in the courtroom until this matter is resolved," the city attorney said. "This project will not appear on a city commission agenda again until the court reaches its decision."
Residents expressed frustration during public comment.
"You do not work for the developer, you do not work for staff, you work for the people sitting behind me," said one East Grand Rapids resident.
Anderson criticized how the city has handled the matter.
"The outward appearance is that you're silencing your residents to support the profit motives of the developer," he said.
An attorney representing the neighbors argued the decision was legislative in nature.
"The quickest way to get a development for gaslight village is to accept the fact that the protest petition is valid," the attorney said.
However, an attorney for the Gaslight Investors disagreed.
"But even if it was a legislative action, the protest petition submitted didn't pass muster," the Gaslight Investors representation said.
All discussions regarding the development will remain on hold until the court makes its decision on pending litigation.
WATCH THE VIDEO STORY
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
