COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Due to the Memorial Day holiday, the Coldwater City Council meeting that was originally scheduled for next Tuesday will instead be held this evening.
Among the items of the agenda, will be second reading and final action on a pair of rezoning requests.
A rezoning request for a proposed small grocery and specialty goods store at 93 East Park Avenue that would serve the nearby Arabic speaking neighborhood has caused some disagreements at City Hall.
Petitioner Talal Al-Abssi wants to rezone his property from a residential zoning district to a C-1 Community Business District. It barely got a positive 4-3 recommendation from the Planning Commission.
In his report to the Council for tonight’s meeting, City Planner Dean Walrack says the staff is recommending a denial of the petition to rezone saying in part this proposal is plainly a case of “spot zoning”. Parking concerns have also been brought up.
But Mayor Tom Kramer is in favor of having the proposed store operate on East Park and serve the neighborhood.
The City Council is also scheduled to take final action on the proposed rezoning of over 20 acres of land at 190 East Garfield so that a 102 unit manufactured housing development that would be known as The Enclave at Tall Grass can be built there.
In addition, City Manager Keith Baker will present proposed amendments to the 2017-2018 fiscal year budget that will decrease the budgeted deficit from about $170,000 down to just under $77,000.
