The East Lansing City Council made several major decisions affecting the city's downtown during a lengthy six-hour meeting Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, rejecting one large development proposal while approving another.

In a 4-1 vote, council members denied a proposal from Terrain Development Partners to construct a 10-story mixed-use building on Bailey Street. The project would have included apartments and commercial space but also eliminated more than 80 parking spaces, a key concern raised by city leaders and downtown business owners.

Just before the vote, Mayor Eric Altmann said he was persuaded by local business owners who argued that maintaining available parking is critical to their success.

"I’m concerned that we have locally owned independent businesses in our downtown that would like to keep there," Altmann said, adding that he was not prepared to second-guess business owners who say parking is essential to maintaining their operations.

While the Bailey Street proposal was rejected, the council approved a separate 12-story mixed-use development known as The Howard. The project, proposed by Harbor Bay Ventures, will be built on the former Michigan State University bookstore site along Grand River Avenue and will also feature residential apartments and commercial space.

Council members also approved the installation of so-called "safety sticks" in downtown East Lansing. The technology is designed to automatically detect parking violations and issue citations by mail.

Charlotte House Fire Under Investigation

Fire officials in Charlotte are investigating a house fire that broke out Tuesday morning. The homeowner escaped without injury, and firefighters rescued several pets from the home. However, two dogs died in the fire. Authorities have not released the address of the residence.

Whitmer Signs Housing Bills, State Budget

Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a dozen bills into law Tuesday, including legislation that limits large companies from purchasing more than 100 single-family homes. Additional measures create a state-level housing tax credit and eliminate a staircase requirement for some small apartment buildings.

Whitmer also signed Michigan's fiscal year 2027 state budget and school aid budget.

OK2SAY Reports More Than 10,700 Student Tips

Michigan's OK2SAY student safety tip line received more than 10,700 anonymous reports in 2025, according to newly released data. While the total represents a decline of roughly 1,000 tips from the previous year's record high, about one-third of all submissions involved mental health concerns.

Officials said law enforcement determined approximately 90 percent of the reported tips were credible enough to investigate.

Gordie Howe Bridge Celebration Canceled

A planned joint U.S.-Canada ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Gordie Howe International Bridge has been canceled after Canada scrapped the celebration following President Donald Trump's announcement of a 50 percent tariff on Canadian goods.

Despite the canceled ceremony, the bridge remains scheduled to open to vehicle traffic next Monday.