The Grand Rapids City Commission met for their bi-monthly meeting this week, as city commissioners and Mayor Roslynn Bliss voted on a number of issues. Two infrastructure updates came out of the meeting—the commission officially awarded a contract to Dykema Excavators for the reconstruction of Michigan Street. The long awaited renovation to the crumbling stretch of road that runs from Monroe Avenue to Ionia Avenue will kick off this spring. City officials will spend 1.7 million dollars on the project that will restore one of the key entry points into downtown.
The commission also approved a contract that will renovate Veteran’s Memorial Park in downtown Grand Rapids. The 1.1 million dollar project will consist of removing and reconstructing a new reflecting pool, installing a new concrete plaza, and restoring park monuments on site.
The struggling recycling program mygrcitypoints was given life support--at least one more year. The city commission voted to extend the program’s contract thru March 31st, 2018. While the incentive based recycling program began with high hopes in 2011, participation from both residents and businesses has been declining. City officials are hoping with the addition of a number of new partners including the Grand Rapids Black Chamber of Commerce that new life can be breathed into the recycling program over the next year.
One of the more debated issues of the evening came with the proposed amendment to the zoning ordinance. While a number of residents voiced their disapproval, the city voted to extend the unlimited height district downtown west of 131. The new ordinance will allow developers to build 10 story structures on the west side, and up to 16 stories if certain conditions are met, such as providing affordable housing. The vote puts the city in place for developers to begin stretching downtown’s reach west of the Grand River.
