A group of neighbors filed a lawsuit against the city of East Grand Rapids, alleging the city failed to follow its own laws when council members approved the concept plan for the Gaslight Village development.
The lawsuit centers on two petitions that neighbors claim were improperly handled by the city. A protest petition was presented at the October 6 city commission meeting, and a referendum petition with 1,482 signatures was filed in November calling for the development plans to be put up for public vote.
The city’s attorney determined the protest petition did not apply because the concept plan approval was administrative rather than legislative. The referendum petition was deemed inadequate due to technical difficulties with the forms, prompting neighbors to take legal action through Kent County Circuit Court.
Protest Petition Dispute
Jerry Anderson, representing the group “East Grand Rapids Responsible Development,” said the city’s handling of the protest petition sparked the legal action…