City Council Meeting Summary - December 2, 2025

The Grand Rapids City Commission convened on December 2, 2025, to approve resolutions regarding economic development incentives, update recruitment processes for the City Attorney, and deliberate on a new ordinance regulating amplified sound near medical facilities. The meeting featured a brief recusal by the Mayor regarding the City Attorney search and extensive discussion on balancing free speech rights with patient privacy in the Cherry neighborhood.

Consent Calendar

• Liquor License for Brands: A resolution granting a liquor license to Brands for their new catering facility on Hall Street was approved unanimously after confirming all vetting requirements were met.
• Falk Material Wood Industrial Development: A resolution establishing an Industrial Development District for Falk Material Wood at 1920 Northbridge Northwest was approved to facilitate the construction of an 82,500-square-foot production facility.
• Falk Material Wood Tax Exemption: A resolution granting a 12-year Industrial Facilities Exemption for the same Falk project was approved unanimously.
• 125 Ottawa Brownfield Amendment: A resolution approving a Brownfield plan amendment for 125 Ottawa was passed, allowing for the conversion of floors 2-4 of an existing office building into 36 residential apartments.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Applicants for Falk Project: Ms. Renner (Speaker) presented the project details, noting the creation of 14 new jobs with wages ranging from $25 to $55 per hour and an estimated tax value of $1.8 million over 12 years.
• Mayor: Expressed the position that the position of City Attorney requires a candidate with experience in Michigan state law and highlighted the value of "boomerang" candidates (those who previously worked in Michigan and returned).
• Commissioner Kilgore: Expressed support for a national search but clarified a preference for candidates qualified under Michigan reciprocity laws rather than those requiring a new, lengthy bar exam process.
• Commissioner Cogar: Expressed the position that the majority of the search should not be limited to Michigan candidates if reciprocity allows for quicker licensing.
• Commissioner Knight: Expressed the position that individuals seeking care at medical facilities are often vulnerable and should not be shamed or disrespected, supporting protection for patients while opposing excessive fines.
• Commissioner Robbins: Expressed concern that the proposed ordinance might be too broad or used to restrict lawful speech, preferring the enforcement of existing amplified sound ordinances city-wide rather than a targeted medical facility ordinance.
• Commissioner Sasi: Expressed full support for the proposed medical facility noise ordinance, citing a five-year history of the issue in the neighborhood.
• Commissioner Belchek: Expressed support for creating clarity for enforcement while maintaining the position that the activity should not be criminalized.

Discussion Items

• City Attorney Recruitment: Interim HR Leader O'Vail Barby and Mosaic Public Partners' Greg Nelson outlined a three-phase recruitment process. They noted that while the charter requires the City Attorney to be admitted to practice in Michigan, potential workarounds exist for non-reciprocal candidates (e.g., hiring as interim or non-head-of-office for up to six months while they obtain licensure). The timeline targets opening the search shortly after Christmas to utilize the off-season for candidate engagement.
• Noise Ordinance Regulation: A proposal to regulate amplified sound within 100 feet of medical facilities was discussed in response to citizen-led concerns in the Cherry neighborhood regarding protests at Planned Parenthood. Staff raised concerns about the broad definition of "health care facility" potentially including dental and physical therapy offices. The Police Chief stated that a specific rule would provide necessary clarity compared to the current "grey area," while the City Attorney noted the potential for unintended consequences regarding First Amendment rights.

Key Outcomes

• Vote on Falk Project: Motion to establish the Industrial Development District carried (Unanimous; "Aye" votes recorded, no opposition). Motion to grant the 12-year exemption carried (Unanimous).
• Vote on 125 Ottawa: Motion to approve the Brownfield plan amendment carried (Unanimous).
• Direction on Noise Ordinance: A consensus was reached among at least four commissioners (Knight, Sasi, Belchek, and one other unspecified) to move forward with an ordinance change. However, Commissioner Purdue declined to support the specific proposal today, expressing the position that the solution did not yet match the problem due to a lack of direct feedback from the affected patient constituency.
  • Action Items: The City Attorney will bring back a proposed ordinance change including options for decriminalization or maintaining graduated civil infractions.
  • Next Steps: The City Attorney will re-engage the community to gather input directly from patients/constituents likely to be impacted before a final vote is scheduled.
  • Mayor's Directive: The Mayor requested a broader review of noise ordinance violations city-wide to understand prevalence and context for future policy.
• Adjournment: The public meeting adjourned to enter closed session for "pending litigation" in the law library (Room 601).