For many years, LAFCU (formerly Lansing Automakers Federal Credit Union) had operated a stand-alone drive-up automated teller machine (ATM) kiosk in the front area of the Charlotte Plaza parking lot on Lansing Road. As a consequence of the pending sale of that portion of the lot to O’Reilly Auto Parts, the kiosk was removed. LAFCU officials contacted the City inquiring to inquire about the installation of the kiosk at another location along Lansing Road.
Upon reviewing this request, City staff concluded that no provision had made made for this type of land use in the zoning ordinance. In most settings, an ATM is considered an accessory use and is located on the same premises as the bank office. In this particular situation, however, the ATM kiosk had stood alone on the site and so could not be considered accessory to a main use on the property.
Staff members concluded that in order for the ATM kiosk to be installed along Lansing Road, it would be necessary to amend that section of the zoning ordinance that provided for conditional uses in the B-3 General Business district. This would assure that the use would conform to the requirements of Michigan’s Zoning Enabling Act that requires conditional uses to be specifically enumerated. In addition, it would permit the Planning Commission to review the proposed use to insure that it is operated in a manner that minimizes adverse impacts on surrounding uses.
Based on input from LAFCU and ideas obtained from reviewing ordinance language in use in other communities, as well as that applicable to other conditional uses, City staff prepared proposed ordinance language that would amend section 82-269 of the City code by adding 82-269 (11). The Planning Commission held a hearing on the ordinance amendment on October 2, 2012 and recommended its approval to the City Council. The ordinance was approved by Council on October 8. Its effective date is October 28, 2012.
The complete text of the ordinance is available here.