MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - The Meridian Township Board received a request to rezone 3698 Okemos Road from rural residential category to professional office.

The Board agreed that the rezoning request does not meet the rezoning criteria. One criteria is that the request is consistent with the master plan, and does it address a community need.

Township Treasurer, Julie Brixie said, “In this instance we actually have an abundance of vacant professional office zoning throughout the Township and specifically in the Okemos Road and Jolly Rood corridors. Very close by this location we have unfilled vacant office space so they weren't really able to approve a community need for the rezoning request.”

Behind the Okemos Road lots there is single family housing that’s aging, and the Board wants to make sure that their decisions won't hurt the aging residential neighborhoods.

The this request will be before the Township Board as an action item at their July 15th meeting.