AUDIO: Heated crowd makes their voice heard at Portage City Council meeting over plans for housing developments

PORTAGE, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Tensions flared at the Portage City Council meeting on Tuesday, July 11 as residents and the council squared off again over plans for a pair of new housing developments in the Lake Center area.

The homeowners near Austin and West Lake say they want answers and that they aren’t getting them.  And they are blaming their elected officials, and questioning whose side they are on.

Council Members Terry Urban and Jim Pearson say they haven’t seen the plans yet, and that it would be inappropriate to offer opinions until they do.

They went onto say there could be a big difference between the plans that have circulated on the internet, and what city staff negotiates, if the plans even get that far.

Councilman Vic Ledbetter took issue with allegations that they aren’t listening.

A citizens task force has been formed to gather information on the proposals, but they haven’t been able to schedule a meeting they can all attend yet. For now, any official city council action on the plans has been suspended by the mayor, until they have some answers.