02-10-03 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING FEBRUARY 10, 2003 neighbors expressed some concerns about that and they have agreed to do that. Additionally, they have agreed that the lighting on this site will not interfere with the neighbors. Landscaping is another commitment by the hospital. The area will have landscaping down the entire length of St. Joseph Street and along Navarre Street and there will be sod planted along this area so it will be an attractive area for the neighborhood. The neighbors are going to be given an opportunity to help design the landscaping to make the area attractive in a manner that will suit them. The parking which is provided exceeds the parking required under the zoning ordinance. They will provide plenty of parking which is always a problem with a hospital and believe it will go a long way to solving some of the parking problems at the hospital. Mr. Bancroft noted that St. Joseph Street is eighty -two and one half (82 1/2) feet wide and with buildings that will not exceed five (5) feet in height they believe this development should not disturb the neighborhood and it will be consistent with the neighborhood usage. In conclusion, Mr. Bancroft stated that Memorial Hospital is growing and they need the Council's help. The hospital has tried hard to meet the demands of the neighborhood and to follow what Councilmember Aranowski told them the neighbors wanted and they are hoping that the Council will approve this rezoning. Councilmember Aranowski indicated that it is his hope that during construction the hospital adheres to the ordinance that the City has for the time of construction which was discussed in the committee meeting. Additionally, Councilmember Aranowski indicated that contractor's vehicles should be placed somewhere and not be intrusive to the neighborhood. Finally, Councilmember Aranowski indicated that the restricted residential parking signs on St. Joseph Street may be taken down during construction but will be put back in place. In response to these concerns, Mr. Bancroft stated that the hospital agrees and is committed to the requests. This being the time heretofore set for the Public Hearing on the above bill, proponents and opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. Mayor Stephen Luecke, 810 Leland Avenue, South Bend, Indiana, informed the Council that he speaks in support of Memorial's rezoning effort. He stated that urban development is difficult. There are constraints on space when a project is hemmed in on the sides by neighborhoods on the east and west and Leeper Park and the school on the north and it becomes more difficult to provide all the facilities that Memorial would like to provide. Mayor Luecke commended the hospital on their planning efforts and being respectful of boundaries that have been drawn, of working with neighbors in terms of answering questions and trying to amend their plan to respond to issues raised by neighbors. Mayor Luecke also commended Councilmember Aranowski for his work as well as being the intermediary between the neighborhood and the hospital. Memorial Hospital is not only a premier medical facility and one of which to be proud but also a premier corporate citizen in this community investing not only in their campus but also investing in other facilities such as the Leighton Plaza and Health Works Museum downtown. He noted that individuals who once had to travel to distant places for health care treatment are now able to stay in the community. This benefits not only them and their families but the community as well as dollars are kept in South Bend. Mayor Luecke reported that the Redevelopment Commission endorses and supports these rezoning proposals and they have worked hard with Memorial as they have done their long term planning to try to see things that work to continue to anchor the north end of downtown. He noted that they do build parking garages whereas sometimes institutions prefer to use flat parking. He noted that when the Lafayette Street parking garage was being built they worked with the Park Avenue Neighborhood in terms of landscaping and design of the structure to accommodate the neighborhood t