08-11-75 Council Meeting Minutes

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TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTtTTT' F' rt" 1^' F' F' F' i" F" F" I" "Fi""Fi"'t"I"'I""F"h'F."h'I"I ..."I"I .."F"F"F".'f"F ... ... . �/ .." F i h' h' F' h'I'+....1.......'h.......... REGULAR MEETING Be it remembered that the the County -City Building G. Taylor presiding. The ROT.T, CAT,T, AUGUST 11, 1975 Common Council of the City of South Bend met in the Council Chambers of on Monday, August 11, 1975, at 7:03 p.m., Council Vice President Robert meeting was called to order and the Pledge to the Flag was given. PRESENT: Councilmen Serge, Szymkowiak, Miller, Taylor, Kopczynski, Horvath, Nemeth and Newburn. ABSENT: Councilman Parent. Councilman Kopczynski made a motion to resolve into the Committee of the Whole, seconded by Councilman Miller. The motion carried. COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING Be it remembered that the Common Council.of the City of South Bend met in the Committee of the Whole on Monday, August 11, 1975, at 7:04 p.m., with eight members present and one member absent. Chairman Odell Newburn presided. ORDINANCE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 4990 -68, AS AMENDED, COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA (CHAPTER 21, MUNICIPAL CODE) 300 block of East LaSalle Street. This being the time heretofore set for public hearing on the above ordinance, proponents and opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. Mr. John Wilson, 52835 Arbor Drive, made the presentation for the ordinance. He indicated that he was representing the petitioner in the rezoning, being Millrace, Inc. He referred to the overhead projector outlining the property located in the 300 block of East LaSalle Street. The rezoning was requested from "D° Light Industrial to "A -3" High Density Residential- Office and Professional District. A 13 -story concre building would house 184 one - bedroom dwelling units. A proposed number of .32 parking spaces would be provided per unit. The normal for parking ranged from .25 to .35 per dwelling unit, according to Mr. Wilson. He also indicated that a variance had been granted by the Zoning Board of Appeals regarding the parking situation. He presented a proposed site plan to the Council members. He indicated that various studies had been conducted and the proposal would conform with the existing long -range planning program for the area. He stated that the Area Plan Commission had recommended the matter favorably to the Council. He indicated that a detailed site plan, would be prepared and submitted to the Area Plan Commission for approval prior to the start of construction. The parcel was located in Census Tract 9 and the area was one of the highest priorities for this type of activity. He briefly mentioned the flood plain area, however, no problem existed according to the Department of Natural Resources. Mr. Gerald A. Hickey, 1417 Eas Wayne Street, indicated that his business was located in the vicinity of the proposed site. He indicated that, in 10 years, only two windows had been broken out. He stated that there had been no break -ins, and he felt the area was not a high crime area. Mr. T. Brooks Brademas, 1614 Devon Circle, suggested that the proposal of Millrace, if given a favorable vote, would not warrant the public's trust of the Council. In terms of adequate service facilities, he referred to the Area Plan Commission staff report in which it was indicated that there were no food stores in the immediate area and the current surrounding land uses were predominately industrial. He presented photographs to the Council depicting the usages and structures in the immediate vicinity. He indicated that he would withdraw his proposal for housing if Millrace would withdraw its proposal. He stated that he would be willing to do this because he was so involved, in getting adequate housi for the elderly, and he did not feel the proposed site would be adequate. He indicated that it ha been suggested that a housing unit be constructed in the area of Lafayette School, and he had reviewed the suggestion and submitted a proposal for rezoning in order to construct housing for th elderly. He indicated that he had received favorable comments from the administration concerning the matter; however, after the Council had passed the ordinance rezoning the property, Mayor MillE had vetoed the ordinance because the project "was located in a high crime area ". He talked about the percentages of crime in the proposed area and the crime rate in the area he had proposed. He felt the councilmen could not vote in favor of the Millrace proposal because of that. He stated that the Council had indicated that a low crime rate be a criteria for this type of housing, and he felt there was definitely not a low crime rate in the proposed area. He referred to the land- use and transportation plan concerning the Ironwood widening, Capitol Avenue and the central by -pass. He felt Mr. Wilson was incorrect in saying that the area was in conformity with the land -use and transportation plan. He indicated that the Department of Natural Resources had indicated that the area "does not appear" to be in the flood plain area. He presented a map to the Council showing the special flood hazard area and the property to be rezoned was totally within that area. He indicated that the map had been secured from the Area Plan Commission. He felt the,Area Plan Commission staff should do a better job in investigating the rezonings referrei to it. He talked about the retention of storm water on the site and that the City Engineer had recommended that the developer consider the possibility of diverting storm water to the river. HE wondered about this. He indicated that his purpose was not to push his own proposal, and he wondered if any of the councilmen would want an elderly friend or parent living in that area at