09-14-70 Council Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes

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COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING SEPTEMBER 14, 1970 Letter from T. Brooks Brademas - First Community Development Corporation - Continued While I believe that there is a continuing need in the community for such housing, the information that I have is that the Colpaert Realty Company is proposing to erect housing under the FHA Section 236 subsidized housing program. I am attaching to my letter a xerox of several pages of the official transcript of the hearings held on November 16, 1967, regarding the request to the Area Board of Zoning Appeals for permission to construct multi - family housing on a site in the Washington High School area under an identical program now proposed to be utilized by the Colpaert firm to build multi - family housing in the same general area. Note clearly that the Colpaert Realty Company vigorously opposed the request for the development of the multi - family housing when it was proposed in 1967 and made several points as set forth in the transcript, one being that there was no possibility of expansion of the Washington High School and that the construction of this multi - family housing as we had proposed would overburden the school. The other objection to the housing we had proposed, as set forth by-the Colpaert firm, was that it was a duplication of the housing project that was originally intended for the LaSalle Park area. The Colpaert representatives stated, "Such a housing project, of course, is intended for a class of people who are mainly dependent upon Government assistance to pay their rent. This, of course, would bring in an occupancy which is entirely different from the people who purchased their houses in a $20,000 to $30,000 class across the street." In view of the fact that the Colpaert Realty firm was the principal organization responsible for stopping the development of the same type of housing on the Harber Homes site, which they now propose to develop in the same general area, if the Council sees fit to approve the zoning of the tract of land for the Colpaert firm; the First Community Development Corporation requests Council approval for the zoning of the some 13 acres of the Harber Homes tract that is not being utilized by the Consolidated Negro Contractors to permit the erection of multi- family housing using exactly the same program as proposed by the Colpaert organization. Sincerely, FIRST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION T. Brooks Brademas (Chairman of the Board ITBB /fal Mr. Seely said there was a vast difference between the two situations, the main difference being that 80% of the land in this case is already zoned, where Mr. Brademas' situation involved a subject of petition for annexation. Mr. Seely said Mr. Brademas should appear before the Council and Area Plan Commission and be subject to cross examination also. Mr. Richard Trowbridge, 912 Gladstone, South Bend, Indiana opposed the rezoning and said schools will be crowded from all the apartment complexes. He insisted the Council should request that sidewalks be installed for the childred to use to and from school. Councilman Zielinski asked Mr. Seely if there was a guarantee that Building "C" will be moved into center of the project. Mr. Seely replied "We are substituting for the "C building, either an "A" or "B" building, which will contain only 4 units." He also assured Mr. Zielinski that the sidewalks would be installed. Councilman Zielinski made a motion, seconded by Councilman Szymkowiak, that sidewalks be installed within the project, around it and all the way to Western Avenue, also, that Building "C" be re- moved from Ford & Lombardy to the center of the project and be replaced with an "A" or "B" building. (Motion was defeated. 2 ayes, 7 nays, 0 absent. Councilman Allen stated that the Council does not have the right to ask Mr. Colpaert to do this. Councilman Zielinski made a motion, seconded by Councilman .Craven; that sidewalks be installed on Lombardy, Ford and Summitt Streets within the boundaries of the project. Motion carried. 7 ayes, 2 nays, 0 absent. Councilman Reinke and Wise stated the Council does not have the right to make these motions but City Attorney Crumpacker stated that these motions are indications and the desires of the Council and not changes in the ordinance. Councilman Laven made a motion, seconded by Councilman Reinke, that the ordinance go to the Council as favorable. Motion carried. 9 ayes, 0 nays, 0 absent.