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Home My WebLink About09-09-2024 Zoning & Annexation Committee Meeting Minutes 4�pUTH 6F�� U d'S w Y PEACE 1865 OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK BIANCA L. TIRADO, CITY CLERK ZONING &ANNEXATION SEPTEMBER 9, 2024 4:30 P.M. Committee Members Present: Dr. Oliver Davis, Karen White, Ophelia Gooden-Rodgers, Stacey Odom, Sheila Niezgodski, Jorden Giger* Others Present: Bianca L. Tirado, Elivet Quijada-Navarro Matthew Neal, Samuel Turck, Bob Palmer, Canneth Lee*, Sherry Bolden-Simpson* Presenter(s): Skip Morrell Agenda: Bill No. 38-24 — Special Exception at 623 Olive Street Bill No. 39-24 — Special Exception at 1006 Beale Street Discussion — LaSalle Park Neighborhood Zoning Plan Members marked with an asterisk (*) are in virtual attendance. Please note the attached link for the meeting recording: https://docs.southbendin.gov/NVebLink/O/edoc/385449/09-09-2024%2OCouneil%2OCommittees.mP4 Committee Chair Dr. Oliver Davis called to order the Zoning & Annexation Committee meeting at 4:30 p.m. Bill No. 38-24—Special Exception at 623 Olive Street Skip Morrell, Principal Development Planner with offices on the 141h floor of the County-City Building presented Bill No. 38-24. Skip Morrell stated that the petitioner has requested to table Bill No. 38-24 until October 14t", 2024. Committee Member Sheila Niezgodski motioned to table Bill No. 38-24 until October 141", 2024, seconded by Committee Vice Chair Ophelia Gooden-Rodgers and carried by a vote of six(6)ayes. INTEGRITY I SERVICE I ACCESSIBILITY Elivet Quijada-Navarro Mattliew Neal Samuel Turck CHIEF DEPUTY CITY CLERK DF.PETT/DIRECTOR OF POLICY DIRECTOR OF SITC1.v�PROJECTS EXCELLENCE I ACCOUNTABILITY I INNOVATION I INCLUSION I EMPOWERMENT 455 County-City Building 1227 W.Jefferson Blvd.I South Bend,Indiana 466011 p.574.235.92211 f.574.235.91731 www.southbendin.gov • CITY OF SOUTH BEND OFFICE OF THE CLERK Committee Chair Dr. Oliver Davis -Aye Committee Vice Chair Ophelia Gooden Rodgers—Aye Committee Member Sheila Niezgodski -Aye Committee Member Karen White -Aye Citizen Member Stacy Odom -Aye Citizen Member Jordan Giger-Absent Substitute Bill No. 39-24—Special Exception at 1006 Beale Street Skip Morrell, Principal Development Planner with offices on the 141h floor of the County-City Building, presented Bill No. 39-24. The owner is Pinnacle Wealth Investments LLC. This Bill seeks a special exception for 1006 Beale Street, allowing for a duplex to be built. The lot is currently vacant. The new building will blend well into the neighborhood and increase its density. Nick Benninghoff, 332 North Ironwood Drive, South Bend IN 46615, is the petitioner for Bill No. 39-24. The price will be one hundred and eighty thousand dollars ($180,000) per unit. The units will have two (2) bedrooms and two (2) bathrooms. Committee Member Karen White asked where the residents would park. Nick Benninghoff stated that there is an alley behind the property, but the current plan is to have a driveway in front of the duplex. Committee Member Niezgodski asked if these units would be for sale or if they would be rentals. Nick Benninghoff answered that they would be for sale. Committee Chair Dr. Davis asked how many duplexes the petitioner would like to build. Nick Benninghoff stated that Pinnacle Wealth Investment LLC. He owns seven (7) other lots and has four(4) more currently under contract. They would like to use this template for all of them. Councilmember Canneth Lee thanked the petitioner for investing in the first(1st)Common Council District. Citizen Member Jorden Giger asked if the petitioner would complete the construction or if it would be outsourced. Nick Benninghoff stated that it will be built under his LLC. Dream House Development. Councilmember Sherry Bolden-Simpson asked for clarification on the type of home that will be built and if the petitioner had spoken to residents in the neighborhood. Nick Benninghoff stated that they have and the feedback has been positive. Citizen Member Jorden Giger asked if there are buyers for these units already. Nick Benninghoff stated no. Committee Chair Dr. Davis held the public hearing, but nobody spoke. EXCELLENCE ACCOUNTABILITY INNOVATION INCLUSION EMPOWERMENT 455 County-City Building 227 W.Jefferson Blvd. South Bend,Indiana 46601 p.574,235.9221 f.574.235.9173 www:southbendin.gov • CITY OF SOUTH BEND OFFICE OF THE CLERK Committee Vice Chair Gooden-Rodgers motioned to send Bill No. 39-24 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation, which was seconded by Committee Member White and carried by a vote of six(6) ayes. Committee Chair Dr. Oliver Davis -Aye Committee Vice Chair Ophelia Gooden Rodgers—Aye Committee Member Sheila Niezgodski -Aye Committee Member Karen White -Aye Citizen Member Stacy Odom -Aye Citizen Member Jordan Giger-Absent Discussion—LaSalle Park Neighborhood Zoning Plan Desiree Powell, CEO of DRBTS LLC, 3021 Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard, Dallas,TX 75210, and Jorden Giger, 302 South Falcon Street, South Bend, IN 46619,of BLM South Bend,presented thoughts and suggestions on the LaSalle Park Neighborhood plan. Committee Member Niezgodski asked if this presentation was a conflict of interest as a Citizen Member was making a presentation on behalf of an organization. Council Attorney Bob Palmer stated that there is no conflict of interest as there was no vote following the presentation. If there had been a vote, the Citizen Member or Committee Member would need to file a disclosure. Desiree Powell is an urban planner based in Texas who focuses on education and awareness of zoning and land use for communities of color and activation and land use for ethical mobility. Jorden Giger stated that they have been engaged in the planning process since September 2024. Jorden Giger presented the demographic data for the LaSalle neighborhood. The LaSalle neighborhood is overwhelmingly low-income;the average household has one(1)person.After the year 2000, only ten (10) homes were built in the neighborhood. The neighborhood is fifty-nine percent (59%) black, twelve percent (12%) white, and twenty-nine percent(29%) Latino. Desiree Powell stated the zoning districts present in the LaSalle Park neighborhood. are Industrial (I), Commercial (C), Neighborhood Center(NC), Open Space (OS), Urban Neighborhood 3 (U3), Urban Neighborhood 2 (U2), Urban Neighborhood 1 (Ul), and Urban Flex (UF). Desiree Powell stated that her role in this project has been to provide technical support for what creates a neighborhood plan and what effects it will have in twenty (20) years. One (1) of the primary concerns of the neighborhood is the area directly north of Linden/Colfax Avenue, which is zoned Industrial. At the August neighborhood planning meeting, the City stated that it may become a wetland preservation area. The concern is that the area will be used for heavy industrial uses as it is directly across from neighborhoods, the Charles Black Center, and LaSalle Park. Jorden Giger stated that illegal dumping has occurred on that property, which is also a concern. The property is currently owned by an organization in Florida, and there have been investigations into code violations. Desiree Powell highlighted the proximity of the industrial zone and the neighborhood. Desiree Powell stated that the neighborhood needs more open space, and the neighborhood plan should represent that. Continued deterioration of the property to the north-zoned industrial will deter EXCELLENCE ACCOUNTABILITY INNOVATION INCLUSION EMPOWERMENT 455 County-City Building 227 W.Jefferson Blvd. South Bend,Indiana 46601 p.574.235.9221 f.574.235.9173 www.southbendin.gov • CITY OF SOUTH BEND OFFICE OF THE CLERK investors from investing in the City's west side. Electrical vehicle (EV) charging stations are coming to the City through the Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG). Desiree Powell stated that the Charles Black Center should be one location for the pilot program. Desiree Powell noted that there is no City language regarding EV in city planning. Jorden Gathers stated that MACOG received four million dollars ($4,000,000) for EV infrastructure. There are statewide black and bipod organizations that have been working to develop this language around EV infrastructure. Desiree Powell stated that there are not enough commercially zoned parcels in the neighborhood. Developers want to invest in the neighborhood, but due to the lack of commercial spaces, this is not an option.A grocery store would be a great addition to the neighborhood. Reducing the number of auto-related businesses that may be out of compliance or currently closed would help the neighborhood. There is a need for economic mobility in the community through small businesses and other opportunities. Jordan Gathers stated that the City owns many parcels in the neighborhood. These could be used for solar power, as Indiana received seventeen million dollars ($17,000,000). The energy savings are then passed on to the residents.Traditional budgets have not been attached to the neighborhood plans, but Jorden Giger stated that he would like that to change. Committee Chair Dr. Davis thanked Jorden Giger and Desiree Powell for their presentation and asked for information and resources the committee could use regarding this topic. Jorden Giger stated that he would share that information with the committee. Committee Member White asked what zoning language the city has proposed for LaSalle Park. Desiree Powell stated that the City will rezone fifteen (15) parcels to the neighborhood center along Western Avenue, which is framed as a commercial corridor. When people in the neighborhood hear mixed-use,they think of gentrification. Jorden Giger stated that the microsolar grid project would support two hundred fifty (250) homes. Committee Chair Dr. Davis asked the presenters to share their budget proposals for the neighborhood. Jordan Giger stated that they will. EXCELLENCE ACCOUNTABILITY INNOVATION INCLUSION EMPOWERMENT 455 County-City Building 227 W.Jefferson Blvd. South Bend,Indiana 46601 p.574.235.9221 f.574.235.9173 www.southbendin.gov • CITY OF SOUTH BEND I OFFICE OF THE CLERK With no further business, Committee Chair Dr. Davis adjourned the Zoning & Annexation Committee meeting at 4:57 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, 65L Dr. Oliver Davis, Committee Chair NOTICE FOR HEARING AND SIGHT IMPAIRED PERSONS Auziliuy Aid nr Other S—ices may he Available utan Request at Nn Charge Please give ReawmW Advance Rcyuast w M1en Possible EXCELLENCE ACCOUNTABILITY INNOVATION INCLUSION EMPOWERMENT 455 County-City Building 227 W.Jefferson Blvd. South Bend,Indiana 46601 p.574.235.9221 f.574.235.9173 www.southbendin.gov