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Home My WebLink About05-11-2026 Zoning and Annexation Committee MinutesOFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK BIANCA L. TIRADO, CITY CLERK ZONING AND ANNEXATlON Committee Members Present: Committee Members Absent: Other Council Present: Others Present: Presenters: Agenda: MAY 11, 2026, 4:30 P.M. Karen L. White, Troy Warner, Kay Farlow (arrived late), Stacey Odom, Rachel Tomas Morgan, Dr. Oliver Davis None Sheila Niezgodski Bianca L. Tirado, Matthew Neal, Jasmine Jackson, Veronica Pitt-Payne, Bob Palmer Tim Staub, Jose Guevara, Cynthia Mene, Consuela Hopkins, Bennett Bensman Bill No. 17-26 -Special Exception at 812 Oak Street Bill No. 23-26 -Special Exception at 2525 Bertrand Street Bill No. 24-26 -Special Exception at 1110 North Huey Street Bill No. 25-26 -Special Exception at 505 & 507 Blaine Street Members marked with an asterisk(*) are in virtual attendance. Please note the attached link for the meeting recording: https://docs.southbendin.gov/WebLink/browse.aspx?dbid=0,0,0,0,0,0&mediaid=408601 Committee Chair Dr. Oliver Davis called to order the Zoning and Annexation Committee meeting at 4:30 P.M. Bill No. 17-26 -Special Exception at 812 Oak Street INTEGRITY I SERVICE I ACCESSIBILITY Jasmine J ackson Malthew cal CHIEF D EPLTY CITY CLERK/ Cl l!EF OF ST \FF O EPLTY CITY CLERK/ D IRECTOR OF POLICY Veronica PitL-Paync DIRECTOR OF SPECI.\L PROJECT~ EXCELLENCE I ACCOUNTABILITY I INNOVATION I INCLUSION I EMPOWERMENT 300 City Hall I 215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. I South Bend, Indiana 46601 Ip. 574.235.9221 / f. 574.235.9173 / www.southbendin.gov CITY OF SOUTH BEND I OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK Tim Staub, Zoning Specialist, with offices on the fifth (5 th) floor of City Hall, South Bend, lN 4660 I, presented the bill. He said the petitioner is seeking approval to build a stacked duplex in an urban neighborhood one (U 1 )-zoned district using one of the City's pre-approved designs. He said the project would activate a parcel that has been vacant for over fifteen ( 15) years. Jose Guevara, Petitioner, 418 Rosewood Drive, Mishawaka, IN 46544, said he wants to bui Id a duplex to bring more housing units to the area. He said the units will be rented, not sold. Committee Vice Chair Rachel Tomas Morgan asked the petitioner if he is both the owner and developer. Jose Guevara confirmed that is correct. Committee Chair Dr. Davis held the public hearing, and nobody spoke. Committee Member Troy Warner expressed excitement for the petitioner's investment in the City. Committee Member Warner moved to send Bill No . 17-26 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation, which was seconded by Committee Vice Chair Tomas Morgan and carried by a vote of six ( 6) ayes. Committee Chair Dr. Oliver Davis -Aye Committee Vice Chair Rachel Tomas Morgan -Aye Committee Member Troy Warner -Aye Committee Member Karen L. White -Aye Citizen Member Stacey Odom -Aye Citizen Member Kay Farlow-Aye Bill No. 23-26 -Special Exception at 2525 Bertrand Street Tim Staub presented the bill. He said the petitioner is seeking approval to build a side-by-side duplex in a Ul-zoned district using one of the City's pre-approved designs. He said the project would activate a parcel that has no history of development. Cynthia Mene, Petitioner, 2724 Trader Court West, South Bend, fN 46628, spoke on behalf of the development company Homey LLC. She said their goal is to build more affordable housing, noting that their other rental properties have received a high volume of applications. Committee Vice Chair Tomas Morgan asked the petitioner to confirm whether she is using one of the City 's pre-approved plans. Cynthia Mene confirmed that is correct. Committee Member Karen L. White asked the petitioner if she plans to build more units in the neighborhood. Cynthia Mene said she would like to build more units if she can acquire more land. Committee Chair Dr. Davis held the public hearing, and nobody spoke. EXCELLENCE I ACCOUNTABILITY I INNOVATION I INCLUSION I EMPOWERMENT 300 City Hall I215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. I South Bend, Indiana 46601 Ip. 574.235.9221 If. 574.235.91731 www.southbendin.gov CITY OF SOUTH BEND I OFFICE OF THE CITf CLERK Committee Member White moved to send Bill No. 23-26 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation, which was seconded by Committee Vice Chair Tomas Morgan and carried by a vote of six (6) ayes. Committee Chair Dr. Oliver Davis -Aye Committee Vice Chair Rachel Tomas Morgan -Aye Committee Member Troy Warner -Aye Committee Member Karen L. White -Aye Citizen Member Stacey Odom -Aye Citizen Member Kay Farlow-Aye Bill No. 24-26 -Special Exception at 1110 North Huey Street Tim Staub presented the bill. He said the petitioner is seeking approval to convert an existing single-family home to a duplex in a Ul-zoned district. He said the duplex would have a ground- floor unit and a basement unit, providing additional housing to the neighborhood. Committee Vice Chair Tomas Morgan asked Tim Staub to clarify whether the petitioner is adding a second (2nd) floor to the structure. Tim Staub said the petitioner is converting the basement to a dwelling unit, and they are constructing a separate entrance. Committee Vice Chair Tomas Morgan asked about the location of the entrance for the basement unit. Tim Staub said the entrance for the basement unit would be off the rear of the structure. Consuela Hopkins, Petitioner, 220 l Lincoln Way West, South Bend, IN 46628, said the home was previously a nuisance property and she purchased it to improve the neighborhood. She said this was a significant investment, and it will not be profitable as a single rental unit. Committee Chair Dr. Davis held the public hearing, and nobody spoke. Committee Vice Chair Tomas Morgan thanked the petitioner for investing in the neighborhood. Committee Vice Chair Tomas Morgan moved to send Bill No. 24-26 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation, which was seconded by Committee Member Warner and carried by a vote of six (6) ayes. Committee Chair Dr. Oliver Davis -Aye Committee Vice Chair Rachel Tomas Morgan -Aye Committee Member Troy Warner -Aye Committee Member Karen L. White -Aye Citizen Member Stacey Odom -Aye Citizen Member Kay Farlow-Aye Bill No. 25-26 -Special Exception at 505 & 507 Blaine Street Tim Staub presented the bill. He said the petitioner is seeking approval to build a side-by-side duplex on two (2) vacant lots in a U 1-zoned district. He said there will be one (1) housing unit on each parcel with a shared wall on the lot line. He said the project would activate two (2) parcels that have been vacant for over fifteen (15) years. He disclosed that they heard one (l) concern about street parking, and the zoning staff are working with the petitioner to solve the potential issue. EXCELLENCE I ACCOUNTABILITY I INNOVATION I INCLUSION I EMPOWERMENT 300 City Hall I 215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd . I South Bend, Indiana 46601 Ip. 574.235.9221 If. 574.235.91731 www.southbendin.gov ® CITY OF SOUTH BEND I OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK Committee Chair Dr. Davis asked if the parking concern is now resolved or if the issue is ongoing. Tim Staub said the issue is currently ongoing. Bennett Bensman, Petitioner, 1704 Bellefontaine Street, lndianapolis, IN 46202, spoke on behalf of the development company Affordable HomeMatters. He said the project is part of Intend Indiana's five (5)-year plan to build ninety-two (92) affordable housing units in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. He said each side of the duplex will be one-thousand-five-hundred (1,500) square feet, three (3) bedrooms, and two (2) bathrooms. He said the project will provide two (2) home ownership opportunities in the neighborhood. Committee Vice Chair Tomas Morgan asked if the homes will be offered for sale or for rent. Bennett Bensman said they are for sale, and they are affordable housing. Committee Vice Chair Tomas Morgan asked if ''affordable" means income-eligible. Bennett Bensman said that is correct. He said one unit will be available for households earning less than eighty-percent (80%) area median income (AMI), and the other unit will be available for households earning between eighty percent (80%) and one-hundred-twenty percent (120%) AMI. Citizen Member Stacey Odom asked if the units will be sold together or separately. Bennett Bensman said they will be sold separately. Citizen Member Kay Farlow asked about the plan to address maintenance issues with two (2) separate homeowners. Bennett Bensman said there is a ·'common wall" agreement that is recorded with the sale of the property. Committee Chair Dr. Davis held the public hearing, and nobody spoke. Committee Vice Chair Tomas Morgan expressed appreciation for the petitioner's continued investment on the City's west side. Committee Member Warner noted that this duplex part of a five (5)-year partnership between the City of South Bend and Intend Indiana. He expressed excitement for the project. Committee Vice Chair Tomas Morgan moved to send Bill No. 25-26 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation, which was seconded by Committee Member Warner and carried by a vote of six (6) ayes. Committee Chair Dr. Oliver Davis -Aye Committee Vice Chair Rachel Tomas Morgan -Aye Committee Member Troy Warner -Aye Committee Member Karen L. White -Aye Citizen Member Stacey Odom -Aye Citizen Member Kay Farlow-Aye Committee Chair Dr. Davis thanked Committee Member Warner for his service on the Committee and wished him well in his new role as the Mayor's Chief of Staff. He welcomed Citizen Member EXCELLENCE I ACCOUNTABILITY I INNOVATION I INCLUSION I EMPOWERMENT 300 City Hall I215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. I South Bend, Indiana 46601 Ip. 574.235.9221 If. 574.235.91731 www.southbendin.gov CITY OF SOUTH BEND I OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK Farlow to the Committee. With no further business, Committee Chair Dr. Davis adjourned the Zoning and Annexation Committee meeting at 5:00 P.M. EXCELLENCE I ACCOUNTABILITY I INNOVATION I INCLUSION I EMPOWERM ENT 300 City Hall I21 5 S Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. I South Bend, Indiana 46601 Ip. 574.235.9221 If. 574.235.91731 www.southbendin.gov