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REGULAR MEETING NOVEMBER 14, 2016
<br />this as a hit it in the middle of road type thing. It's consistently been an all -or- nothing situation. I
<br />just don't think that there's been sufficient dialogue and effort brought to the table on this. There
<br />have to be winners or losers, whether it be adjacent property, or developers, or neighbors versus
<br />neighbors. So, when I say that this isn't big enough, I think we need to sharpen our pencils a
<br />little bit more, and certainly take the time to make sure that we are getting it right and that we
<br />know the implications and that we know how to address the implications that will come forth
<br />from this.
<br />Councilmember Dr. David Varner stated that he thinks cities can plan, and that they spend a lot
<br />of time doing it and, as has been commented, the City spends a lot of money doing some
<br />planning. He stated, I think we can provide incentives to encourage the plan to be followed.. I
<br />think there comes a time when you're offered an opportunity, and opportunities may or may not
<br />conform exactly to the plan. That's why it's an opportunity. I did not think that we would ever
<br />hear a request for a twelve (12) story building in downtown ever again because everybody said
<br />that four (4) is where it builds and it pretty much stops at that. I think I would probably welcome
<br />the opportunity to discuss five (5) or six (6) more twelve (12) story buildings somewhere around
<br />downtown. It means that things are happening. It means that it's not government- driven. Not too
<br />many years ago, we looked at public projects as great solutions, as a means to make something
<br />happen —and some of it probably did. But now, we're receiving some of the fruits of those
<br />efforts, whether it's private development out around Notre Dame, or whether it's private
<br />development downtown. To be completely honest —if everybody gets to have a vision, I guess I
<br />get to have mine, too —and I think, to be completely honest, twenty (20) years from now, the
<br />separation between the East Bank, the University of Notre Dame, that area where the high school
<br />is, is probably going to be one big university -city community. I think that community will
<br />probably need housing, and I think it will need grocery stores, and I think it will need the
<br />gasoline stations and all the other things that go along with it, and so I think we have to find a
<br />way to do it. As long as I have been on the Council, people have wanted a grocery store
<br />downtown. I remember throwing Osco out and thinking what's the City thinking? I don't know
<br />what they were thinking, because we didn't have another one to replace it with. So, I see how
<br />this can be perceived in a number of ways. I'm not trying to look for good ways or bad ways, I'm
<br />looking at it as an opportunity. As an opportunity if you get a new building of that size, that
<br />stature, with those amenities in an area downtown —it makes a statement about South Bend, and
<br />that statement is that we're coming around. It's been a long time in the making. I also believe —
<br />and my father was in real estate for years —that there's a thing called momentum. You get some
<br />momentum going your way, you want to encourage it. You don't want to find a way to stop it, or
<br />hinder it. I hope next year there's another proposal for a twelve (12) story building, and at this
<br />point in time, I think you just have to look past the absolute plan and you have to say that this
<br />just makes sense, to get it done. That's where I stand on it, at this point.
<br />Chairperson Ferlic wished to thank those who came out in favor and opposition of this bill, as
<br />well as to thank everyone for remaining in attendance so late into the evening. Chairperson Ferlic
<br />stated that one of the primary reasons he decided to run for Council was because South Bend
<br />missed out on so many opportunities. You heard stories about Schurz Communications wanting
<br />to build in downtown and the City said, well, we want you to do this, and they left. And you
<br />heard stories about May Oberfell Lorber wanting to build downtown, and the same thing
<br />happened. Again, I just can't see us missing any opportunities. I certainly appreciate Area Plan's
<br />work. I certainly appreciate the concerns of some folks that spoke in opposition. I understand
<br />that this is different, and that change is, a lot of times, not necessarily the most comfortable
<br />thing. But I do think it is positive change. I would like to highlight the criteria that we are asked
<br />to judge this on. Number one (1): does it fit with the Comprehensive Plan? Generally, 95% —yes,
<br />absolutely. It provides a parking garage, it provides for mixed -use. This is residential and
<br />ground -floor retail. This is exactly what the East Bank Plan wants and has been designed to do.
<br />Is it a desirable use? Grocery store and pharmacy. Dr. Varner said that ever since he's been on
<br />the Council, people have been clamoring for this downtown. So, yes, it's a very desirable use.
<br />Does this fit within the character of the neighborhood? I think it's important to note that we
<br />consider these PUDs on an individual basis. So, if someone comes to us with a PUD in a
<br />completely residential district for a twelve (12) story building, it might not fit with the character.
<br />We have to understand that this is in the Central Business District. This zoning area is called the
<br />W.
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