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REGULAR MEETING
<br />no reference to stories. This comes to you from
<br />recommendation.
<br />FEBRUARY 27, 2017
<br />Area Plan Coilninission with a favorable
<br />Councilmember Oliver Davis, 6th District, 1801 Nash Street, Sou h Bend, IN, served as the
<br />petitioner of this bill. Councilmember Davis stated that back in 2008, South Bend was
<br />considered a dying city; that back in 2009, no one would have an icipated the kinds of
<br />development that have happened in the City since. He stated that developers have been looking
<br />to build past the current sixty (60) foot limit in that area. He stated that he did not feel that the
<br />role of the Council was merely to enforce limitations on develop ent, but to see how they could
<br />encourage it in the City. It is his hope that increasing the height limit to one - hundred and fifty
<br />(15 0) feet will do that. He explained that shadow problems regar ling the Commerce Center
<br />PUD, for instance, were mostly an issue when its height was set t over one - hundred and seventy
<br />(170) feet, and that apartment residents in the area responded beti er to the height when it was
<br />brought down to nine (9) stories. He stated that he was thankful 16 be able to bring this
<br />amendment before the Council and public.
<br />Councilmember Gavin Ferlic stated, This ordinance is in response to community demand as well
<br />as neighborhood demand, especially from neighbors in the Howird Park neighborhood and
<br />neighbors who live in close proximity. This fits within the vast majority of the Comprehensive
<br />Plan which calls for mixed -use, increased density, amenities sucl,i as restaurants and grocery
<br />stores and pharmacies. Unfortunately, to this point, mixed -use development has not been able to
<br />occur on the Island with the current sixty (60) foot restriction and the only proposed mixed -use
<br />developments have exceeded that sixty (60) foot requirement. In order to achieve the vision for
<br />the Comprehensive Plan and to achieve mixed -use development, to achieve density, to achieve
<br />amenities such as retail and restaurants and grocery stores and pharmacies —we think that this
<br />amendment provides the best opportunity for the vision for the omprehensive Plan to be
<br />achieved.
<br />Tim Corcoran, Director of Planning for the Department of Co unity Investment, with offices
<br />on the 141 Floor of the County -City Building, South Bend, IN, ated that the City supports this
<br />text amendment. Mr. Corcoran stated that the City worked closely with Councilmembers to
<br />come up with the text amendment and the new height limit. He stated, Fundamentally, the City
<br />sees the Island as an extension to the City's core. It should be noted that there are a few buildings
<br />on the west side of the river that exceed the one - hundred and fifty (15 0) foot height limit,
<br />including the building that we are in. So, when we talk about how the City form can happen the
<br />taller buildings being on the west side of the river and gradiating down to the east —this is
<br />exactly what this plan will continue to allow us to do. It also allows for developers to be flexible
<br />in how they develop their buildings so that they do not have to build all the way up to the one -
<br />hundred and fifty (150) feet. They can choose to gradiate and differentiate height between
<br />different parts of one (1) building or different buildings together to create a more interesting
<br />skyline. Together, those things are part of the reason why we, th the Council, thought this was
<br />a good idea for this text amendment.
<br />Councilmember Davis explained, using the modification of an old lasagna recipe as analogy, that
<br />the City did not have to be stuck with the exact plan set in 2008. He stated, It was a good plan, in
<br />2008, but now, as we see developers coming up with some new ideas, I don't want to get stuck
<br />with the same ingredients of 2008. He encouraged the Council to embrace this update to the plan.
<br />Councilmember Karen White asked Interim Council Attorney Aladean DeRose if the Area Plan
<br />Commission had requested the text amendment, in response to which Interim Council Attorney
<br />DeRose clarified that the Area Plan Commission reviewed the original amendment that the
<br />Council had supported and submitted, and did so in accordance with the way the zoning
<br />ordinance is laid out.
<br />This being the time heretofore set for the Public Hearing on the above bill, proponents and
<br />opponents were given an opportunity to be hear c..
<br />Those from the public wishing to speak in favor of this bill:
<br />Jesse Davis, P.O. Box 10205, South Bend, IN, stated that he
<br />for the City and the people of South Bend, expressing that he
<br />ON
<br />this amendment as a win -win
<br />es the Council supports it.
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