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REGULAR MEETINGNOVEMBER 27, 2006
<br />these condo developments with an association to maintain, cut the grass, and maintain the
<br />dwellings. As they get older and they need extra care, they move into the Southfield
<br />Development. They basically live in the same development, they move in with the same
<br />amenities with the library. It is a unique development in the City of South Bend, and a
<br />lot of people are taking advantage of it, because it is fully developed. The area to the
<br />north is fully developed as of today. Therefore, this is why the need for this development
<br />is before the Council tonight. There are a lot of people who want to live in the City of
<br />South Bend, and that is why they are trying to provide that opportunity. They want to
<br />live on the South Side of South Bend, with all of the great things that are going on with
<br />the development of Erskine Plaza, Erskine Commons, there is a great demand for people
<br />who want to live in the City of South Bend, pay City taxes, receive City Fire Protection,
<br />receive City Police Protection, have sewer and water, so they don’t have to worry about
<br />ground contamination and those kind of things. That is the purpose of this development,
<br />because there is a demand to live there and the taxes are not cheap. There are from
<br />$2,000.00 to $7,000.00 depending upon the size of the unit. That is not cheap taxes, but
<br />they are willing to move in there. The developer wants to continue to offer that kind of
<br />living environment. At the preliminary meeting at Southfield, they invited all of the
<br />neighbors around that subdivision and to the south, there were a lot of people that live
<br />there in single family homes, they came to the meeting, they asked what was going on,
<br />they asked what was going in there. They haven’t been back, because they were satisfied
<br />with what was said and the kind of development that was there. Mr. Leszczynski
<br />reiterated that they are committed to make this thing work; they are committed to help
<br />facilitate the necessary parties to resolve some of these drainage issues that have been
<br />there a long, long time. In conclusion, Mr. Leszczynski stated that he urged the
<br />Council’s favorable consideration on this bill.
<br />Councilmember Kirsits stated that the question regarding the lift station needs to be
<br />answered.
<br />Mr. Leszczynski stated that the lift station is a City Utility, as any development is done in
<br />the City, the developer puts in the water line, sewer lines and then they are turned over to
<br />the City, the City maintains that, and it is on their data system. Because it is City owned,
<br />it does not pay any property taxes.
<br />Councilmember Varner stated that approximately two months ago, he met with the
<br />remonstrators, who were concerned about the nature of the development. He confessed
<br />at that time that he did not have all the answers to their questions. One of the things that
<br />he learned throughout the process that has to do with water or water flow. He thinks that
<br />at some point and time as hard as we all try to understand it, some things have to be left
<br />to the engineers and people who have a more thorough understanding. With regard to the
<br />drainage issue, the problem began in the County how ever many years ago, it is still a
<br />County issue, it will be a City issue if in fact, Mr. Leszczynski and Mr. Troyer take the
<br />time as they say they will to take the time to try and resolve it. The simplest explanation
<br />is that you cannot expect them to resolve 1,000 acre watershed with a 55 acre
<br />development. However, he feels that this is the closest to get to a solution. It doesn’t
<br />look like in the last 60 years anybody has made a whole lot of effort to help the residents
<br />out. There is a developer and engineers who are committed to helping work on this
<br />drainage issue, it may not be the solution that everyone wants. But he went through the
<br />petition list and quite honestly the petition appeared to be more related to the annexation
<br />and the commercial development. There were more county residents than city residents
<br />on that petition list. That is the petition list that came from the Area Plan Commission as
<br />a matter of record. So at some point and time we have to believe in people who have
<br />shown good faith in the past with the development that has taken place. Councilmember
<br />Varner stated that he knows Mr. Leszczynski is well aware that he has his phone number
<br />and vice versa. He expects that there will be some kind of resolution it probably will not
<br />solve all the problems, because we are talking 1,000 acres. Councilmember Varner stated
<br />that he is in favor of this development because of the precious demand for housing on the
<br />south side of South Bend, with all the amenities that the City has to offer.
<br />Councilmember Varner encouraged the developer to stick with his commitment to help
<br />with the drainage issues that occur in that area and not aggravate the situation. In the
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