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CITY OF SOUTH BEND OFFICE OF THE CLERK
<br /> Council President Scott stated, And the good thing is, we are going to get farther in depth on that.
<br /> That is a crucial point on that. Tonight, is just to get the thing going and then I see multiple
<br /> meetings before we even have a public meeting and Committee meeting on this stuff.
<br /> Mr. Corcoran replied, I agree, and I look forward to those. One(1) thing I want to note is that our
<br /> discussions with APC and ABZA legal counsel were much like the Historic Preservation stuff. A
<br /> lot of times, what the Commission Members really need comes down to procedural issues and
<br /> interpretations to make sure they stay on course. Then, it gets to you guys to deal with some of the
<br /> other broader issues. I think the hard part really is getting to that point and that is the part we are
<br /> working on right now.
<br /> Councilmember Karen White asked,When we have written commitments,who follows up to make
<br /> sure that happens?And then what is the process and how do we, as a Council, get that information
<br /> back? Also, when we do special exceptions and they open up a business, who follows up to make
<br /> sure that happens? I know a couple of developers, small developers, came before Council and they
<br /> wanted to open up a business,they were open for two (2)weeks and now they're gone. I just want
<br /> to understand that, especially when it comes to written commitments.
<br /> Mr. Corcoran replied, That is something we have to explore a little bit more but from my own
<br /> personal standpoint, I would like to reduce the number of written commitments that go forward
<br /> and try to work those things out prior to it coming to Council. I think some of it can be in the
<br /> ordinance itself Occasionally,there are always unique things about some projects that require that
<br /> extra level of scrutiny that, I think, helps neighbors get on board with a particular project.
<br /> Committeemember Broden interjected, In State Law, the responsibility is on the Zoning
<br /> Administrator, Council, then there is a third (3rd) and I think it's Building Department.
<br /> Councilmember White stated, When we are looking at this reorganization, that, to me, is a piece
<br /> that needs to be clearly defined.
<br /> Committeemember Broden interjected, It's enforcement, and that is not happening.
<br /> Mr. Corcoran stated, There are two (2) elements of enforcement to potentially be able to catch
<br /> these things. One(1)happens at Plan Review. So, once something has been rezoned and someone
<br /> wants to build something new, they have to get a building permit. They go to the Building
<br /> Department,they look at the plan and look at whether or not the building is going to stand up. Plan
<br /> Review has to be checked off by the Engineers and the Area Plan Commission, as well. I know
<br /> the commitments exist, but I don't ever know if it has been actualized in a building plan. Now,
<br /> some written commitments are something like they will only keep their building open until 10:00
<br /> p.m. at night. That isn't going to be on the building plan. That is something, I think, with which
<br /> enforcement needs to be strengthened. That is a harder thing, as we know. I don't think it has been
<br /> done very well, maybe even ever. It has been reactionary and not proactive. So, we can look at
<br /> these as we move forward.
<br /> Committeemember Broden interjected, That could be an IT thing that can easily be solved. You
<br /> could hover over the specific properties on our current Area Plan maps and it says there are
<br /> commitments. Then being able to zero in and have that appear at a deeper level, it's not there. A
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