City Approves Rezoning; Plan Commission To Review Meijer Development Plan
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
The council approved the rezoning that is a change from residential and C-3 light commercial to C-5 heavy commercial.
Meijer requested the rezoning to allow for the construction of a Meijer store with a garden center and gas station.
At its March 15 meeting, Warsaw Plan Commission approved sending a favorable recommendation to the council for the rezoning.
Now that the council has approved the rezoning, the plan commission will review a Meijer development plan at a future public meeting. The date has not yet been set, but the public will be made aware of it prior to the meeting, according to city planner Jeremy Skinner.
Steve Snyder, attorney representing Meijer, spoke about the proposal Monday and said the plan commission will need to still review lighting, drainage and utility issues.
Indiana Department of Transportation and Warsaw Traffic Safety Commission has approved an initial traffic study.
The council heard concerns from residents regarding the rezoning during Monday's council meeting.
Dan Robinson spoke on behalf of his mother, Martha Robinson, 1350 Lake City Highway, and said his mother had access concerns with where the Meijer is being proposed in relation to her property.
"We are not opposed to the Meijer, but have not reached an agreement that satisfies my mom's concerns," Robinson said. He said his mother is 90 percent in agreement with the access concerns.
Jian Zhen, owner of Wong's Restaurant, 835 Anchorage Road, said he is not opposed to Meijer coming to the location, but is concerned with traffic backing up on Anchorage Road.
Lynette Merkler, Pike Lake Association president, said she had concerns with retention ponds from Meijer not holding water runoff.
She also was concerned with gasoline from the gas station making its way to Pike Lake, and traffic overflow problems on Anchorage Road.
Troy Turley, Center Lake Conservation Association president, spoke in opposition to the rezoning and said he had concerns of flooding. He also said if a Meijer went in there, there could be a larger flood area.
Diane Quance, District 5 city councilwoman, expressed concerns with possible flooding of Pike Lake with additional water from the proposed Meijer and the gas station being located near Deeds Creek.
Councilman Kyle Babcock asked about gas station regulations.
Lynn Richardson, Meijer real estate manager, said she wants to assure the public that Meijer will own and operate the gas station.
"We will make sure that there are no contamination issues," Richardson said.
"We have owned and operated gas stations for many years at stores and have an excellent track record, and your concerns are our concerns."
Council president Joe Thallemer said whenever a development comes in, it is the city's responsibility to look at concerns and make sure there is a win-win situation for the residents, city and the business.
Councilman and plan commission member Jeff Grose said he felt the rezoning meets the criteria set forth by the city's comprehensive plan. He also said he wants to make sure the residents' concerns are addressed and will be by the plan commission.
Also during the meeting, the council approved a memorandum of understanding for Winona PVD Coatings LLC and the city.
The memorandum is to allow Winona PVD to expand its operations in Warsaw and create an additional 60 jobs. The company also plans to increase its manufacturing capacity by an estimated 720,000 wheels per year.
They want to undertake the construction of a 62,000-square-foot expansion of the existing building and lease an additional 50,000 square feet of additional building space to accommodate the additional expansion.
The council, at its March 7 meeting, unanimously approved Warsaw Redevelopment Commission reviewing a request for $2.2 million from the city's northern tax increment finance district to cover the expansion.
Skinner said the city still needs to approve issuing the bonds to be used for the expansion from the tax increment finance district.
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The council approved the rezoning that is a change from residential and C-3 light commercial to C-5 heavy commercial.
Meijer requested the rezoning to allow for the construction of a Meijer store with a garden center and gas station.
At its March 15 meeting, Warsaw Plan Commission approved sending a favorable recommendation to the council for the rezoning.
Now that the council has approved the rezoning, the plan commission will review a Meijer development plan at a future public meeting. The date has not yet been set, but the public will be made aware of it prior to the meeting, according to city planner Jeremy Skinner.
Steve Snyder, attorney representing Meijer, spoke about the proposal Monday and said the plan commission will need to still review lighting, drainage and utility issues.
Indiana Department of Transportation and Warsaw Traffic Safety Commission has approved an initial traffic study.
The council heard concerns from residents regarding the rezoning during Monday's council meeting.
Dan Robinson spoke on behalf of his mother, Martha Robinson, 1350 Lake City Highway, and said his mother had access concerns with where the Meijer is being proposed in relation to her property.
"We are not opposed to the Meijer, but have not reached an agreement that satisfies my mom's concerns," Robinson said. He said his mother is 90 percent in agreement with the access concerns.
Jian Zhen, owner of Wong's Restaurant, 835 Anchorage Road, said he is not opposed to Meijer coming to the location, but is concerned with traffic backing up on Anchorage Road.
Lynette Merkler, Pike Lake Association president, said she had concerns with retention ponds from Meijer not holding water runoff.
She also was concerned with gasoline from the gas station making its way to Pike Lake, and traffic overflow problems on Anchorage Road.
Troy Turley, Center Lake Conservation Association president, spoke in opposition to the rezoning and said he had concerns of flooding. He also said if a Meijer went in there, there could be a larger flood area.
Diane Quance, District 5 city councilwoman, expressed concerns with possible flooding of Pike Lake with additional water from the proposed Meijer and the gas station being located near Deeds Creek.
Councilman Kyle Babcock asked about gas station regulations.
Lynn Richardson, Meijer real estate manager, said she wants to assure the public that Meijer will own and operate the gas station.
"We will make sure that there are no contamination issues," Richardson said.
"We have owned and operated gas stations for many years at stores and have an excellent track record, and your concerns are our concerns."
Council president Joe Thallemer said whenever a development comes in, it is the city's responsibility to look at concerns and make sure there is a win-win situation for the residents, city and the business.
Councilman and plan commission member Jeff Grose said he felt the rezoning meets the criteria set forth by the city's comprehensive plan. He also said he wants to make sure the residents' concerns are addressed and will be by the plan commission.
Also during the meeting, the council approved a memorandum of understanding for Winona PVD Coatings LLC and the city.
The memorandum is to allow Winona PVD to expand its operations in Warsaw and create an additional 60 jobs. The company also plans to increase its manufacturing capacity by an estimated 720,000 wheels per year.
They want to undertake the construction of a 62,000-square-foot expansion of the existing building and lease an additional 50,000 square feet of additional building space to accommodate the additional expansion.
The council, at its March 7 meeting, unanimously approved Warsaw Redevelopment Commission reviewing a request for $2.2 million from the city's northern tax increment finance district to cover the expansion.
Skinner said the city still needs to approve issuing the bonds to be used for the expansion from the tax increment finance district.
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