The city of Warsaw is taking separate action on two properties involving a sale and an annexation.

In a complicated exchange involving land near Hidden Lake on the city's northern edge, the city is prepared sell part of a tract it owns and trade the other portion in exchange for easements needed for sewer lines, city planner Pat Hudson said.

United Water Indiana wants to buy part of the tract from the city. The expected price is about $11,000, which is the same as when the city purchased the land a few years ago from Indiana Department of Transportation, Hudson said.

United Water needs the property for well fields.

The city's 23-acre property is located north of Hidden Lake, which is accessible from Ind. 15 near Smith Tire.

The exchange of land for sewer easements involves a group of investors who own land surrounding Hidden Lake.

Hudson said part of the land could be developed for commercial property around the lake.

City property west of Hidden Lake is intended for future use as the site of a second sewage treatment plant. That land is near the Groninger gravel pit.

On Monday, city council voted to start preliminary action toward a friendly annexation of the property.

The plan commission has already recommended land including the lake be rezoned to commercial and land to the west be rezoned to industrial.

In another matter, the city is prepared to extend sewer to SYM Financial Corp. and the future Convention and Visitors' Bureau building along U.S. 30.

Since the land is outside city limits, the service will be provided through a special agreement known as an "in lieu of annexation agreement." The agreement calls for owners to pay for sewer service and an additional fee based on a calculated tax level.

Hudson said they will consider annexing the property and other nearby property in the future.

The "in lieu" agreement is a short term answer because of the immediacy of the request.

The CVB is expected to break ground on its future visitors' center today. [[In-content Ad]]