City Looks To Implement Downtown Improvements
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
In January, the HyettPalma downtown action agenda was presented to Warsaw city council members and other interested parties.
During Monday's city council meeting, the board took the first step in implementing that study by establishing an action agenda panel.
No specific names were given to serve on the downtown process committee, a list Mayor Ernie Wiggins said was still being formulated.
The city is in the process of hiring an assistant city planner who would coordinate the lion's share of the plan. The assistant city planner position should be filled next month.
Between now and the year 2007, efforts will be made to intensify three types of uses in downtown Warsaw: specialty retail, restaurants and art and culture.
The downtown's mix of uses would also include entertainment, apartments and artist studios in upper floors, professional offices and the continued presence of city government.
The HyettPalma study, paid in part with funds from the Indiana Association of Cities & Towns Foundation, indicated another 35,000- to 50,000-square feet of additional office space could potentially be supported in the next five years.
The study identified housing market opportunities. According to the study, every effort should be made to introduce more quality, market-rate housing in the upper floors of existing buildings and in low-density garden apartments and townhouse units on the fringes of downtown.
The council also took action on the outskirts of town, changing the zoning at the corner of Ind. 15 and CR 250N from I-3/Heavy Industrial to C-3/Arterial Commercial.
Mutual Federal Bank announced plans to construct a building north of U.S. 30 at last week's plan commission meeting.
Ben Weaver is owner of the property, consisting of 0.94 acres.
Councilman Joe Thallemer updated the board on activities of the Curbside Recycling Task Force which has met once a month since February.
Citizens from each political ward, the solid waste district and public works are studying a curbside recycling program for the city.
Thallemer chairs the task force and told the council the next meeting is at noon June 12 at the KC Depot on Union Street. The meetings are open to the public.
Last month, Robert Gedert of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management addressed the task force regarding the economics of the recycling industry and programs the city could adopt.
The council approved a police department request to transfer $5,000 from insurance to the repair and maintenance account.
Captain Paul Schmitt said the money was for various materials and jobs done in-house at the new station. Purchase of small tools would also be covered by the transfer.
Councilman Bill Rhoades, after the unanimous vote, asked that the transfers be spelled out a little more in the future.
"You're always asking for $2,000 or $5,000, always those amounts," he said. "I'd like to see it written out."
In other business, the board reviewed several items, including:
• An article in the International Design Magazine which notes Warsaw is one of 40 cities in the world where design "rules" because of the orthopedic industry here. Warsaw was listed along with Singapore, Rio De Janeiro, Athens, Tokyo and other notable cities.
• A letter from Virginia B. Calvin, chancellor of Ivy Tech State College, announcing the school's move from Lakeview Middle School to the United Office Complex on the north side of U.S. 30E.
• An article about the city's brownfields grant of $300,000 to clean up the Gatke Corp. property. The work includes removal of underground storage tanks, waste removal, lead paint abatement, asbestos removal, demolition and road construction.
A public hearing regarding the property is set for June 3, 7 p.m., at the next council meeting.
• A thank you note from Joy Fair for work done by public works employees.
• Future projects for the public works department and wastewater treatment plant. Many of the items concerned rehabilitation projects on Main and Market streets, storm drain installation to comply with new state codes, installation of sanitary sewers in Timber Ridge subdivision and on Country Club Drive south as well as installation of an ultraviolet light at the storm water lift station at Central Park to remove or kill E coli bacteria.
• A letter from Kosciusko Development Inc. asking for an increase in annual funding from $1,500 to $2,650.
Warsaw council members are Jerry Patterson, Bill Rhoades, George Clemens, Jeff Gross, Trish Brown, Charlie Smith and Joe Thallemer. [[In-content Ad]]
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In January, the HyettPalma downtown action agenda was presented to Warsaw city council members and other interested parties.
During Monday's city council meeting, the board took the first step in implementing that study by establishing an action agenda panel.
No specific names were given to serve on the downtown process committee, a list Mayor Ernie Wiggins said was still being formulated.
The city is in the process of hiring an assistant city planner who would coordinate the lion's share of the plan. The assistant city planner position should be filled next month.
Between now and the year 2007, efforts will be made to intensify three types of uses in downtown Warsaw: specialty retail, restaurants and art and culture.
The downtown's mix of uses would also include entertainment, apartments and artist studios in upper floors, professional offices and the continued presence of city government.
The HyettPalma study, paid in part with funds from the Indiana Association of Cities & Towns Foundation, indicated another 35,000- to 50,000-square feet of additional office space could potentially be supported in the next five years.
The study identified housing market opportunities. According to the study, every effort should be made to introduce more quality, market-rate housing in the upper floors of existing buildings and in low-density garden apartments and townhouse units on the fringes of downtown.
The council also took action on the outskirts of town, changing the zoning at the corner of Ind. 15 and CR 250N from I-3/Heavy Industrial to C-3/Arterial Commercial.
Mutual Federal Bank announced plans to construct a building north of U.S. 30 at last week's plan commission meeting.
Ben Weaver is owner of the property, consisting of 0.94 acres.
Councilman Joe Thallemer updated the board on activities of the Curbside Recycling Task Force which has met once a month since February.
Citizens from each political ward, the solid waste district and public works are studying a curbside recycling program for the city.
Thallemer chairs the task force and told the council the next meeting is at noon June 12 at the KC Depot on Union Street. The meetings are open to the public.
Last month, Robert Gedert of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management addressed the task force regarding the economics of the recycling industry and programs the city could adopt.
The council approved a police department request to transfer $5,000 from insurance to the repair and maintenance account.
Captain Paul Schmitt said the money was for various materials and jobs done in-house at the new station. Purchase of small tools would also be covered by the transfer.
Councilman Bill Rhoades, after the unanimous vote, asked that the transfers be spelled out a little more in the future.
"You're always asking for $2,000 or $5,000, always those amounts," he said. "I'd like to see it written out."
In other business, the board reviewed several items, including:
• An article in the International Design Magazine which notes Warsaw is one of 40 cities in the world where design "rules" because of the orthopedic industry here. Warsaw was listed along with Singapore, Rio De Janeiro, Athens, Tokyo and other notable cities.
• A letter from Virginia B. Calvin, chancellor of Ivy Tech State College, announcing the school's move from Lakeview Middle School to the United Office Complex on the north side of U.S. 30E.
• An article about the city's brownfields grant of $300,000 to clean up the Gatke Corp. property. The work includes removal of underground storage tanks, waste removal, lead paint abatement, asbestos removal, demolition and road construction.
A public hearing regarding the property is set for June 3, 7 p.m., at the next council meeting.
• A thank you note from Joy Fair for work done by public works employees.
• Future projects for the public works department and wastewater treatment plant. Many of the items concerned rehabilitation projects on Main and Market streets, storm drain installation to comply with new state codes, installation of sanitary sewers in Timber Ridge subdivision and on Country Club Drive south as well as installation of an ultraviolet light at the storm water lift station at Central Park to remove or kill E coli bacteria.
• A letter from Kosciusko Development Inc. asking for an increase in annual funding from $1,500 to $2,650.
Warsaw council members are Jerry Patterson, Bill Rhoades, George Clemens, Jeff Gross, Trish Brown, Charlie Smith and Joe Thallemer. [[In-content Ad]]