Expanded Riverfront District Allows More Alcohol Licenses
July 5, 2017 at 3:38 p.m.
By David [email protected]
City Planner Jeremy Skinner said, “We’ve been working on this for a couple of months now. It originally started out, the request came to the Redevelopment Commission to expand the (Warsaw Central Development Area) so that this area (on the west side of Detroit Street) can be included as part of the city’s riverfront district.”
The Redevelopment Commission started the process to expand the Central Development Area in early May, went through the Plan Commission on May 8 and City Council May 15 before ending back at the Redevelopment Commission, which officially expanded the Central tax increment finance district on June 5.
The existing riverfront development district before Monday included the city blocks from Center Street to Center Lake between Indiana and Buffalo streets. The approved expanded area will take in that plus the west side of Detroit Street up to about 1303 N. Detroit St.
Mayor Joe Thallemer said, “So what this does basically is it expands the (riverfront) district that you all approved two, three years ago.” One Ten Craft Meatery requested the city create the riverfront district then. Thallemer said it will now be up to any applicant to go to the ABC to get any alcohol license. The riverfront district just creates an opportunity for the applicant to apply for a license to the ABC, with the ABC making the final decision.
Skinner said the alcohol licenses would not be transferable and are only for restaurants. The riverfront district alcohol licenses will not affect other licenses in the city, he said.
Councilwoman Cindy Dobbins clarified that there were already businesses that wanted the licenses. Skinner said two wanted them and they are located at 937 and 1303 N. Detroit St.
Thallemer asked, “I thought there was a specified distance from the waterfront that the district could extend to?”
Skinner said it’s 1,500 feet or 3,000 feet if there’s a flood plain or wetlands you can’t build in.
Dobbins asked if the boundary of the riverfront district was just on the west side of Detroit Street. Skinner replied, “As of right now.”
Council President Mike Klondaris made the motion to approve expanding the riverfront district, with Councilman Jerry Frush providing the second. It was unanimously approved.
In other business, the city council:
• Approved a resolution to reduce encumbrances carried forward from 2016 to 2017.
The reductions in encumbrances include $1,019.68 in the cemetery budget; $32,027.14, park; $7,674.77, aviation; $62,978.74, general; $11,070.41, fire territory operating fund; and $2,876.72, fire territory equipment.
Thallemer explained, “All this basically does is adjust down six of those funds and revises those encumbrances down.”
Clerk-Treasurer Lynne Christiansen reminded the council that in either January or February, they received a full report of the monies being moved from 2016 to 2017.
“Between then and now this is the money that’s been liquidated or is not needed for whatever (reason),” she said. “We have to do this so we can get the budget ready for next year.”
• Approved Ordinance 2017-06-02 on second reading to transfer $100,000 from stormwater cumulative capital development repairs and maintenance to CCD improvements other than buildings.
The ordinance was approved on first reading at the June 19 city council meeting.
• Approved on first and second reading an ordinance transferring $70,000 from park equipment to park repairs and maintenance contracted to build new restrooms at Richardson Dubois and replace safety matts at Kiddieland in Central Park.
• Heard from resident Gary Parker that the property at 302 E. Market St. needs cleaned up. “It’s been a long time, it’s overdue. It needs to be cleaned up,” he said.
• Reviewed the city’s 2017 second quarter investment report.
• Heard from Thallemer that he received a note from the Indiana Housing Community Development Authority executive director congratulating the city on its alley project and its Patronicity fundraising for that project. The alley project is between city hall and Oak & Alley/Three Crows Coffee to the south.
City Planner Jeremy Skinner said, “We’ve been working on this for a couple of months now. It originally started out, the request came to the Redevelopment Commission to expand the (Warsaw Central Development Area) so that this area (on the west side of Detroit Street) can be included as part of the city’s riverfront district.”
The Redevelopment Commission started the process to expand the Central Development Area in early May, went through the Plan Commission on May 8 and City Council May 15 before ending back at the Redevelopment Commission, which officially expanded the Central tax increment finance district on June 5.
The existing riverfront development district before Monday included the city blocks from Center Street to Center Lake between Indiana and Buffalo streets. The approved expanded area will take in that plus the west side of Detroit Street up to about 1303 N. Detroit St.
Mayor Joe Thallemer said, “So what this does basically is it expands the (riverfront) district that you all approved two, three years ago.” One Ten Craft Meatery requested the city create the riverfront district then. Thallemer said it will now be up to any applicant to go to the ABC to get any alcohol license. The riverfront district just creates an opportunity for the applicant to apply for a license to the ABC, with the ABC making the final decision.
Skinner said the alcohol licenses would not be transferable and are only for restaurants. The riverfront district alcohol licenses will not affect other licenses in the city, he said.
Councilwoman Cindy Dobbins clarified that there were already businesses that wanted the licenses. Skinner said two wanted them and they are located at 937 and 1303 N. Detroit St.
Thallemer asked, “I thought there was a specified distance from the waterfront that the district could extend to?”
Skinner said it’s 1,500 feet or 3,000 feet if there’s a flood plain or wetlands you can’t build in.
Dobbins asked if the boundary of the riverfront district was just on the west side of Detroit Street. Skinner replied, “As of right now.”
Council President Mike Klondaris made the motion to approve expanding the riverfront district, with Councilman Jerry Frush providing the second. It was unanimously approved.
In other business, the city council:
• Approved a resolution to reduce encumbrances carried forward from 2016 to 2017.
The reductions in encumbrances include $1,019.68 in the cemetery budget; $32,027.14, park; $7,674.77, aviation; $62,978.74, general; $11,070.41, fire territory operating fund; and $2,876.72, fire territory equipment.
Thallemer explained, “All this basically does is adjust down six of those funds and revises those encumbrances down.”
Clerk-Treasurer Lynne Christiansen reminded the council that in either January or February, they received a full report of the monies being moved from 2016 to 2017.
“Between then and now this is the money that’s been liquidated or is not needed for whatever (reason),” she said. “We have to do this so we can get the budget ready for next year.”
• Approved Ordinance 2017-06-02 on second reading to transfer $100,000 from stormwater cumulative capital development repairs and maintenance to CCD improvements other than buildings.
The ordinance was approved on first reading at the June 19 city council meeting.
• Approved on first and second reading an ordinance transferring $70,000 from park equipment to park repairs and maintenance contracted to build new restrooms at Richardson Dubois and replace safety matts at Kiddieland in Central Park.
• Heard from resident Gary Parker that the property at 302 E. Market St. needs cleaned up. “It’s been a long time, it’s overdue. It needs to be cleaned up,” he said.
• Reviewed the city’s 2017 second quarter investment report.
• Heard from Thallemer that he received a note from the Indiana Housing Community Development Authority executive director congratulating the city on its alley project and its Patronicity fundraising for that project. The alley project is between city hall and Oak & Alley/Three Crows Coffee to the south.
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