Redevelopment Panel OKs Plan To Expand Development Area
March 8, 2017 at 8:31 p.m.
By David [email protected]
Jose Espinoza, who operates the Redwood Firewood Bar & Grill, 937 N. Detroit St., wants to expand the Central district to include an area adjacent to Center Lake, stretching north from the current WEDA to and including his restaurant.
The purpose of the request is so that Espinoza can apply for a new liquor license from the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission, according to the petition.
To qualify for a new license, the Espinoza property must be located in an economic development area and in a designated riverfront district. Upon approval of the petition, Espinoza intends to request an expansion of the existing Warsaw Riverfront Development District by the city council to include the Espinoza property, the petition states.
The riverfront district would “allow for additional liquor licenses, much like we did down Buffalo Street. We created that riverfront district a couple of years ago that allowed restaurants to apply for liquor licenses within that district. He’s requesting expansion of the Central (tax increment finance district) in order to create another riverfront district that would allow additional liquor licenses in that area,” City Planner Jeremy Skinner said.
He said there really wasn’t anything for the commission to do Monday except to approve the process to proceed.
“And it’s going to be a long process. It’ll have to go to the Redevelopment Commission, Planning Commission, City Council and back to the Redevelopment Commission. But this is kind of the opening salvo to that process,”?he said.
Skinner said the city looked at that area a few years ago when it did the Ball State “Imagine Warsaw” charrette. “We had looked at expanding that TIF district to include this area for potential redevelopment on lakefront along 15 in that area,” he explained.
He said he was in favor of the board looking at the petition, but there was a process to follow. The city may look at expanding the Central EDA further than what the petitioner is requesting.
Commission member and City Councilman Jeff Grose asked if Redwood had a liquor license now. Skinner said it did not but was “operating under someone else’s license that will be pulled.”
“The riverfront district allows him to apply for liquor licenses, but the liquor licenses are only within that district, not transferable,” Skinner said. The licenses can’t be taken anywhere else and can’t be sold.
Mike Klondaris, city councilman and Commission member, asked how far out the riverfront district went. Mayor Joe Thallemer said 1,500 feet.
“So would somebody across the street (Detroit Street) in one of those strip centers there, would they be able to take advantage of this, too?” Klondaris asked.
“Potentially,” replied Skinner. “I would have to measure it out.”
He then clarified that, “What he does with the riverfront district after whatever we do here is up to them. What he’s asking for is an expansion of the economic development area that is known as our Central TIF. Separate issue. I don’t want to blur the line too much. What this commission would start the process of is expanding that TIF district. The riverfront district would come after that. He needs the EDA in order to apply for it. What we would consider is, what benefit does this allow us within that confines of the TIF district, and what projects and development opportunities would we have if we were to expand.”
If the TIF district is expanded, Klondaris asked if there was a time limit. Skinner said the Central district already has a timeline and would expire when that timeline expires, which is 2040.
Commission Vice President Rick Snodgrass made a motion to begin the process for the petition, and Grose provided the second. It was unanimously approved.
In other business, the Commission approved:
• Transferring $600,000 within the Northern Tax Increment Finance’s 2017 budget from capital outlays into professional services to help cover a portion of the engineering services by Wessler Engineering for the proposed sewage treatment plant expansion.
On Friday, the Board of Works approved an agreement with Wessler for the sanitary plant expansion design for an amount not to exceed $1.39 million. The Redevelopment Commission also approved the agreement Monday as did the city council on first reading Monday night. The council will vote on it again at its March 20 meeting.
• A quote for $99,443.03 from Xylem Water Solutions USA Inc. to upgrade the current pumps at the Danek lift station.
Skinner said with the additions to the Technology Park, expansion of Winona PVD and other uses south of U.S. 30, the pump capacity has been reached and the pumps need to be upgraded to handle the additional flow. Phase II of the Technology Park will tie into the pump station and the additional capacity will be needed.
Danek lift station is just the name of the lift station and has nothing really to do with the company, which is now Medtronic, Skinner stated.
• An amendment to its original agreement with The Troyer Group Inc. for the business to help provide construction oversight of the CR 300N project, not to exceed $10,000. Construction will begin within the next month or so, Skinner estimated.
He said he didn’t know if the full $10,000 would be needed.
The project includes sidewalks, side paths on the south side, street lights, curb and gutter along CR 300N from Silveus Crossing to eventually Sheldon Street, with the side path all the way to the Tech Park.
• Two claims – one for $634.87 to Umbaugh & Associates for cash advisory services; and the other for $741.95 to Troyer Group for professional services related to the CR 300N project.
Jose Espinoza, who operates the Redwood Firewood Bar & Grill, 937 N. Detroit St., wants to expand the Central district to include an area adjacent to Center Lake, stretching north from the current WEDA to and including his restaurant.
The purpose of the request is so that Espinoza can apply for a new liquor license from the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission, according to the petition.
To qualify for a new license, the Espinoza property must be located in an economic development area and in a designated riverfront district. Upon approval of the petition, Espinoza intends to request an expansion of the existing Warsaw Riverfront Development District by the city council to include the Espinoza property, the petition states.
The riverfront district would “allow for additional liquor licenses, much like we did down Buffalo Street. We created that riverfront district a couple of years ago that allowed restaurants to apply for liquor licenses within that district. He’s requesting expansion of the Central (tax increment finance district) in order to create another riverfront district that would allow additional liquor licenses in that area,” City Planner Jeremy Skinner said.
He said there really wasn’t anything for the commission to do Monday except to approve the process to proceed.
“And it’s going to be a long process. It’ll have to go to the Redevelopment Commission, Planning Commission, City Council and back to the Redevelopment Commission. But this is kind of the opening salvo to that process,”?he said.
Skinner said the city looked at that area a few years ago when it did the Ball State “Imagine Warsaw” charrette. “We had looked at expanding that TIF district to include this area for potential redevelopment on lakefront along 15 in that area,” he explained.
He said he was in favor of the board looking at the petition, but there was a process to follow. The city may look at expanding the Central EDA further than what the petitioner is requesting.
Commission member and City Councilman Jeff Grose asked if Redwood had a liquor license now. Skinner said it did not but was “operating under someone else’s license that will be pulled.”
“The riverfront district allows him to apply for liquor licenses, but the liquor licenses are only within that district, not transferable,” Skinner said. The licenses can’t be taken anywhere else and can’t be sold.
Mike Klondaris, city councilman and Commission member, asked how far out the riverfront district went. Mayor Joe Thallemer said 1,500 feet.
“So would somebody across the street (Detroit Street) in one of those strip centers there, would they be able to take advantage of this, too?” Klondaris asked.
“Potentially,” replied Skinner. “I would have to measure it out.”
He then clarified that, “What he does with the riverfront district after whatever we do here is up to them. What he’s asking for is an expansion of the economic development area that is known as our Central TIF. Separate issue. I don’t want to blur the line too much. What this commission would start the process of is expanding that TIF district. The riverfront district would come after that. He needs the EDA in order to apply for it. What we would consider is, what benefit does this allow us within that confines of the TIF district, and what projects and development opportunities would we have if we were to expand.”
If the TIF district is expanded, Klondaris asked if there was a time limit. Skinner said the Central district already has a timeline and would expire when that timeline expires, which is 2040.
Commission Vice President Rick Snodgrass made a motion to begin the process for the petition, and Grose provided the second. It was unanimously approved.
In other business, the Commission approved:
• Transferring $600,000 within the Northern Tax Increment Finance’s 2017 budget from capital outlays into professional services to help cover a portion of the engineering services by Wessler Engineering for the proposed sewage treatment plant expansion.
On Friday, the Board of Works approved an agreement with Wessler for the sanitary plant expansion design for an amount not to exceed $1.39 million. The Redevelopment Commission also approved the agreement Monday as did the city council on first reading Monday night. The council will vote on it again at its March 20 meeting.
• A quote for $99,443.03 from Xylem Water Solutions USA Inc. to upgrade the current pumps at the Danek lift station.
Skinner said with the additions to the Technology Park, expansion of Winona PVD and other uses south of U.S. 30, the pump capacity has been reached and the pumps need to be upgraded to handle the additional flow. Phase II of the Technology Park will tie into the pump station and the additional capacity will be needed.
Danek lift station is just the name of the lift station and has nothing really to do with the company, which is now Medtronic, Skinner stated.
• An amendment to its original agreement with The Troyer Group Inc. for the business to help provide construction oversight of the CR 300N project, not to exceed $10,000. Construction will begin within the next month or so, Skinner estimated.
He said he didn’t know if the full $10,000 would be needed.
The project includes sidewalks, side paths on the south side, street lights, curb and gutter along CR 300N from Silveus Crossing to eventually Sheldon Street, with the side path all the way to the Tech Park.
• Two claims – one for $634.87 to Umbaugh & Associates for cash advisory services; and the other for $741.95 to Troyer Group for professional services related to the CR 300N project.
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