La Porte council advances Beachwood Lakes rezoning; developers, planners outline density and tree-preservation plans

The La Porte Common Council on Sept. 15 heard a presentation and public comment on a rezoning proposal for the Beachwood Lakes parcel adjacent to Beachwood Golf Course, and the council introduced an ordinance that would change parts of the site from single-family zoning to townhouse and other residential categories.

City planners and the redevelopment authority say the rezoning is intended to allow a mix of townhomes and single-family units that the developer says will link to the golf course and could include a cart-path connection. The proposal would reclassify portions of the property now zoned R1B (single-family) to R1D (single-family) and R2B (townhouse residential); the city plan commission voted unanimously to recommend the map change.

The rezoning matters because the project is intended to create “missing middle” housing types — duplexes, townhomes and smaller-lot single-family homes — that planners say help make development financially feasible by spreading infrastructure costs. Bert Cook, executive director of the La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership, said the redevelopment commission has worked on the parcel for nearly four years and that a development agreement with the project team already is in place. Craig Phillips, city planner, told the council the rezoning aims to provide a zoning “step down” from commercial areas and to preserve stands of woodland in the site plan.

Developer representatives participated virtually and in person. Project representative John Kavczyk (online) said the development team has worked with city staff on a plan that “makes sense” for the site and the market, and engineer Charlie Ray attended in person to answer technical questions. Cook and the developer emphasized the project’s mix of housing types and the potential for new residents and revenues for the city.

Neighbors at the plan commission and during council remarks raised concerns that wooded land would be lost and questioned the density of the proposal. Council members noted those comments and asked the developer to continue outreach, buffering and landscape planning; Cook said the developer offered follow-up meetings with adjacent property owners to discuss landscaping and buffering.

No final council vote on the rezoning was taken Sept. 15; Councilman Buchanan moved to read the ordinance in full and the council introduced it for first reading. The ordinance will return for action at the council’s next meeting on Oct. 6.

If adopted, the change would allow the phased Beachwood Lakes project that developers say includes commercial frontage along Monroe Street, townhomes nearer the golf course and varied single-family lots farther in. City staff said infrastructure cost and the regional housing shortage were central reasons for supporting a mix of housing densities.