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Council approves Beckman School PUD after heated public opposition; amendment added
Summary
The Gary Common Council voted 5-4 to pass initial approval of an amended planned-unit development that would rezone the former Beckman School site for commercial/light-industrial use after the developer agreed to changes. Dozens of residents spoke in opposition, raising traffic, property-value and neighborhood character concerns.
The Gary Common Council on April 15 approved initial passage of CPO 2025-17, a planned-unit development (PUD) application that would allow commercial and light-industrial uses on the former Beckman School site at 2227 Lincoln Street, after the council accepted an amended substitute version of the ordinance.
The PUD passed on initial order by a 5-4 roll call vote after an amendment by substitution was approved unanimously earlier in the meeting. Attorney Jose Molina, representing the administration, said the developer agreed to the changes negotiated with planning staff and the planning director.
The amendment added conditions Molina said were intended to "put some more teeth in this ordinance" and to limit allowable uses. "The developer did agree to all of the changes that we had requested," Molina told the council.
The vote followed an extended public-comment period in which neighborhood residents, community groups and residents from multiple council districts urged the council to deny rezoning for light-industrial or trucking uses. Doreen Carey, president of Gary Advocates for Responsible Development, said, "If this PUD ... is approved by the council, there will be very little opportunity for the city to have control over the type of development that may occur." Several speakers said the property had been purchased by out-of-town investors who had allowed littering and illegal dumping on the site.
Speakers described specific concerns about truck traffic, noise, safety for children, and falling property values. Kwabena Razzuli, who said he inspects properties for a living, told the council the proposal resembled "spot zoning" and pointed out the site contains dozens of truck docks as planned by the developer. Multiple speakers asked for stronger community benefits such as road repairs tied to increased truck traffic; at least one council member said a proposed community benefit was not accepted earlier in committee.
Council discussion at the meeting was limited before the final roll call. The amendment was adopted by a unanimous 9-0 roll call. On final initial-passage roll call, Councilwoman Brown and Councilwoman Caldwell voted yes; Councilman Halliburton, Councilwoman Ivy and Councilman Tolliver voted no; Councilman Darren Washington, Councilman Wissington, Councilman Williams voted yes; President Latham voted no. The motion to approve initial passage therefore carried 5 yes, 4 no.
The ordinance as amended passed initial order tonight; further readings or final ordination will follow the city's established process for second/final readings if scheduled by the council.
The meeting record shows substantial neighborhood opposition and requests that the planning department and council preserve residential zoning and hold the developer to the commitments incorporated into the substituted ordinance.
