Council begins rezoning review for 56 acres on State Road 39 to allow multifamily development

The La Porte Common Council on July 21 introduced, on first reading, an ordinance to rezone roughly 56 acres on State Road 39 from B-3 (highway commercial) to R-3A (low-rise multifamily). The ordinance was read for the first time and the council scheduled a second reading for Aug. 4; no final vote on rezoning was taken at the July 21 meeting.

Bert Cook, identified at the meeting as mayor and executive director of the La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership, and developers said rezoning is an initial procedural step needed so the proposed residential development can begin design and infrastructure planning. The developers, Ryan Metz (managing partner, Atrium Capital Advisors) and Mike (identified as Mike Sullivan), presented a conceptual plan showing a portion of the 56 acres buildable after wetlands are excluded and an initial phase that could contain about 199 units with clubhouse, parking and green space.

City and project representatives told the council the site contains wetland areas that reduce net buildable acreage to about 25 acres and that the project team plans a mix of "big-house" 10-to-14-unit buildings with attached garages and garden-style units to provide varied housing options. Developers said the concept targets a middle- to upper-middle-income rental market and that designs would be refined through subsequent site planning and permitting.

Bert Cook explained the rezoning request is only the first of several hurdles; he said the city is coordinating water infrastructure improvements in the 39 North area, including ordering a water tower to support new development. Cook said the city has allocated approximately $14,000,000 toward water improvements for the 39 North corridor, which developers identified as necessary to serve future projects.

Councilman Buchanan, who sits on the Plan Commission, said the Plan Commission unanimously recommended the zone map amendment after a public hearing and that neighbors raised questions at the Plan Commission about notification, stormwater and design details. Buchanan and other council members emphasized that detailed engineering, drainage and design will be addressed in later permitting stages and that the ordinance will return for a second reading and possible vote on Aug. 4.

Because this was the ordinance's introduction (first reading), the council did not adopt final zoning changes at the July 21 meeting.