Gary committee delays plan to add mechanical repairs at Colfax auto lot

The Gary Common Council Planning and Development Committee on May 8 deferred action on a petition to allow mechanical and auto-body work at 2557 Colfax Avenue after council members raised concerns about site appearance, inoperable vehicles and tax status.

Attorney Marco Molina told the committee that the Board of Zoning Appeals had heard the matter on May 8 and approved the petition 4–0. The petitioner, who identified himself as John Kulege, said he currently operates a dealership at the address and wants to add light mechanical and body work, including installing a lift and adding paint-prep capability.

"We're selling a lot of cars, and I got customers," Kulege said when asked why he sought the change. He later estimated repair workload at roughly "five up to ten cars a month," depending on damage, and said he would clean up the lot within about 30 days if approved: "Probably 30 days, I'll clean up the lot." He also acknowledged on the record that a current tax payment was late but said he expected to pay it the following week.

Council members repeatedly questioned the site's current appearance and potential impacts. Councilwoman Marion Ivy said she had not visited the property but, based on photos, saw no obvious fencing and worried about public safety and the effect on nearby property values. "I don't see a fence or anything getting in there and playing with one of these junk cars," she said, citing concerns about children and the surrounding neighborhood. Ivy also noted the property's proximity to the Hard Rock Casino and said she wanted to ensure the area develops in its "highest and best use."

Councilman Kenneth Westington suggested the ordinance include numeric limits to prevent stockpiling of inoperable vehicles, proposing a cap on how many inoperable cars a lot may hold at a time. Attorney Molina said the council could draft such a condition and recommended sending the petition back to committee so staff could prepare a revised ordinance with explicit conditions rather than attempting on-the-fly edits at the next full meeting.

Several council members asked for precise scope language. Councilwoman Linda Barnes Caldwell said that when the item returns she wants a narrowly defined permit (selling cars and, if approved, mechanical work) and asked that unrelated uses not be added later.

Because the petitioner and staff want to work through conditions, the committee agreed to return CPO 2025-32 to committee for redrafting and to set conditions addressing aesthetics, vehicle limits and cleanup before it is scheduled for a full council vote.

Next steps: Attorney Molina will work with the petitioner to draft conditions for the committee; the item will be brought back to committee prior to any full-council vote.