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LaPorte County moves to formalize public access in Kingsbury Industrial Park amid developer interest
Summary
Commissioners discussed long‑used roadways in Kingsbury Industrial Park, potential filing of an existing easement to formalize public ways, public‑safety access needs, and growing private interest including possible data‑center inquiries; maintenance costs of $83,000 per year were noted.
At the Dec. 10 meeting, Matt Reardon of MCR Partners updated the LaPorte County Redevelopment Commission on land‑use and access issues in Kingsbury Industrial Park (KIP), where public access has been informal for decades.
Reardon said an easement document covering public roads in KIP exists and that filing it could recognize those roads as public ways. He told the commission landowners are negotiating privately with prospective buyers and the county does not represent private sellers; the county’s guidance to landowners has been to seek legal counsel. "These roads have been used continuously as thoroughfares for more than 20 years," Reardon said, and county staff stressed that reliable access is needed for residents, farmers and emergency vehicles.
County staff identified a practical constraint: the diversity of private owners complicates requiring upgrades to meet county standards. Options discussed include negotiating transfers of ownership to the county or recording easements and awaiting any legal contest. Commissioners also heard the county highway department estimates annual maintenance costs for these roads at about $83,000 per year.
Why it matters: Formalizing public access would improve safety and make parcels more marketable to developers; it would also create recurring maintenance costs the county must plan for.
What’s next: Staff will pursue filing options for the existing easement and continue coordination with the county highway department and affected landowners. Commissioners did not authorize condemnation; the discussion focused on easement recording and cooperative solutions.
