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Council backs phased approach for 180-acre west-side site, directs engineering and outreach
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Summary
Calumet City council supported phasing development of a 180‑acre city‑owned site at Ideal and Stillwater Boulevard, directing staff to start sewer engineering, refresh an AUAR, pursue broker marketing for Parcel 1 and begin community engagement; timing coordination with Washington County and railroad permitting remain open questions.
The Calumet City council signaled support for a phased approach to developing a 180‑acre city‑owned site at Ideal and Stillwater Boulevard, directing staff to begin engineering, environmental refresh work and initial marketing steps.
Staff presented findings from a ULI technical assistance panel and described three parcels on the site, saying the panel's recommendation is to market Parcel 1 first (it already has sewer and water), then extend sewer under the railroad to serve Parcel 2 and prepare Parcel 3 for later development. “This TAP report is gonna guide our work going forward,” staff said, adding the city has created a project web page and plans outreach beginning in April.
Council members endorsed starting with Parcel 1. One member said the site is large and “starting off with parcel 1 that already has sewer and water to it seems to make sense.” Staff also reported an engineering estimate of roughly $850,000 to design the sewer extension (including contingency and the track crossing) and proposed adding engineering to the 2027 CIP while beginning design sooner if council approves. The council discussed whether to time the sewer work to coincide with Washington County's planned road construction (staff reported the county's project is currently scheduled for 2029) to capture permitting and mobilization efficiencies.
On marketing, staff asked whether the city should hire a commercial broker to list Parcel 1 and obtain a market opinion; staff described typical seller commissions of 2–3 percent. Multiple council members supported hiring a broker rather than conducting an RFP for Parcel 1, citing staff capacity and broker expertise.
Staff also briefed the council on the AUAR (a sitewide environmental review similar to an EAW) that covers the property and noted the existing AUAR expires in March 2027. Consultants estimated a renewal or extension would take about 180 days and cost roughly $50,000–$60,000, with the expectation that a future developer would reimburse that expense.
Parcel 3 drew broader land‑use discussion: staff said its recommended use shifted from business park toward a mixed residential‑commercial approach and proposed using an RFP to solicit innovative, walkable development that could include townhouses and small‑lot single family. Councilors emphasized buffers for adjacent neighborhoods, fiscal impact analysis to compare operating costs and tax revenue, and limiting density if city recreation unit allocations will constrain buildable units.
Staff described an engagement plan that includes an online survey, open houses or a weekend event, and an EDA public hearing before finalizing findings for publication in July or August. Council members urged controls on online surveys to prevent duplicate submissions and recommended complementing surveys with in‑person outreach.
The council gave direction to staff to move forward on engineering planning, AUAR refresh pricing, broker outreach for Parcel 1 and the proposed public engagement steps. Next steps include returning with firm scopes and cost proposals and posting the TAP report and schedule on the project web page.
