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Planning commission recommends approval of ‘Tailwinds’ commercial subdivision, citing available utilities
Summary
The commission approved a primary plat for the Tailwinds commercial subdivision (northern ~14 acres of a 29.83-acre parcel) to be subdivided into up to 11 commercial lots; staff recommended approval and described available water, sanitary and storm infrastructure and a detention pond sized for full build-out.
The Michigan City Planning Commission on April 28 voted to approve petition P901-26, a primary-plat request to subdivide the northern portion of a roughly 29.83-acre parcel into up to 11 commercial lots, a project the applicant has called the Tailwinds commercial subdivision.
James Hus of DBG Team presented on behalf of Integrated Construction Solutions and property owner XL Investment Properties LLC, outlining a plan to subdivide about 14 acres into lots ranging from about 0.75 to 1.14 acres that could each support buildings roughly 11,000 square feet in size. Hus described wetlands concentrated on the southern half of the parent parcel and said the development would be concentrated on the less-encumbered northern half.
Associate Planner Lucas Lopez delivered the staff report and recommended approval, saying the parcel is zoned B2 (general commercial), is well served by roadway, sewer and water infrastructure, and that the submitted primary plat meets the standards of the subdivision ordinance. Lopez also said the engineering department requested 5-inch sidewalks along identified streets to be reviewed at secondary plan submission.
The applicant described stormwater infrastructure intended for the subdivision: a wet-bottom detention pond sized to detain runoff from the roads and future impervious surfaces, with a controlled release piped to an existing storm sewer beneath Cleveland Avenue and an overflow route following the property's existing drainage path. Hus said an 8-inch water main extension from Cleveland Avenue would serve the lots and that sanitary sewer depth on Cleveland Avenue would allow gravity service.
Members of the public offered short comments: resident Tommy Kavik welcomed the investors and expressed support; Scott Melon urged that design details such as sidewalks and public-art opportunities be handled at the secondary review stage but supported moving the project forward. Commissioners questioned sidewalks, tenant types, long-term storm maintenance and fire-truck turnaround dimensions; the applicant said operations-and-maintenance documentation would accompany later submissions and that most public storm infrastructure would be dedicated to the city.
A motion to approve the primary plat as submitted, incorporating staff findings and recommendations, passed on a roll-call vote. The approval advances the project to required secondary-plat and site-plan reviews where engineering, sidewalk installation, fire access and other technical items will be finalized before permits and construction.
