Plan commission unanimously forwards rezoning for proposed USCO manufacturing site at 5009 Calumet Avenue

The Hammond City Plan Commission on a unanimous vote forwarded a petition to rezone 5009 Calumet Avenue to full I-2 (manufacturing) for a proposed USCO Industries overhead bridge crane facility and adopted the staff report as a preliminary finding of fact, clearing the way for consideration by the Hammond City Council.

Tom Farino, who identified himself as the petitioner representing USCO Industries, told commissioners the company plans a roughly 70,000-square-foot manufacturing plant and described the project as "a $25,000,000 development, bringing over a 100 jobs to our community" with positions such as fabricators, electricians, service technicians, engineering and office staff and an eight-step cross-training program. "They have great benefits," he said, citing a 401(k) match and health coverage.

Staff summarized the parcel history and environmental safeguards and recommended the commission forward the rezoning to the city council with a favorable recommendation. "Staff recommends that the plan commission forward the petition to rezone to the city council with a favorable recommendation," a staff member said, noting the parcel is partly already zoned I-2 and that much of the tract is currently zoned S-2 and owned by the sanitary district. The staff presentation emphasized efforts to protect the north bank of the Grand Calumet River, the floodplain and an existing force main when drawing property boundaries.

At the public hearing, Lester Stokes of Bethel Church of God in Christ (815 Michigan Street) said he had recently received notice of the meeting and attended to learn more about the petition. "We just got the notice that this was happening, and so we came down to see exactly what was going on," he said.

Commissioners asked staff about parcel boundaries and legal descriptions; staff clarified that two underlying parcels were former railroad parcels and that land to the east remains owned by the sanitary district. Commissioners moved to forward the petition to the Hammond City Council with a favorable recommendation; the motion passed on a roll-call vote recorded as 8 ayes, 0 nays, 0 abstentions. The commission then voted to adopt the staff report as a preliminary finding of fact by the same margin.

The plan commission's favorable recommendation pertains only to rezoning the parcel and does not constitute final approval of the proposed development. Staff and commissioners noted the property transfer from the sanitary district through the redevelopment commission to USCO remains in progress and that additional approvals will be required before construction can begin. The petitioner was congratulated and advised on next procedural steps.

The commission offered no other new business, heard no additional public comment and adjourned. Staff reminded members to keep June 15 open for the next plan commission meeting.