Indiana University Kokomo officials lent further support to a proposed apartment development next to campus Monday evening, while Edgewater subdivision remonstrators also made their voices heard.
The Kokomo Common Council voted to rezone 3.95 acres in the 2200 block of South Washington Street to multi-family residential, moving a planned 80-unit development a step closer to construction.
The first-reading vote was 7-1, with Councilwoman Cindy Sanders, R-5th, voting against.
At least three other council members said they were reserving the right to vote against the rezoning on second or third reading, however, saying they wanted answers to several questions from Michigan City-based developers Mecca Companies.
IUK vice chancellor Sue Sciame-Giesecke said the school is “supportive of the economic development project on Washington Street ... because it offers new possibilities for the campus to grow and to extend our reach, through our graduates, to enhance the vitality of this area.”
At the same time, Sciame-Giesecke said the school is “working to understand all the details and impact of this project,” and said the school wants to continue being a good neighbor to the Edgewater residents.
That might be difficult since it appears the Edgewater residents are largely unified against the project, which they claim will cause drainage, safety and crime problems.
“My contention is there are so many questions, and I know you say it’s only rezoning tonight,” South Webster Street resident Donald Collins said. “But I would hate to see people waste their time when the land isn’t fit to build on.”
David Shacklee, who lives in the house just to the south of the proposed building site, asked whether city taxpayers will end up paying for any improvements, including a crosswalk on Washington, sewer upgrades, drainage improvements or a pedestrian bridge.
“We didn’t buy property [here] in the hopes someone would build a high-rise apartment building next to it,” Shacklee said.
Mecca president Kyle Bach, who indicated after a July 8 plan commission meeting he intended to meet with Edgewater residents prior to Monday’s meeting, said “it’s been a crazy couple of weeks,” after Council president Mike Kennedy, D-At Large, urged him to set up that meeting.
In response to council requests for more information on the suitability of the site, part of which is in floodplain, for building, Bach said it might be possible.
“It’s a very, very expensive endeavor, but we’d like to participate, to some extent,” Bach said when asked if some of the environmental testing results might be available by the Aug. 30 council meeting.
“We are committed to Kokomo ... If it doesn’t work, we’ll find the second-best option,” Bach said of the building site.
• Scott Smith is a Kokomo Tribune staff writer. He may be reached at 765-454-8569 or via e-mail at scott.smith@kokomotribune.com
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