The Gary Common Council continued to greenlight plans for a development at the shuttered Alfred Beckman Middle School — even after the mayor expressed opposition.
Gary Mayor Eddie Melton vetoed an ordinance the council passed that allows for rezoning at the former school site. The ordinance allows the middle school to rezone from R2 residential to planned unit development, or PUD, and B3-1, which allows for shopping centers or large stores.
Melton addressed the rezoning on WLTH April 30, where he recapped his second State of the City address. Melton also went live on Facebook while he was on WLTH.
“I’ll keep this simple, I didn’t sign that ordinance when it passed,” Melton said. “So, essentially, it has been pocket vetoed. If they want that to pass, the council will have to override that pocket veto.”
The council overrode Melton’s veto in a 6-3 vote Tuesday night. Council members who voted against overriding the veto were President Lori Latham, D-1st; Dwayne Halliburton, D-2nd; and Myles Tolliver, D-at large.
Tolliver previously said his biggest concern with the development is that it would be in a residential area. Latham is a member of Gary Advocates for Responsible Development, a local activist group that has been outspoken in opposition to the project.
“GARD is concerned about sustainable economic development of the city as a whole and properties located in dense residential districts and is opposed to projects that would put those residents and neighborhoods’ health, safety and viability at risk,” said a previous GARD statement.
Council members who voted to override the veto included Mary Brown, D-3rd; Marian Ivey, D-4th; Linda Barnes Caldwell, D-5th; Dwight Williams, D-6th; Darren Washington, D-at large; and Kenneth Whisenton, D-at large.
Brown and Whisenton have both previously expressed concerns about Gary’s tax base and have said projects like this are the best way to help the city. Williams previously said he believes Gary needs more jobs to keep younger generations in the city.
Washington previously told the Post-Tribune that the city needs to look at its taxes, especially as communities start to see the effects of Indiana’s property tax bill, Senate Enrolled Act 1.
On Tuesday night, Washington spoke about Melton’s veto.
“I was a little set back and disappointed in Mayor Eddie Melton’s comment on WLTH,” Washington said. “I can speak for myself and for Linda Barnes Caldwell … we were not contacted about the mayor’s disapproval of the Beckman project. (For) two and a half months, I contacted, left a message for the mayor, and never heard anything from the mayor about his disapproval.”
If Melton had expressed concerns before, Washington said it might have been a different result.
Washington has also asked for more communication between the council and Melton’s administration, saying projects at abandoned schools won’t happen without the council’s approval on rezoning, and all council members need the same information.
“I want each councilperson to be able to know about each and every project that has been articulated by the administration, so we can make an accurate vote,” Washington said. “I don’t ask council members and tell council members how to vote. I ask council members to get all the information, and it is the responsibility of the administration to make sure that we have that information.”
In a statement Wednesday to the Post-Tribune, Melton said his decision to pocket veto the school rezoning ordinance reflected his commitment to support economic development “that respects the history and character of our city and represents the highest and best uses of our resources.”
“The voices of our residents must be central when making decisions that impact their neighborhoods. This is why the Melton Administration is hosting a community meeting on May 15 with urban planning experts MKSK to develop comprehensive strategies for our former school properties, including Franklin, Horace Mann, Emerson, Nobel, Norton, Ernie Pyle, Aetna, and Brunswick,” Melton said in the statement.
The development previously received an unfavorable opinion from the Gary Rezoning department and plan commission. Corrie Sharp, primary contact for the Gary Rezoning department, met with developers to address project concerns, including building height and traffic in the area, according to Post-Tribune archives.
“While the Gary Common Council and I may occasionally have differing perspectives, I remain steadfast in my dedication to collaborating with them in service to our residents,” Melton said in his statement to the Post-Tribune. “Together, I am confident we will identify thoughtful development opportunities that drive sustainable economic growth.”
The final, updated ordinance included a new timeline for the project, with demolition within eight months, development must commence in 18 months, and the primary structure must be completed within three years of ordinance passage. The final ordinance also addressed traffic concerns, saying trucks must enter and exit off 22nd Avenue and leave 23rd Avenue open for car access.
mwilkins@chicagotribune.com
