The Portage City Council approved rezoning for a new subdivision, squeaking by on a series of 4-2 votes.
Councilman Collin Czilli, D-5th, was absent.
It took three ordinances to change the zoning for a planned unit development – a custom zoning category just for the Providence at Farmington development at the northeast corner of County Road 700 North at Airport Road.
The 120-acre subdivision being built by Providence Real Estate Development will have 269 lots with 40 paired villas, 100 cottage homes and 129 single-family homes.
“This has gone through a lot of changes,” Mayor Austin Bonta said, with give and take between the city and the developer.
“It was a tremendous process,” Providence CEO John Carroll said. “A successful development is always a mosaic of give and take between the community and the developer.”
The land was zoned for residential use, so it was long intended to be used for a subdivision. The land to the north is zoned for commercial use. “I fought very hard to make sure the plans north of this area stayed commercial,” Bonta said.
The neighborhood reflects a transition from commercial to single-family homes, he said.
“When I came in as mayor, I came in very concerned about residential growth in the city,” Bonta said. He didn’t want a moratorium but to make sure residential areas are appropriate to the surrounding areas.
Since January, some developers, upon being told what the city expects, chose not to build in Portage. Some chose to postpone plans. Providence worked with the city to tweak the design multiple times to get it to where both sides could agree.
“We weren’t hard to work with,” but the city wanted to make sure it met standards, Bonta said. He thanked Planning and Development Director Tom Cherry and his staff for all their work on this project.
For Providence at Farmington, the developer worked through issues with drainage, roads and other concerns. “There were a great deal of cul-de-sacs,” which is an issue with plowing roads, in the original plan, Bonta said.
Councilwoman Victoria Vasquez, R-3rd, said she appreciates the ability of residents to be able to use pathways and green space, “a healthier lifestyle right out their front door.”
Casting the dissenting votes were Councilwomen Melissa Weidenbach, R-At-large, and Penny Ambler, R-4th.
Weidenbach said she was staying true to her campaign promise of no more houses. “You can’t run on something, have people elect you, and then when you’re elected change your mind,” she said.
“I think that is going to be one of the coolest and most beautiful neighborhoods in the city,” Ambler said, but she also ran on a platform that opposed additional housing. “I have to keep my promise.”
“It was going to be a neighborhood one way or another, the way it was zoned,” Bonta said. He noted the council previously voted against a subdivision that he said would have been worse.
“What I’m excited about is Portage is becoming known as a place for quality,” he said.
In other business, the City Council on Tuesday:
*Changed language on an ordinance regarding ambulance runs to reflect the current names of hospitals and to allow transportation to a trauma center in Illinois.
*Increased fees for planning department services to reflect the cost of actual hours put into reviewing engineering work and other details for complex developments.
*Was asked to adopt a resolution opposing NIPSCO’s request to raise rates for electricity. Bonta asked that proposed resolutions be brought to the council president, mayor and clerk-treasurer first so city attorney Ed Graham can write a draft for council members to review.
*Created non-reverting funds for the parks and recreation department so revenue isn’t transferred to the city’s general fund at the end of the year. The lack of those funds caused a problem when events were canceled during the pandemic and the deposits weren’t kept by the department at the end of the year, Bonta said.
*Approved a tax anticipation warrant of about $7 million, up from $5 million this year, to keep paying bills until the property tax revenue arrives at the end of June. The Indiana Bond Bank will set the final amount.
*Approved a $4.5 million bond for the parks department, less than the $6.3 million requested by the Park Board. Bonta said he wanted the city to have additional borrowing power in case of an emergency.
Doug Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
