The city of Portage might loosen requirements for contractors after hearing input from the Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce.
Executive Director Nancy Simpson told the City Council on Tuesday that current regulations have given Portage a reputation of being a tough city in which to do business.
Mayor Austin Bonta said Portage is the only city in Porter County that requires contractors to pass a licensing exam. A handful of cities in Lake County do.
Simpson read a letter from the chamber’s board of directors that offered ideas for making the city more business-friendly. “While it is crucial for contractors to demonstrate competence and knowledge in their field, alternative methods such as certifications, past project reviews and client testimonials can effectively validate their capabilities for business and residents without the need for a standardized test,” the letter read.
Even contractors that say they build every version of a particular business east of the Mississippi River have to take that test despite obviously showing by their body of work that they have the competency required, Bonta said.
The chamber also recommends reconsidering the rule requiring a general contractor whenever multiple contractors from different professions are involved in a project.
“While the general contractor can play a crucial role in coordinating overseeing complex projects, smaller scale endeavors may not necessitate their involvement,” the letter said. “Allowing individual contractors to collaborate directly can foster innovation and cost-effectiveness, benefiting both businesses and consumers.”
Bonta guessed that 70% of projects in the city will have a general contractor regardless of the rule, but he doesn’t see the need for a general contractor for small projects like ones that just involve installing carpet and painting walls. “When you’ve got a job that small, we’ve got business owners saying they can’t get a contractor because of that requirement,” he said.
The chamber also urged the city to eliminate the requirement that contractors hold licenses for both residential and commercial work. One license should be good for both types of projects, the letter said.
Bonta told the City Council that multiple groups in the city, including the Ordinance Committee and the professional licensing board, will review the chamber’s recommendations.
In other business, the council voted to eliminate unused easements to allow a string of parcels to be merged for the construction of a new Drive & Shine car wash on U.S. 6.
“I’m not thrilled with what’s going to be built there, but there’s no reason not to vacate,” Councilman Collin Czilli said while making the motion to vacate the easements.
The easements include water, sewer and a planned extension of Fiesta Avenue. Proof that the road won’t be extended is that an adjacent property has buildings sitting atop the roadway easement.
“How many car washes are we going to have in Portage?” a resident asked.
Bonta said he was at a church in Valparaiso recently and went to a coffee shop on Calumet Avenue and noticed there was a Family Express with a car wash, but it wasn’t alone. “Behind it, there was an enormous Taj Mahal of car washes,” a Drive & Shine location, he added.
That prompted Bonta and his wife to drive around and notice the many car washes in Valparaiso. Portage isn’t alone in having several car washes.
“I would like to see more things besides car washes coming in here,” Bonta said, but isn’t turning away developers proposing new ones.
Doug Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
