Two property developers team up to bring low/medium income housing to Jasper Northside
The Jasper Common Council passed an ordinance rezoning a plot of land on North Mill Street behind the Home Depot/Walmart complex. The land was originally zoned as R-1 but the council succumbed to the petition by residential developers, Herman and Kittle Properties Inc. and Horne Developments L.P., to rezone the area R-4. Herman and Kittle plans to build a low to medium income housing project on the approximate 14 acre lot.
The special meeting was called due to a deadline Herman and Kittle must abide by to receive certain IRS tax credits. The tax credits, if awarded, would potentially be sold to banks and larger organizations to help fund the project. The deadline for the application for the tax credits is November 1 and the tax credits are a major aspect in the completion of the project.
Mike Speedy, representing Herman and Kittle, explained the project would be completed by early 2013. The homes would be available for individuals making $14,000 to $42,000 per year and the housing would be guaranteed for individuals making 30% to 60% of the local median income for 30 years.
The development will have 80 residences and will include a children’s playground and a bark park. The units will be comprised of single level and bi-level apartment buildings.
The location was chosen from three other properties in the area and is the most attractive due to several considerations. For the qualifications in the IRS tax credit program the housing development must be near grocery, banks, and other amenities.
Additionally Horne Development L.P. is currently attempting to procure customers for a planned commercial development north of the Home Depot location. The preliminary plans have the new development running east from Highway 231 on a planned expansion of 43rd St.
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According to Speedy the expansion of 43rd Street is dependent upon the housing development and the retail/commercial development north of Home Depot is dependent upon the street expansion.
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Martha Wehr owns property north of the proposed development. She submitted a petition against the rezoning signed by 60 local property owners stating the proposed development would detract from the value of local properties. She asked how the council would ensure her and other property owners would be protected from the loss of property value.
She also raised concerns about how the wetlands north of the project would be protected. She asked what the city would do if they allowed the new rezoning for Herman and Kittle’s proposal but they then were unable to complete the project; now the new rezoning would allow any R-4 residential developer to step in. Finally she raised the question of the city’s due diligence in regards to how this could affect the county unemployment rate, graduation rates, and the effect on free and reduced lunch programs at the school.
Wehr also pointed out the need for this type of housing was greater in other Dubois County communities. Citing the free and reduced lunch statistics for Huntingburg and Birdseye she stated these communities would be the more logical location for this housing.
Mike Thyen and his wife Janet own a property directly south of the proposed development on Mill Street. Thyen stated he is not opposed to the continued commercial development of Jasper but he does oppose the speed at which the current process is taking place. The public learned of the proposal less than a month ago and the Board of Public Works heard it approximately two week ago.
Pointing out the designated wetlands around the property development he stated that the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, the Indiana State Division of Nature Conservancy, and the Army Corp of Engineers and the Nature Conservancy have raised concerns regarding the placement of the project.
The potential cost to mitigate these wetlands could be extensive as the current requirements are four to six acres of wetlands maintained for ten years for every acre of disturbed wetlands. Thyen wondered if the city had taken that into consideration in coming to their decision.
Recommending the city needs to be sure about the future cost to taxpayers for their decision today he recommended the council “measure twice and cut once”.
No further comments were offered from the public. The common council closed the public hearing and then voted to rezone the area R-4 after a motion was made by council District 5 Butch Schitter and seconded by Council District 2 John Schroeder. The vote was 4 to 2 in favor with Council at Large Raymond Howard and Randall Buchta both voting against the new ordinance.
Howard stated he supported the continued expansion of Jasper but the speed at which this came before the council concerned him and he felt more time was needed to review the issue.
