VALPARAISO – The Porter County Redevelopment Commission will move forward in the coming weeks to work with the Valparaiso Redevelopment Commission on possible plans for an economic development area around Porter County Regional Airport.
Robert Thompson, the county’s planning director and a member of the county redevelopment commission, told the county commission Thursday that he has been in contact with representatives from the city about having the same development codes and use standards for the area.
The county commission came up with a plan for a tax increment finance district around the airport and faced last-minute objections from the city, whose representative said the city could annex the area if it provided utilities, putting the plan on hold.
There has been discussion since of a joint project around the airport.
“It looks like we have one economic area and two points of view. We both should have the same goal – economic development,” said commission member David Burrus.
From the start of the plans for the TIF district around the airport, in which any new tax revenue would be captured and used for infrastructure and other needs there, with a percentage going back to taxing units within the district, including the East Porter schools, commission members met with the city about their plans for the area.
“We asked them eight months ago for their objections and they didn’t have any,” said commission member and County Councilman Jim Polarek, R-4th. “And now they do have objections.”
There is a sense of immediacy in creating an area that’s ready for economic development, said Ralph Ayres, a non-voting member of the commission representing the Duneland schools.
“Potential businesses want to know if you’re ready,” he said.
Senate Enrolled Act 118 allows joint projects by two redevelopment commissions for a contiguous area, said Gregg Sobkowski, the county commission’s attorney, including one commission contracting with the other.
The commission also discussed establishing a budget for the coming year, because it will receive $200,000 for the coming year from the agreement between the county council and Porter Regional Hospital from hospital’s tax abatement from the council.
Additionally, Polarek said he would be in contact with Kouts officials about a possible TIF district north of that community along Ind. 49, since the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority already authorized $60,000 for infrastructure improvements for a south county park north of Kouts.