Cedar Lake land that would have been railway reverts to ag zoningBy Carrie Napoleon Post-Tribune correspondent November 26, 2011 12:04PM
CEDAR LAKE –
Plans for a multi-use development along the proposed South Shore railway corridor have been derailed after years of inactivity and a change in land ownership.
Planners approved allowing the zoning for the proposed Union Station multi-use development that was expected to rise up around the west extension of the railway to revert back to agricultural.
Ian Nicolini, town administrator, said the zoning for the land was changed in 2007 to accommodate the planned mixed-use, mixed-density development. Plans called for a mix of residential, retail and commercial development centered around what was being proposed as the Union Station South Shore stop.
The recession and lack of forward momentum by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District to extend the South Shore west helped to stall the project.“This particular development does not appear to be moving forward,†Nicolini said.
The land has since changed hands and the plat has expired. Nicolini said the plat and zoning were married. The zoning was tied to the original owner, Captiva Development of Crown Point.
“In an effort to preserve the surrounding property values,
I advise the zoning return to agricultural until a time that a viable development plan is presented,†Nicolini said.
Plan Commission member Greg Parker agreed. He said the zoning for the mixed used development was tied to that development and nontransferable.
“That (zoning) decision was made for that development,†Parker said.
Any new plan for development would have to start from scratch with the planning and zoning process.