Three areas win annexation approval from the council for projects in Mishawaka
MISHAWAKA — The Common Council annexed three parcels of land into the city Monday night, moving developments closer for a future auto mall, a U-Haul self-storage facility and a single-family subdivision in an area at the city's far south side.
Developers asking the city for a 1.4-acre tract at 16963 Douglas Road to join more than 10 acres already in the city for a new U-Haul indoor self-storage buildings won approval. The planned unit development and rezoning will allow U-Haul to build a $17 million pair of buildings to offer indoor storage, truck and trailer rentals, and related retail services.
More: Neighbors balk at annexation, rezoning request for new U-Haul facility on Douglas Road
Homeowners in the county northwest of the property living on Cherokee Drive opposed the annexation and rezoning, saying the development would lower their property values and would destroy the wooded area on the undeveloped northern portion of the property.
The council voted for annexation and rezoning, saying the area has already seen commercial development and that the U-Haul facility would fit in with nearby businesses.
The council also approved annexation and rezoning for more than 30 acres northwest of Cleveland Road and Capital Avenue for a multi-phase project for an auto mall from developers representing Gurley Leep Automotive Group.
More: Mishawaka Council hears request for annexation of 30 acres near Cleveland and Capital
City planner Derek Spier told council members the land eyed for annexation would join more than 60 acres the council approved for annexation in 2022 for the auto mall project. The newly annexed property would be combined into one planned unit development for the future auto project. There is no timetable for the development.
The city assured the council that developers would be responsible for having utilities extended to the site and would also have to adhere to and pay for infrastructure improvements related to the development. The current city utilities are more than 1,000 feet from the annexed land.
In other business, the council also voted to annex 18 acres of land near Dragoon Trail and Bremen Highway for a future single-family housing subdivision.
More: Council to consider 18-acre tract to annex for subdivision near Dragoon, Bremen Highway
Speir told the council that developers are planning somewhere between 50 and 75 homes for the site with an average value of $500,000. There are no firm plans for the development. The project will be required to be brought before the city in a final planned unit development.
As with the Cleveland-Capital annexation project, city officials said one condition of the annexation and rezoning for the subdivision would require developers to make all utility improvements and work on any infrastructure for the changes brought on by the development.
Email Tribune staff writer Greg Swiercz at gswiercz@sbtinfo.com
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Mishawaka council annexes three tracts for future projects in city
