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player ready...The Lake Station Board of Works approved a $100,000 contract Tuesday with American Structurepoint Inc., a Merrillville consulting engineering firm, to create a new comprehensive plan for the city.
In June, the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority awarded a $75,000 Development Catalyst Grant to the city, which added a match of $25,000. The towns of Pines, Chesterton and Beverly Shores also received grants.
The RDA said the grants are intended to help local governments build the tools, plans, and framework to attract quality development and expand the tax base.
Lake Station will modernize its comprehensive plan, zoning code, and economic development strategy to unlock development and investment potential.
The city hopes the updating of its codes will lead to future funding opportunities through the comprehensive plan.
Chief of Staff Adrian Vera said Structurepoint could begin its work later this month.
The scope of its mission includes expanding the tax base by identifying development ready sites, aligning land use and infrastructure with market demand and reducing development uncertainty to attract private investment.
The project begins with an assessment of the city’s present conditions with an emphasis on development readiness, economic opportunity and barriers that could arise.
The first phase will involve stakeholder interviews and targeted public outreach to identify community concerns related to growth, housing and infrastructure.
Public input will also be gathered at town hall meetings and community events.
Phase 2 will focus on a future land use analysis, development scenarios, housing and an economic development study.
Phase 3 will include the drafting of the comprehensive plans, a zoning code audit, investment readiness and a final stakeholder and public review and plan adoption.
The project is expected to be completed in about 13 months, according to the contract.
Vera said the comprehensive plan typically is geared to last 10 to 20 years.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.