Mishawaka city limits may be expanding if Common Council approves

by Nora Gathings (hsgathings@wsbt.com)

Tools

Mishawaka Common Council will consider annexing a section of land near the Indiana Toll Road for a nursing home project. The Plan Commission approved the annexation request Tuesday, March 11, 2008. (WSBT photo)

By Jim Pinkerton

Story Created: Mar 11, 2008 at 7:53 PM EST

Story Updated: Mar 19, 2008 at 10:22 AM EST

MISHAWAKA — City limits may be expanding soon. Mishawaka's Plan Commission approved annexing land near the Indiana Toll Road between Fir Road and Capital Avenue. Now it's up to the Common Council to make the final decision.

Multimedia

Watch The Video

Developers want to build a 130-room assisted living center on Fir Road. City water and sewage hookup is required. So, that land and surrounding land would be annexed into the city for future commercial use.

People living in Granger fear their land is next.

"We wanted quiet, so we found this house in Granger. And it was quiet, off the roads and away from commercial development," said Dennis Miller.

But up the street, thousands of cars pass the 280 foot by 1.7 mile piece of land along the Indiana Toll Road.

"We've had various developers interested in property to the north of the Toll Road. What continuity it does is allow annexation to the city without taking people who don't want to be part of the city," said Mishawaka City Planner Ken Prince.

"It just came up so fast. Mishawaka is doing what cities should do ... that's looking out for their tax base. We just hope they don't do it to our detriment," Miller said.

If Mishawaka gets the land, it could make it easier to acquire even more in Granger.

"We are looking at this as a planning move. We don't want to put annexation down anyone's throat. It has to be voluntary," Prince said.

Prince says he plans on meeting with people in Granger and St. Joseph County Commissioner Mark Dobson to discuss future plans, but the annexation request will still go before the Common Council in April.

If it's approved, the assisted living center will break ground this fall. Mishawaka needs it approved this year because cities can't annex land the year before any census. The next one will take place in 2010.

More Good Stuff

WSBT Weather

Current Temp 34.8

More Weather

WSBT Weather

More Weather

On Demand

iPhone
Get the WSBT News and Irish Sports Report apps for your iPhone! Read more »
On DVD
Order a DVD of a WSBT news story! Read more »
Twitter
Follow us on Twitter! Read more »
Facebook
Connect with us on Facebook! Read more »
WSBT E-News
Daily StormTracker e-mails right to your Inbox! Read more »
Video On Demand
Miss a story on WSBT News? Watch it here! Read more »
CBS Shows
Watch CBS shows and news online, free! Read more »
WSBT Alert
Breaking News & Weather right to your cell phone! Read more »
Mobile
WSBT News on the go for your cell phone or PDA. Read more »
RSS Feeds
Get news and updates as soon as they're published. Read more »

Stock Quotes

YouNews

This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.