VALPARAISO | What is likely to be the last annexation request for at least a year got a favorable recommendation from the city's Plan Commission on Monday.

Tom Kyres, of Kyres Realty LLC, wants to have about 0.6 acres on Sturdy Road south of U.S. 30 added to the city to facilitate development of the former Holiday Motel site at the southeast corner of the intersection. The parcel abuts the south border of the vacant motel site and would allow Kyres to develop the roughly 5-acre site completely within the city.

Todd Etzler, lawyer for Kyres and his son Andy, told the commission at a special meeting that entrances to the motel site from U.S. 30 and from Sturdy would be closed. The only entrance to the site on U.S. 30 would be at the Staples driveway and along a frontage road from there. A new entrance on Sturdy would be built as far south as possible on the site.

Etzler said the Kyreses plan to develop the corner as a bank or other similar use. A 5,500-square-foot restaurant is planned for the parcel to be annexed along with a second building of about 7,300 square feet that would be east of it and have several tenants. The restaurant and the adjacent building would be joined by a covered breezeway.

The Kyreses have no tenants signed for any of the buildings, and the restaurant would be contingent on getting a full-service liquor license. Planning Director Craig Phillips said the site, when developed, would generate almost $20,000 in new taxes while costing the city only about $3,180 for services.

Councilman Jan Dick, a member of the commission, said the developer should consider including a sidewalk along U.S. 30 as part of the project so people walking to Wal-Mart and other businesses don't have to walk on the frontage road. The annexation will be introduced at the council's Nov. 10 meeting and could be acted on Nov. 24.

That would allow the annexation to be final before the end of the year. No annexations are allowed in the year prior to the decennial census, which takes place in 2010. If approved in time to become part of the city by Dec. 31, Tom Kyres said he hopes to begin development of the site in 2009.