CROWN POINT | Mayor David Uran said the positive response from residents about getting information in a public forum has been so strong, he will continue to have forums on community topics, even after the scheduled forums on a proposed development are completed.
"How many of you like the fact that we're trying to have public forums?" Uran asked the about 50 people who attended Thursday night's forum discussing The Preserve at Beacon Hill development. His question was met with a majority of the room raising its hand. "This is something we're going to continue. Trust me, I'm hearing your voice."
The city scheduled six forums to discuss the proposed development at the southeast corner of Summit Street and Broadway, valued at $81.9 million. The development will include 572 apartments, 34,300 square feet of retail space and two commercial outlots adjacent to the Beacon Hill shopping center.
At each meeting, attendees are asked to vote by secret ballot whether they were in favor of or against the project. Even before the votes were counted, Uran said it was obvious what the sentiment in the room was Thursday night. There were 43 ballots against the project and 10 in its favor.
Uran has come under fire from some residents and council people about why the city is involved in the forums, and Uran has said he wants city residents to know how they would be impacted by such a large project, a project he says is the largest investment proposed south of U.S. 30. During the forum, the mayor gave a presentation that addressed the possible impact of the complex on schools, traffic and city services.
City Councilman Bill Feder attended Thursday's meeting and said he knows the mayor is also the city's economic development director and agrees with the idea that the city should have the forums because of the potential effects on the community.
"I just want all the facts out there in front," he said. Feder is also a member of the Plan Commission, which recommended approval of the project to the City Council. He and the other council members on the commission voted against the project.
Residents who attended the meeting asked about the impact on schools, traffic and on Crown Point's downtown. One resident said he thought the public support may be different if the developer made the complex for those over 50 years old.
