Facing an outcry of concern from affected neighbors, Goshen City Council members Tuesday voted to table a request by Lippert Components/D-ACT-Z for the annexation of approximately 330 acres of real estate on the city’s southeast side.
This story by John Kline originally appeared in The Goshen News.
During the meeting, council members were asked to consider passage of a resolution authorizing the extension of city sewer and water utilities to the targeted real estate, located at 16629 C.R. 36, just southeast of the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds.
The resolution also sought approval of the annexation agreement with Lippert/D-ACT-Z that is needed in order to begin the process of connecting the property to city water and sewer lines.
According to Mark Brinson, community development director for the city, Lippert officials plan to use the property as the location of a new facility focused on light manufacturing, research and development with the potential for multiple facilities at the site. The company builds components for the RV industry.
Had it been approved, Tuesday’s vote would have been the first of several similar votes that would need to be approved by the city over the course of the next few months in order to get the annexation request finalized.
While the agreement calls for only the annexation of the targeted industrial land in question, and not the handful of homes located near the property, several of the neighbors with homes located close to the targeted property showed up at Tuesday’s meeting to share their thoughts and concerns related to the requested annexation.
Most raised concerns related to what the annexation, and subsequent construction of the new Lippert facility, would do to their property values. Others raised concerns about things such as traffic increases, increased light and noise pollution, trash, etc.
The request will likely be revisited during the council’s upcoming Feb. 6 meeting.