INFILL VACANT AND UNDERUTILIZED SITES INSTEAD OF ALLOWING LEAPFROG DEVELOPMENT ALONG CORRIDORS.

IMMEDIATE / ON-GOING

with vacant or abandoned properties. In addition to supplying a wider range of employment and retail options, infill projects can be effective in increasing the supply of more affordable housing units. Infill projects also give the community the ability to increase design, fix infrastructure gaps and add to the tax base. Infill projects are attractive for the City of La Porte because of efficiencies in using existing infrastructure and services as opposed to extending infrastructure and services into currently undeveloped areas.

La Porte has developed a strong, stable core and managed its growth. There is still ample opportunity for economic development along all these key corridors. Therefore, it is important for the City to continue to invest in the properties within the heart of its community. As a matter of policy, the City should focus development and redevelopment incentives towards vacant and under-utilized lots along these key corridor. Building from the core out to the edges of the City instead of building from the outside in. There is plenty of open land along the Economic Corridor to support large new employers that need lots of land. Retail, restaurants and small offices should be targeted for the Downtown area, along Pine Lake, and Lincolnway.

It is important that infill development reflect the context of the existing corridor including its architectural history, land use and size. This does not mean replicating structures that are already there, but how new development can respond to the basic patterns and cherished aspects of the surrounding uses. A good infill policy must address:

• Ensuring development costs are competitive with greenfield sites.

• Help identify market demand for infill development.

• Encourage design development that is context-sensitive.

• Ensure zoning codes do not penalize infill development and even promote it over greenfield development.

Additionally, infill projects can have tremendous impacts on corridors. Infill projects can remove eyesore properties, occupy vacant lots by filling in the missing teeth, and alleviate the safety concerns associated

Action Steps

1. Conduct inventory and analysis of all available lots on each corridor.

2. Identify non-residential buildings with adaptive re-use potential.

3. Designate a targeted infill and redevelopment area.

4. Create an infill toolkit and guidelines, working with local neighborhood groups or businesses, to identify appropriate building types and site design principles.

5. Offer incentives to developers and property owners for property rehabilitation and infill construction. This may include: upgraded infrastructure, reduced impact fees, fee waivers for infrastructure hook-ups, property tax abatements, density bonuses, and expedited permitting.

6. Ensure development applications for properties within the targeted infill and redevelopment area comply with the recommendations of the infill toolkit.

Resources

• City Planner

• City Engineer

• Plan Commission

• City Council

• Redevelopment Commission

• Urban Enterprise Association

• Greater La Porte Economic Development Corporation

• Greater La Porte Chamber of Commerce

• Neighborhood Associations

• Property Owners