Celina council address city's housing shortage

CELINA - Council members during their Monday evening meeting moved one step closer to approving an amendment to help alleviate a housing shortage in Celina.

Council advanced to third reading an ordinance to change an Irmscher Boulevard property's zoning classification from B-3, community shopping center, to R-O, residence and offices. A public hearing for the final reading will be held on Aug. 22.

The the five-acre property is owned by C.J. Nelson Rentals, LLC, Celina. Mayor Jeff Hazel said Nelson Rentals is looking at constructing six market-rate apartment buildings that he believes will consist of 24 units each.

"Instead of having just one building they will have six separate buildings," Hazel said. "They are going to start with one and then they are going to move on from there. We're very pleased from an administration standpoint because this is going to help ease some of our housing deficit."

Should the project go awry, city leaders added a layer of protection with a reverter clause. If for some reason the project becomes stymied and suitable progress isn't made within an 18-month period the rezoned property will go back to its current B-3 zoning designation.

"We're doing the zoning first and then they will come back with their site plans," Hazel explained. "So, we're really pleased with what we're seeing. It does have the 18-month caveat in there that we can control that element if there's some fatal flaw and they don't do the project. We feel like this is a great way to start this and it also hens to be one of the few areas of annexation that is eligible, at least for right now."

Council also declared emergencies in order to suspend final readings of three other ordinance during Monday's meeting.

One authorized the acceptance of a nearly $1,000 donation to the Celina Fire Department for the department's capital fund in memory of Darrell Willrath.

Willrath served as a Firefighter and EMT with the Celina Fire Department for 26 years. After his service with the Fire Department, Darrell worked in maintenance at the Mercer County Courthouse, where he retired after several years, according to his obituary.

"He (Willrath) was a past assistant fire chief with the department and he was in public service for 30-plus years," Hazel said. "I think it is a great testament to his work for the city and for being in public service for so many years that they have given money council can accept and appropriate so they can buy some capital in his honor."

Members of council also declared an emergency to waive final readings and approved an ordinance authorizing safety services director Tom Hitchcock to accept bids and enter into agreement for fencing around the splash pad at the Bryson Park District. The planned four-foot, self-closing fence is designed to keep geese and bicyclists out of the area.

Some council members expressed concern about whether or not the aesthetics of the fence would be appealing. Hazel said the fence would be constructed of aluminum and be "ornamental" in nature.

Additionally, Hazel asserted the fence would help curb juveniles from writing graffiti on the walls and would not obstruct the view of the lake.

"The fence will be decorative. The park is in a situation where you want to be able to look at the lake and you want it to look nice," Hazel continued. "Hopefully, it will also cut down on any potential type of vandalism there as well."

In other business, the council waived the final reading to pass an ordinance to transferring and appropriating funds, and amending various categories to the 2022 annual appropriations.

The next council meeting is 7 p.m. Aug. 8 in council chambers on the second floor of the administrative building.