Donovan Estridge, LaPorte Herald-Argus
destridge@heraldargus.com
LA PORTE -- Local economic development leaders said Wednesday that county officials can effectively bring to a halt the development of an intermodal if they so choose.
"They (local leaders) have all to do with it," La Porte County redevelopment consultant Matt Reardon said Wednesday during a meeting with The La Porte County Herald-Argus Editorial Board. "Simply stating, if they decide not to zone for it, then there is no deal. You can sue, you can litigate, but if you don't allow the zoning, then you have no deal."
Reardon and La Porte economic development coordinator Tim Gropp met with The Herald-Argus to dispel some of the rumors that have been circulating in regard to intermodal talks.
A concern of many residents is that private intermodal developers could push a project through regardless of the wishes of county officials.
Gropp and Reardon said that concern is unfounded.
"There is no deal," Reardon said. "No one has come to us to say, 'I have a deal.' And if they do and the county doesn't want to rezone, then it isn't going to be placed here."
For a large tract of county land to be rezoned, the issue would first go before the plat committee and then the plan commission, which would make a recommendation to the county commission. The commission would then vote on the request to rezone based on that recommendation.
Both Gropp and Reardon said that any proposed intermodal development would be handled the same as any other project in the county.
"The only difference is this is much bigger," Gropp said. "Our jobs as economic developers are to try to leverage the best deal for the county."
Gropp and Reardon both stressed that an intermodal project would only be considered if it benefited the county. For any project to go forward, they said, certain assurances would have to be made and certain studies conducted by the developer to ensure that promised infrastructure improvements and economic benefits are realized.
One thing Gropp and Reardon both agreed on was that an intermodal facility in the county should not be operated by the Port of Indiana as an inland port. Since the state owns and operates the port, it is a tax-exempt entity. Any intermodal development in the county should contribute to the county's tax base, they said.
"We don't wan them to own it," Reardon said.
While residents opposed to an intermodal facility in the county would like any possible projects halted now, Gropp and Reardon both stressed the importance of allowing the process to reach the proposal stage before a final decision is made.
Then and only then, they said, will residents and county leaders have all the information needed to make an informed decision on whether such a facility should locate in the county.
"When a (proposal) is finally brought to the county, it will be completely open to the public," said Reardon.
Any decision made now, they said, would be based on speculation, and therefore unsound.