The Gary Common Council unanimously voted against rezoning for a new gas station in the city, inciting applause and approval from various public commenters.
All eight council members voted against a rezoning on 49th Avenue, which would have been used to create a gas station and convenience store. The request would change the location on 717-31 49th Avenue from B-1 to B-5 zoning, said Gary City Attorney Marco Molina.
The request came because B-1 zoning allows for limited retail space, Molina said, and B-5 would’ve allowed for a gas station as well.
The Gary Plan Commission did not approve the zoning request, with three abstentions, two ‘yes’ votes and one ‘no’ vote. The council has final say on rezoning requests, but it takes the plan commission’s approval into consideration.
Multiple Gary residents spoke against the rezoning request during the council’s public comment portion Tuesday night.
Sandra Wilson is one resident who spoke against the rezoning request Tuesday night. Wilson believes the gas station would be dangerous for her neighborhood, she said.
“It will affect the well being of our children and family safety on a daily basis,” Wilson said.
The gas station will open opportunities for potential gas leaks, fire, groundwater contamination and nefarious activity, including shootings or drug deals, Wilson said.
“Would you want me to build a gas station next to your house?” she asked council members. “Would you want your children to be outside and be exposed to drugs or possible shootings? … If you do not want this in your neighborhood by your house, neither do I.”
Wilson told the council that she would like to see more businesses that are beneficial for the neighborhood.
The council has considered curfews and security requirements for the city’s gas stations in previous years following a string of armed robberies and fatal shootings.
Darnitha Crossley also spoke against the potential gas station’s rezoning Tuesday night. Crossley had multiple questions about the gas station that she felt needed answered before she could support the rezoning.
She asked about the number of employees that would be hired and their pay rate. Like Wilson, Crossley also expressed concerns about gas leaks, fire or groundwater contamination.
The rezoning petitioner, Prince Singh, owns other gas stations in Gary, Crossley said, adding that she has concerns about how many city residents work at those other stations.
Another Gary resident, Carolyn McCrady, spoke against the rezoning during public comment. The community doesn’t want the gas station, McCrady said, adding that at least one of the petitioner’s other stations are not in good condition.
“It shows just an unkempt kind of business,” she said. “That is disrespectful to our city. If this is what they have in mind for something else, then we need to reject this because they can’t even operate and maintain (other locations) in a way that’s respectful to our city.”
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/QY2IQDHDMFEAJDL75C5GFNIJWQ.jpg)
