The St. John Town Council came close to voting down a controversial annexation ordinance during its Wednesday meeting, following a widespread public outcry over its provisions.
A corporate entity called RBCP Investments has asked the town to annex a roughly 168-acre parcel that it owns in unincorporated Hanover Township. The land sits between South State Line Road, Calumet Avenue and 133rd Avenue, around two miles south of the St. John town line.
Among the project's financial backers is Donald Trump Jr., President Donald Trump's eldest son, who met with town officials during a visit to Northwest Indiana in July.
An annexation would make the land subject to the zoning rules of St. John rather than the county-level regulations that govern unincorporated areas. The prospective developer has asked the town to designate the land a planned unit development, an area with unique rules meant to facilitate a particular project.
The proposal has been the subject of extensive public remonstrations, and the legality of the move has been questioned by state and county officials.
The ordinance received a public hearing during the Town Council's Sept. 10 meeting. Over the course of roughly 90 minutes, a series of St. John and Hanover Township residents voiced vociferous opposition to the proposal. Some suggested that the new housing development would burden town services and increase traffic, while others raised concerns over environmental impacts.
Opponents of the annexation turned out once again to the council's Wednesday meeting, though the annexation ordinance was not on the agenda. The item is not slated for a vote until Oct. 8. Whether the project can proceed, even with the council's support, has been called into question by Lake County leaders.
