City of Mount Vernon to spur Coopers Progress Park redevelopment via zoning designation

MOUNT VERNON – Mount Vernon is considering a new zoning designation to make it easier to sell parcels at Coopers Progress Park and the adjacent Shellmar property.

The Planned Commercial Development District (PCDD) zoning designation is intended to capture many possible uses to help with economic redevelopment of the zoned parcels. It would be a new classification within the city's zoning code that could be applied anywhere in the city, said Jeff Gottke, president of the Knox County Area Development Foundation and the Knox County Land Bank. 

“We don't know who's going to walk through the door and occupy them. It could be any number of manufacturing or commercial uses because of the way those buildings are built,” he said.

The City Council held a second reading on creating the zoning designation and a first reading on rezoning Coopers Progress Park and the adjacent Shellmar property on the north side. Formerly the American National Can plant, the Shellmar property is PCDD designated.

The Coopers Progress Park property has buildings on it, and each building would become a separate parcel, with the greenspace, parking and other exterior space becoming common areas. Those common areas would be maintained by an association of the parcel owners, Gottke said. The Shellmar property, now 27 acres of vacant land, likely would also be divided into separate parcels.

Gottke and Law Director Rob Groenen answered Councilmember John Francis’ questions about restrictions on the Shellmar property's use based on requirements tied to the grant funding used to clean up the property.

“This is planning for commercial and industrial, and the types of uses that are allowed here will not violate the restrictive covenants that came with the money to clean up the Shellmar American National Can property,” Broenen said.

Councilmember Mike Hillier asked what protections the city has to keep the property from become an eyesore.

“The city has our property maintenance enforcement officer, and they have the authority on the outside of the building, regarding upkeep and things like that. So we can use those powers to get the association, and its members, to comply,” Broeren said.

One holdup for the Knox Land Bank in selling parcels is that it doesn’t control the property. Gottke said it is close to handing over deeds to about a third of the middle property, the parking lots, guest house and everything west of the railroad tracks while completing the studies.

DORA supporters give initiative thumbs up

Only supporters of the proposed downtown Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) spoke during the  City Council’s committee meeting on the proposal.

First to speak was Steve D. Valentine, who opened Mount Vernon Brewing Co. with his wife two months ago. They worried about problems with people who drink excessively frequenting their brewery, but that hasn’t happened. And the communities with DORA events they have attended haven’t had problems either, he said.

Joseph Bell, codirector of the Mount Vernon Music & Arts Festival, said he doesn’t drink or go to bars so he was unfamiliar with the DORA concept. He was concerned about what it would mean for the city after experiences with people coming out of city establishments after drinking during festivals.

In a meeting with Anthony McNeal, Main Street Mount Vernon’s downtown manager, Bell said he learned the DORA committee would maintain control of DORA events, with marked boundaries during designated events and security provided.

“I do like the fact that we can control who's going to do what, with what, when and where,” he said.

Bell said he couldn’t say whether the festival would be involved in a DORA event as that’s a decision the festival committee would make.