Developers to get Access to the Wastewater plant for free?

 WAKE UP PEOPLE! These are OUR tax dollars they are spending!!!

In a nutshell, the City of Crown Point was asked by developers to build a wastewater treatment plant southeast of the city. These developers would benefit as they already owned land in that area.  Eddie Hein,  the John Lotton Owned company, LBL Development, LLC along with other developers like Mississippi Parkway Partners have been speculatively buying hundreds of acres of land around the proposed new service site for years!!!   Mr. Hein, LBL Development and the City of Crown Point entered into a Real Estate Donation Agreement where Mr. Hein gave the city 44 acres, LBL Development, LLC gave nothing and the city is giving them both access to the new plant at no cost to them. 

Additionally, in the effort to make the new southeast wastewater treatment plant a reality, the City has been passing ordinances, acquiring land and applying for financing all while still embattled in a lawsuit over whether the City of Crown Point or the Town of Winfield actually has the right to claim that area as theirs to provide sewer and water services. Not only will residents be paying more for their sewer and water bills, they are footing all of the legal fees for this ongoing legal battle. If the case is lost to Winfield, the location of this proposed plant will be outside of the City of Crown Point’s service area. We will have started the downtown interceptor construction, committed to taking all of this money from the state in bonds and spent all of this money on engineering and lawyers on a project that may never happen. Where is the due diligence with regard to planning and city leadership? Call me misguided, but I believe that if I conducted my personal business the way the city conducts its business, I would be bankrupt and homeless…. The taxpayers of Crown Point deserve better!!! Read below for the full timeline of events as known to date, more detailed information and links to research for yourself.    – Look at Exhibit “C” of the Real Estate Donation Agreement (last page) below to see a map of the Sanitary and Water Utility Commitments made to LBL Development and Edward Hein combined owned properties…. 

August 2021 – Commonwealth Engineering produced a wastewater treatment plant analysis report as requested by the City of Crown Point. From that report: “As stated, Crown Point is experiencing significant accelerated growth throughout the area. It is Commonwealth’s understanding that the City has been approached by land developers and asked to consider significantly expanding the service area beyond the limits shown in the Wastewater Master Planning Report. A second wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in the southeast portion of the service area is considered by the developers as a cost-effective solution to both the current system issues while supporting substantial future growth beyond the service limits indicated in the 2018 Wastewater Master Planning Report.” https://www.in.gov/idem/files/notice_20241003_antideg_crown-point_se_report.pdf?fbclid=IwY2xjawJZT9tleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHYnqA4cUmpcic8LQW7d7g8ylSBjHCvwmvKpxKUze9hMhup3y6wKIfhUkbQ_aem_IPmiVvXT34vYH6yqQBL0eg

Developers were pushing the city to build a new wastewater treatment site on the southeast side of the city. At that time developers already owned significant acreage along both sides of the Niles Ditch that would be used for the discharge of a new plant. They had been purchasing land out there since before 2018 and the purchases increased significantly in 2021, 2022 & 2023. With 3 new parcels purchased by Edward Hein & 6 parcels purchased by the John Lotton owned company LBL Development LLC. Currently in the proposed service area of the new plant, Edward Hein owns roughly 600 acres and LBL Development owns roughly 824 acres. With additional developers Mississippi Parkway Partners holding a remaining approximate 160 acres south of 231 and Crown Developers owning 119 acres north of 231 adjacent to east side of I-65. 

(Check Property information yourself at: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/18676999665349e492506de765490541/page/Parcel-Info)

May 16, 2023 – City of Crown Point enters into a Real Estate Donation Agreement with Edward J. Hein and LBL Developers. Mr. Hein would donate 44 acres of land for the new plant.  As part of the agreement Mr Hein along with Mr. Lotton’s company, LBL Development,  would receive 2 connections to the new plant at no cost to them. The city would provide these connections for free. The agreement shows no contribution of any kind being donated to the city on the part of LBL Development.  (A PDF of the full agreement is below this article)  Exhibit "C" is a map showing all of the properties they own combined in relation to the new wastewater treatment plant.  https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/45ba6b01-e6d1-478d-ab7c-5878c3a8cd08/downloads/498fb23d-e4c0-470a-bb18-fe50990b7125/Hein%20Crown%20Point%20LBL%20Donation%20Agreement.pdf?ver=1743555689517

This same day, the City Council of Crown Point held a special meeting where they amended Ordinance No., 2022-11-12 and Ordinance No 2022-11-22, Establishing a Water and Wastewater Utility Service Area that will now include the newly donated land from Edward Hein. https://www.crownpoint.in.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_05162023-364

July 13, 2023- Edward Hein signs a Warranty Deed donating 44 acres of land to the City of Crown Point.  (Search for yourself at the Lake County Recorder Address: 2051 E 121st Avenue Crown Point, IN https://www.lcrecorder.com/accounts/new_index/)

December 12, 2023- Winfield adopts Ordinance No. 358 establishing Winfield’s Sewer Service Area. The new Crown Point proposed treatment plant falls in Winfield’s established sewer service area. https://www.winfield.in.gov/media/3196#:~:text=Dave%20Anderson%20made%20a%20motion%20to%20approve%20Ordinance%20358%20on,and%20all%20matters%20related%20to.

December 13, 2023- The Town of Winfield files a lawsuit against the City of Crown Point with the Indiana Utilities Regulatory Commission (IURC). Alleging that they have the rights to service the area where the new waste water treatment plant  is to be built. This case is still currently being litigated. https://iurc.portal.in.gov/docketed-case-details/?id=fa2f3b1d-c999-ee11-be37-001dd80bf130

March 3, 2025- While the IURC litigation is still raging with Winfield, the City Council of Crown Point held a regular meeting where they passed Ordinances 2025-01-03, 2025-01-02, 2025-01-05 & 2025-01-06. Thereby approving increases in the sewer and water rates for all existing residents and bonds (loans) to build the new wastewater treatment plant and fund the ongoing downtown interceptor project. They also passed Ordinance NO. 2025-02-08 amending once again the City of Crown Point Water and Wastewater Service Area & Regulating the Furnishing of Services including the still disputed area claimed by Winfield. https://www.crownpoint.in.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03032025-563