Westfield, Indiana, has become a talking point for businesses everywhere wanting to find a new location with a new audience. Over the past decade, Westfield has gone from a hopeful small community with farming roots to a hotbed of activity ranging from youth sports visitors to its fast-paced neighborhood developments. It is no surprise that at some point the companies that people run, own, and work at would like to be nearby, and every retailer that wants to capture a few local dollars is looking for sites. For someone like me who has focused their business on local commercial sites, it's a blessing, and I get the pleasure of walking alongside many developers and owners from the initial interest all the way to the final day of opening for business. So, what steps does it take to put your business on a piece of land that is currently sitting empty or maybe has a house on it in Westfield, Indiana? I will explain.
1. Zoning. The largest deterrent and first step to being sure that you can put your business on a site is the zoning allowance. Each municipality has its own similar set of uses allowed on a property, and if a particular site does not have that use, it needs to be obtained either through a rezone or a variance of zoning. Both steps require a bit of work and collaborating with the local governing body. So, you submit a plan to the planning commission, and they walk through the steps to obtain a favorable vote. The city council is the final say, but they use the guidance of the planning commission to make those educated decisions. To begin the process, you will first need a survey or site plan to describe the overall layout of the property, and they will ask you to locate things like the building, the parking, the access points, and small things like where you will put the dumpsters. Depending on the site's level of development, they may even ask you to locate a pond and other infrastructures, which is why it's probably best to always do this with a civil engineer or designer that can get you through this process.
2. Site Due Diligence. Once you have established the use allowance, you may simultaneously be doing some due diligence on the site's usability and development status. A site has to be free of many issues like floodway or easements that may hinder your project. As an example, when you build along SR 32 in Westfield, there is an overlay UDO that requires certain setbacks and trails to be included in a site, so you need to do your research and make sure what you want to build would fit in that ordinance. You wouldn't try to build a storage building for your construction company and meet building standards that would be aimed at retail and office users. So, doing your due diligence is most important and making sure the size can physically be completed. I won't even mention wetlands...
3. Construction Permitting. Once you have the right use allowance or a variance and have made the determination the site is right for your project and can successfully be built on, you will need to obtain the property permits to begin construction. These permits cover a range of work all the way from demolition of a current structure to the dirt work, installation of utilities, and of course the vertical building you are trying to get done. The city has a building department that reviews your plans submitted and works alongside you and your designer to ensure a safe plan is in place. They understand that most construction companies plan to do good work but want to create a consistent standard and understanding so that everyone is on the same page. They are concerned that the building is safe once constructed for its tenants and customers as well as an end product that will last for many, many years. When you submit for a building permit, you spell out everything from doorway locations to where the outlets are located, and as tedious or silly as it may seem, it's for good reason. The last thing anyone wants is a building that is built with no regard to safety and security.
So, in general, the new site construction process is pretty straightforward, and with the process in place by the City of Westfield, it makes for a reasonable task. I would always suggest you team up early with an architect firm that can assist in the civil engineering, the zoning, and the final drawings for permits. While I just went through the 3 main steps, it is very technical work, and not doing so only costs money and time. Hopefully you enjoyed this post and feel free to browse other topics below.
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