ST. JOSEPH -- In order to bring in some state money to expand city infrastructure, St. Joseph will be looking to rezone some land north of County Road 75.

The city recently applied for the state's BDPI grant, which is designed to help cities pay for projects that will help economic development. Projects can range from water and sewer, streets and utility extensions, to wastewater.

The BDPI grant is worth $1.1-million.

City Administrator Judy Weyrens says they're close to receiving the grant.  She says they just need to make a minor change to the land attached to the grant application.

"So the portion of the property we're using the money for is currently a combination of highway/general and industrial business. So we're taking that track of land and just saying it's all industrial."

Weyrens says the city is looking to the grant because they don't have the resources to develop an industrial area on their own.

"We don't have the financial resources to go out and buy land or put the infrastructure in place. So for St. Joseph [this grant] is probably the only way to get a shovel-ready industrial park and offer land to developers that want to come to St. Joseph. "

The city is also trying to lower the number of tax-exempt properties within the city borders.  Weyens says currently, over 35% of property in the city is tax exempt, ranking St. Joseph 4th highest in the state. She says this grant may help them lower that number.

The St. Joseph Planning Commision is holding a public hearing Monday night at the government center starting at 6:00 p.m.

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