A Fortune 500 company is coming to the city, providing hundreds of well-paying jobs.

The city has taken initial steps toward annexing 147 acres on the city’s south side to prepare for the new plant. The company, as yet unnamed, signed a letter of intent to purchase the property once it has been annexed, said Clarence Hulse, executive director of Economic Development Corp. Michigan City. His group has been working with the company for about nine months.

The property is on the south side of U.S. 20 between Johnson and Pahs roads, across from Evergreen Plaza. The company chose the site because it’s flat, has easy access to U.S. 20 for trucks and can be annexed easily, Hulse said.

MICHIGAN CITY — Annexation of 147 acres for a Fortune 500 company to build a plant in Michigan City advanced with a unanimous vote by the City Council.

The council voted to approve it on second and third readings, but it will appear on the agenda for the next council meeting anyway because state law requires municipalities to go slower on annexations, even friendly ones, council attorney Jewell Harris said.

The site is south of U.S. 20 adjacent to Johnson Road.

During the public hearing, neighbor Dale Harding asked about the planned project. “This is going to be almost on my doorstep,” he said.

Harding wanted to know how development of the project would affect him, including stormwater management, traffic ingress and egress and other issues.

“How is it going to affect the existing community there?” he asked. “Can any of these questions be answered?”

The city is now 147 acres larger with City Council approval of an annexation to allow a Fortune 500 company to locate there soon.

Now that the annexation is in place, plans for developing the property can go through.

The council voted unanimously to annex the property. In fact, at its meeting earlier this month, the council had tried to rush through the process but was advised by the council attorney that it had to wait for another meeting to follow state law.

“Don’t give one penny of tax abatement to this mystery company,” resident Tommy Kulavik advised the council, echoing Councilman Paul Przybylinski, D-2nd, from the earlier meeting this month.

Despite earlier reports about the annexation, resident Anthony Lewis told the council he was surprised to find out the property near his home would be annexed. Lewis, who is running for precinct chairman in Coolspring 4, wanted to know if it would be part of his precinct.