The Champaign City Council voted for two amendments Tuesday that will add land to the established enterprise zone.

The inclusion of the area will allow for further development of the land by encouraging economic growth and investment through tax advantages and incentives to businesses. Additional economic development in the area promises to create new jobs for Champaign.

The amendments annex two additional areas: 236 acres were added in the Clearview Development area, and 160 acres were added in the Andersons Ethanol Plant Development area.

Councilman Ken Pirok, D-District 5, objected to the expansion of the enterprise zone but supported the amendment in the vote. Pirok said he felt that the enterprise zone should be kept for development of distressed areas.

The areas receiving the benefits of the enterprise zone should be chosen by the city ahead of time to encourage development in the areas that are in the greatest need rather than allowing businesses to come to the city to ask to be included, Pirok said.

In response, At-Large Councilman Thomas Bruno said he feared that choosing areas of expansion ahead of time could be counterproductive. Doing so, Bruno said, could leave the areas open to housing development rather than business. This development would not allow for the creation of jobs, as intended in the purpose of enterprise zones.

Deputy Mayor Michael La Due, D-District 2, gave his support for the inclusion of the Andersons Ethanol Plant Development into the enterprise zone.

LaDue said he believed the council members would object to further development in the area due to the strain it could cause on the Mahomet aquifer. But, he said, unless the area is included in the enterprise zone, the project cannot go further, meaning the city would lose potentially positive economic and environmental changes.