FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): The Fort Wayne City Council took steps to encourage small-business growth last night.

The Council voted to establish the Summit City Entrepreneur and Enterprise District on a 6-2 preliminary vote. It’s part of a pilot program set up last spring by the Indiana General Assembly, and Fort Wayne is one of only two cities chosen for the pilot.

The Journal Gazette reports the district is just short of 7 square miles and is in spots throughout the city, including “target areas” like empty big-box stores on Coliseum Blvd and corridors along Tillman Road and Calhoun Street.

The city can get up to $1-million in state funding for five years to support small business developments.

Paul Ensley and Jason Arp voted against the measure.