Published: November 06, 2008 12:51 am         

APC recommends comprehensive plan approval

Lebanon — After more than 18 months of effort, the document that will guide Boone County’s development for the next 20 years is ready for final review.

Tuesday, parts of the county’s Comprehensive Plan became irrelevant.

The Area Plan Commission Wednesday sent the plan to Advance, Whitestown and the Boone County Commissioners with a 6-1 favorable recommendation. The plan takes effect after approval by those three governing bodies.

The APC controls zoning and land use in both those towns and outside the boundaries of Lebanon, Thorntown and Zionsville.

By an overwhelming margin, voters in Eagle and Union Townships Tuesday approved a referendum that will combine their governments with Zionsville.

The consolidation, which has been called “Boonegov” — a pun on the “Unigov” merger of Indianapolis and Marion County — would give Zionsville planning authority over more than 55 square miles. The merger takes effect in January 2010.

“I do think,” APC President Kevin Schiferl said, “yesterday’s vote may have taken a little of the heat off of us.”

Residents of the two townships and Zionsville “want to go their own way,” he said.

Steve Schanke was the only APC member voting no. His objection was only to a part of the comprehensive plan that would allow “mixed use” — industrial and commercial development — near Indianapolis Executive Airport. The airport, on Indiana 32 just west of the Boone-Hamilton county line, is owned by Hamilton County.

“Personally, it doesn’t affect me either way,” Schanke said. His family has farmed in the area for generations.

Schanke said the industrial area was “isolated.” It was also too close to a subdivision and Union Elementary School, he said.

Both the school and the subdivision are under or close to the approach path to the airport’s north-south runway.

“Maybe,” Schanke said, “we ought to look at the whole county and rethink” the location of an industrial park.

APC member John Pugh said it was a mistake to have allowed the homes and school to be built near the airport.

The controversial area will keep an agriculture district designation. It can be rezoned, but plans for development have to be reviewed by the APC and Boone County Board of Zoning Appeals before a final decision by the Boone County Commissioners.

APC member Quella Rutledge said the area would not attract development unless and until it is served by municipal utilities.

     

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