No objections or concerns were voiced before final approval was obtained to rezone two parcels totaling 48 acres northwest of Taylorsville’s Speedway convenience store.
All the land specified in the rezoning request from co-land owner Rick Snyder is visible from Interstate 65. While both parcels are now being used for agricultural purposes, the property had been previously zoned for multi-family residential purposes.
The Bartholomew County Commissioners unanimously gave their final approval for the parcels to be rezoned for light industrial use.
When the rezoning request received a preliminary approval last week, County Commissioner Larry Kleinhenz said he had talked to the buyer. This week, the commissioner said the buyer is “so far as I know … a local investor.”
Kleinhenz said he is not aware of the specific light industrial facility or facilities being considered for the property. Light industry activities are generally more consumer-focused than heavy industry. In addition, they generally don’t emit polluting sounds, odors or materials.
Some examples of light industrial companies are small-scale construction shops, factories making food products and other fast-moving consumer goods, solar energy facilities and electronics factories.
The commissioner said he’s certain the owner will request tax abatements from the Bartholomew County Council. Kleinhenz said he believes details regarding the company will be made public shortly before company representatives go before the council to ask for incentives.
The agenda just released for the October council meeting mentions nothing about requests for tax abatements.
Hubler Drive borders the property to the west, County Road 700N to the north, and the railroad tracks roughly make up the eastern edge. If the proposal is approved, the line separating the two parcels is expected to be redrawn, city/county planner Jeff Bergman said.
During its Sept. 13 meeting, the Bartholomew County Plan Commission expressed a willingness to give a favorable recommendation to the rezoning, but only if future owners or developers make commitments to address what city/county planning director Jeff Bergman calls “infrastructure deficiencies.”
