US 421 Corridor Overlay District

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Sometimes it often takes a while to understand just what is going on. This is particularly true when elected and appointed officials say one thing, when they really mean something else.

A case in point is the US Highway 421 - Michigan Road Corridor Overlay District. This Overlay District includes the unincorporated Boone County properties located within 400 feet on either side of the right-of-way for the 15 miles of US 421 south of the Clinton County line. One touted purpose of the Overlay District is "to promote and protect the public health, safety, comfort, convenience and general welfare by providing for consistent and coordinated treatment of the properties." Another stated purpose is to "encourage capital investments for the development of those properties." The complete text of the Overlay District is available online at http://www.bccn.boone.in.us/apc/US_421_Overlay.pdf

The Overlay District purports to "encourage development" by requiring an architectural "design theme" that is "consistent with or complementary to" the Colonial, Federal, Georgian, Victorian, or Greek Revival Periods. There are 29 "excluded uses" including car washes, drive through facilities, self-storage facilities, mobile home courts, truck stops, and warehouses. Single-family dwellings will even have to reach one and one-half stories or 20 feet at the roof line!

It's puzzling how development would be encouraged if houses like my modest one-story home cannot be built in the Overlay District. Also, the following perfectly fine and reputable Boone County establishments would not be allowed in the Overlay District: ABGO Self Storage. Ameritech. Anderson Automotive. Arni's. Bane Equipment Sales. Becky's Market. Big Lots. Big O Tire. Boone County Office Division of Family and Children. Boone County REMC. Casey's General Store. Collins Equipment Company. Cowan Drugs. Crane Nursery. CVS. Dairy Queen. David Allan Chocolatier. Dick & Judy's Restaurant. Farm Bureau Insurance. Fashion Bug. Flying J Travel Plaza. Flying Rebel. Gene Lewis Ford. Hankins' Super Market. Hoosier Estates. Ice Cream Paradise. Indy 500 Auto Truck Plaza. Jamestown IGA. Jiffy Wash. Joe's Marathon. Knights of Pythias. Knotty Pine Smorgasbord. Lebanon Bowling Center. Lebanon Reporter. Lebanon Veterinary Clinic. Lebanon Westside Shell. Lees Inn. Lobill Foods. Lost Frontier. Mason's Rare & Used Books. McClure Fuel Stop. Modern Cleaners. Moose Lodge. National City Bank. Northfield Center. Paul R. Honan Optical Shop. Parkside Plaza. Parkwood Shoppes. Pizza King. Ponderosa Steak House. Pratt's Self Service Storage. Ralph's Sports Pub. Speedway. Roberts John Deere. Thatcher Mini Warehouses. Thorntown Laundry & Dry Cleaners. Titus Pastry Shop. Wendy's. White Castle. Whitestown Market.

It's apparent that the Boone County Area Plan Commission and the Boone County Commissioners do not really want to encourage development. WHAT THEY REALLY WANT TO DO IS RETARD DEVELOPMENT by taking away from property owners the right to define for themselves the meanings of "high quality development," "efficient land usage," and "special sense of place."

This is a great plan for those whose "vision" for Boone County is a low-growth bedroom and farm community for Indianapolis and Lafayette. They don't want significant population and commercial growth. They believe high-growth counties have a lower quality of life and high taxes.

There is one thing that should cause concern. This Overlay District is being rushed through without proper consideration for the property owners along US 421. The freedom to use their property as they see fit will be significantly impacted.

Most property owners along US 421 are unaware of the Overlay District. The Boone County Commissioners are morally obligated to send each property owner a letter with detailed information about the Overlay District not less than 30 days nor more than 45 days prior to a public hearing. Please send an E-mail to Boone County Commissioners Jo Baldauf (baldauf@in-motion.net), Betty Lee Cooper (betty_lee_cooper@hotmail.com), and Byron Loveless (angus_cattle@netzero.net) telling them what you think. They are set to approve the Overlay District on March 24 without sufficient notice to the property owners.

Many hope the property owners along US 421 accept the proposed restrictions on their property rights. However, we are all harmed when we allow Gotcha Government where the uninformed lose if they snooze.

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This page was last updated on 03/19/10 .