September 2012

Meeting: Zionsville Redevelopment Commission
Date: Monday, June 25, 2012

Agenda Highlights:

• Engineering Contract for 106th Street Utilities. A contract was approved with Beam, Longest and Neff, LLC. (“BLN”) for the engineering, design and construction management of the future water and sewer extensions into the 106th Street/Dow Property.
• BLN will engineer and design the improvements as well as provide preliminary cost estimates. Assuming the estimates fall in line with expectations, bids will be solicited for the construction in 1 or 2 phases, depending on cost.
• The proposed Strategic Plan calls for the development and sale of the property for office, research and technology uses. These uses will increase property tax revenues after the TIF district expires in 2029. Having utilities available on site should make the DOW property more competitive and attractive to prospective buyers.
• Micro Loan Program. $200,000 has been set aside to lend to qualified local businesses that are not able to obtain business loans from traditional lenders. The loans are limited to no more than $25,000. The first application was in the process.
• Update: The application was recently approved by the Micro Loan Committee and should be finalized soon. I am very pleased with the applicant and proposed use. I look forward to reporting more to you after the July RDC meeting.

Meeting: Zionsville Plan Commission
Date: Monday, August 20, 2012

Docket Number 2012-07-CPA – Comprehensive Plan Amendment – Town of Zionsville – Petition to consider amendments to the Town of Zionsville Comprehensive Plan in order to revise and update the text of the Plan and consider incorporation of the 2012 Economic Development Strategic Plan (August 1, 2012 draft) into the Comprehensive Plan.

Chris Hamm, Senior, Consultant for American Structure Point presented the Plan for approx. 45 minutes. Plan Commission Attorney, Carol Drake Sparks, objected to language in two places stating it was more appropriate in zoning documents and since this plan is portrayed as non-zoning document those passages should be removed. The Plan Commission agreed.

There were questions from Commission members regarding the use of roundabouts, missing a commission member’s name on the document, spelling and errors in grammar. Bill Ferree, former Zionsville Plan Commission, BZA member and Boone County Area Plan Commission member sent a letter that was read into the record. It was eloquent, professional, thought provoking and captured many concerns still unanswered. At one point, Commission member, Kevin Schiferl declared that the Chair was not following Roberts Rules of Order about whether and when the public would be allowed to speak. The Chair proceeded with Commission discussion and then asked for comments from the public. Ed Mitro spoke, Dax Norton spoke and a village resident spoke in favor of the Ferree letter and asked the Commission members to take it to heart. A resident from Zionsville Road provided some context of activities during the last 18 months during the development of the plan pointing out that the public, in general had no input until Oct. of 2011.

By Patricia Scott

Zionsville Town Council President Tim Haak has signed an Emergency Executive Order on Water Conservation Declaration. The order will take effect at 9:00 a.m. Friday, July 20.

Major Provision of the order are:

1. During the pendency of this water conservation order, it shall be unlawful for a water user, defined as any customer or other individual, firm, corporation, government, agency, or other entity using water within the Town of Zionsville from the Citizens Water system, to cause, permit, allow, do, or engage in any of the following actions:
1. Sprinkling, watering, or irrigating of grass;
2. Washing cars, trucks, trailers, mobile homes, railroad cars or any other type of mobile equipment, except as required by applicable local, state, or federal law for health or safety reasons;
3. Using water to clean sidewalks, driveways, paved areas, structures, buildings, or other outdoor surfaces;
4. Filling empty swimming pools;
5. Installing new landscaping or new lawn by using sod until a return to normal conditions is declared by a subsequent Executive Order;
6. Using hydrants except for fire suppression or as otherwise directed by Citizens Energy Group; and
7. Operating water fountains that are non-recycling.
2. The following water users and uses are hereby exempted from these mandatory conservation measures during the pendency of this water conservation order:
1. Nurseries;
2. Automatic commercial car washes;
3. Manual commercial car washes;
4. Golf courses;
5. Any watering of property owned or controlled by the Zionsville Department of Parks and Recreation as determined by my designee, the Department Superintendent; and
6. Users with their own wells.
3. Watering vegetable gardens and flowers by container or hand-held hose equipped with a shutoff nozzle and watering trees less than five (5) years old are exceptions to these mandatory conservation measures during the pendency of this water conservation order.
4. Personnel of the Town of Zionsville designated by me and/or the Town Manager are hereby directed to use vigilance in enforcing the provisions of this Executive Order until such time as it is rescinded upon termination of this water conservation order.
5. Any violators of this Executive Order for water conservation will be penalized as follows:
1. First violation: Warning
2. Second violation within a year of first violation: $250
3. Third violation within a year of the second violation: $500
4. Fourth violation (and subsequent violations), within a year of the third violation: up to $2,500.