NEW PALESTINE — A developer is planning to bring more than 240 homes to an area north of New Palestine and hopes officials will annex the neighborhood into town.
Ty Rinehart, land acquisition manager for Lennar Corporation, said the firm is proposing a 244-lot subdivision on a 97-acre property at the southeast corner of County Roads 500W and 200S in Sugar Creek Township.
The subdivision would be known as Copperstone, Rinehart said, adding homes would range in price from around $250,000 to around $350,000.
Rinehart said site development would start in 2019, homes would start going up in about a year and that Lennar would carry out the project in several phases.
Copperstone would also come with an amenity center with a pool, pool house and playground, according to Rinehart.
Rezoning the land for the proposed development is currently under Hancock County jurisdiction. Rinehart said should Hancock County officials approve the rezone, Lennar would later apply for the subdivision’s annexation into New Palestine.
“New Palestine’s a growing area,” Rinehart said, citing the new Hancock Health facility coming to town and speaking favorably of its centrally located schools. “It’s an area that we see as up and coming.”
Annexation makes sense, Rinehart continued, with New Palestine in the process of acquiring sewer utilities in that area.
Becky Hilligoss, New Palestine clerk-treasurer, said the town continues to negotiate the acquisition of the sewer utilities in that area from the town of Cumberland.
Lennar requested a letter of support for the proposal from New Palestine, according to recent town council minutes. Chris Isom, town attorney, said he’d draw up a letter for consideration.
Town councilwoman Jan Jarson told the Daily Reporter that she’d support the annexation.
“I do believe it would be an asset to the community,” she said.
Jarson said the population boost should be good for the local economy.
“If you’re getting people out there, then businesses are going to follow,” she said. “On an economic development standpoint, I think it’s a plus also.”
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Proposed subdivision
- Southeast corner of county roads 500 West and 200 South, north of New Palestine
- 97 acres
- 244 homes
- $250,000 to $350,000
- Pool
- Pool house
- Playground
Source: Lennar Corporation
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