HANCOCK COUNTY — The Hancock County Board of Commissioners approved one proposal for semitractor-trailer parking but wants to see something else on a site where a similar plan was pitched.
The board voted 3-0 to rezone 5 acres in the 2600 block of North CR 700W from a zoning designation of industrial business park to industrial general for the parking. It still needs a special exception from the Hancock County Board of Zoning Appeals.
Fortville-based 5 Rivers Properties is eyeing the property to create about 25 parking spaces for its truck fleet and turn the house on the land into office space. The commissioners approval came with conditions, including that 5 Rivers only allow its fleet to park on the site and that it be gated.
The commissioners are slated to consider rezoning four properties to the north of that property totaling 27 acres for 276 more semitractor-trailer parking spaces.
McCordsville-based BDO LLC wanted a rezone of a little over 5 acres at the southeast corner of Mt. Comfort Road and CR 500N from a zoning designation of institutional to industrial light for 74 semitrailer parking spaces. After the commissioners said they’d rather see something commercial develop there, BDO’s lawyer said she would consult with her client about returning with such a proposal.
County joins economic development strategy
HANCOCK COUNTY — The Hancock County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution supporting the Central Indiana Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization, with assistance from TIP Strategies, developed the strategy. The strategy is required by the U.S. Economic Development Administration to support economic development grant applications.
Zoning amendment sent back for more work
HANCOCK COUNTY — Changes to the county’s zoning ordinance prompted by the surge of industrial developments near rural residences in the western part of the county aren’t quite ready for final approval.
One of the proposed changes would switch buffering requirements from being based on neighboring zoning designations to neighboring land uses. Amid feelings that could be too arbitrary, the Hancock County Board of Commissioners decided to continue the matter for further consideration.
Unemployment ticks up
HANCOCK COUNTY — The county’s estimated unemployment rate for May was 2.1%, up from April’s 1.7%, according to information from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. It was still lower than the May 2021 benchmark of 2.8%, however.
Indiana’s estimated unemployment rate for May was 2.5%, up from April’s 2.2% but down from May 2021’s 4%.
The nation’s estimated May rate was 3.4%, up from 3.3% in April and down from 5.5% in May 2021.
