Report Lists Wellhead Protection At Risk

(posted July 27)

It is a fast pace time line to have a new street department built and operational by November 7, 2007. This is the recommendation reported to the Speedway Town Council at the July 25 budget hearings from Hannum, Wagle and Cline Engineering consultants Jim Rice and Greg Smallwood. Potential water contamination to the surrounding wellheads is the primary reason cited for relocating the department away from 1390 N. Lynhurst Drive. Two of the town's 12 wells that supply its drinking water are located at
the street department facility. The City of Indianapolis now requires 100 to 150 feet spacing. The two wellheads have never been tested to see if chemicals have leached into the water supply. Rice stressed the water supply is at risk even though the town did not have to move the department for that reason since it falls into the grandfather policy. His concern is to protect Speedway's future generations.

If approved, the future home of the street department would be located on a two acre site next to the waste water treatment plant at 4251 W. Vermont Street. The recommendation did not come without challenges to relocate the facility, salt barn, dog pound, and equipment barn.

The first challenge is to seek a use variance because the current site is zoned Dwelling Agricultural that prohibits street department functions. The report recommended that the town might want to rezone the entire property because it would not allow Merrell Bros. to build a septic separation business on the site or Praxair's proposal to build a gasification facility. The town recently submitted a RFP to lease the land for use.

The facility would also need sewer and water lines extended. Part of the building upgrades include adding a shower area for the street department to decontaminate themselves after working on sewer lines. The report also suggested the town work with Indianapolis DPW to extend water and sewer service to the residential area to the north that is currently on septic. The town already serves customers outside its corporate boundaries.

Rice proposed using the proposed detention pond as a water garden. It would act as a natural filter to clean the surface water before being discharged into the stream or into the waste water treatment plant. He said the water garden could serve as model for others to replicate when redevelopment started.

Street Department Commissioner Wendell Walters explained the current facility is roughly 17,500 square feet that includes sharing space with the parks department. The report described the current facility as crammed but well organized. Rice told the council they could have a three phase building plan that would initially start with a 10,000 square foot building for $770,900. The other options are 15,000 square foot building for $874,000 or a 20,000 square foot building for $976,000.

Councilor Dean Farmer thought it would be more economical to build the 20,000 square foot building now than wait to expand a 10,000 square foot building over time. It would only cost about $200,000 more to double the building size now.

Councilor Gary Raikes expressed a concern about using "virgin land" for the street department to occupy when it is not a revenue generating service. He preferred to move the facility to the former landfill area. Raikes cited another dilemma as to whether to build the facility now by borrowing a $1 million or waiting for redevelopment to occur to pay for the construction. He also preferred a road cut onto Holt Road instead of using Vermont Street to have access to lessen the noise to the surrounding residential homes.

Rice noted that it might not be a revenue generating service, but the town cannot overlook that taxpayers expect to have their streets plowed and repaired. Rice said it would be structurally unsound to locate a facility on the landfill because the surface is no longer stable. The facility could end up in a sink hole or with cracked foundations.

Town Manager John McCurtain said the DPW would not give the town a road cut onto Holt.
"It was a quick no," he said.

McCurtain also envisioned the B&O Trail being developed and that another use buffered along the trail would be a better fit. Discussions have been raised about building a community center at the current street department's location.

At the July 26 budget hearing, McCurtain explained the building could be up by June 2008. He presented a couple of financing options of issuing general obligation bonds, borrowing from the revolving loan fund or a six-year bank loan that could be paid back with the cumulative capital fund.
The council remained neutral to the subject.