City Details Georgetown Road Vacation Process

(posted Sept 18)

Despite the Speedway Redevelopment Commission's announcement to vacate Georgetown Road for a proposed public linear park, the vacated road would not automatically remain as public land to be used as a park.

The proposed plans to vacate Georgetown Road is a task that involves a review process by the Indianapolis Department of Public Works, Plat Committee and James Garrard, the director of economic development.

According to Mayor's Press Secretary Margie Smith-Simmons, the city will publish its findings of fact to determine if Georgetown Road should be vacated. These findings are available to the public one week before the public hearing.

The plat committee is responsible for the legal process of the two public hearing meetings. Public notice will be given by on site notification, written mailed notice to the surrounding property owners, and newspapers.

The first hearing will determine the "appropriateness of the vacation" while the second hearing determines "the assessment of benefits and damages."

The filing process also requires a notarized consent of all abutting property owners must be provided. However, the petitioner can request a right to waive this requirement, Smith-Simons explained.

Smith-Simmons explained once the vacation process is completed, the land will be reverted back from where it originated. The most common scenario is if Georgetown was one parcel of land it would be split in the middle with half of the property going to the property owners on each side, but it if was owned by different entities the land would be returned in accordance of how much was dedicated from each side. If Georgetown Road was dedicated to a parcel on one side, it would be reverted to that property owner.

"Obviously, this takes a lot of historical digging. The county assessor makes this final determination since they have those historical records," she said.

As of September 17, SRC President Scott Harris said no commitments have been made with IMS to make sure the property would remain a public linear park.

Commissioner Steve Bishop was under the impression that the proposed linear park would be available to the public 24/7, and not gated.

Smith-Simmons also said the same process would happen to 16th Street to move it south toward the abandon Conrail corridor as part of the SRC's Master Plan.

The existing 16th Street right-of-way will require vacation, and the new location will need to be dedicated. "Since the new section will be dedicated and built, the assessment hearing will probably be waived since the benefits and damages would be equal."

She noted that any security issues about vacating Georgetown Road or relocating 16th in closer proximity to Marathon Oil tanks needs to be answered by Homeland Security.