Committee Rejects Speedway's Rezoning Plans

(posted Dec 23)

The Speedway Redevelopment Commission faced a set back in the rezoning approval process when the Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Committee voted down the SZ-1 and SZ- 2 zoning ordinance on December 15. The committee's 6-2 vote will now send the zoning ordinance back to the Metropolitan Development Commission to start the process over.

The committee needed to reject the proposal or the zoning ordinance would have automatically been approved within 45 days due to the mechanics of state law. It would have been approved with out the need for a city-county council vote. The committee voted it down despite Department of Metropolitan Development Senior Planner Tammara Tracy and Executive Director Maury Plambeck urging approval.

None of the committee members have constituents in Speedway, but the committee members took their responsibility to review the plan seriously because some of them have received email expressing concerns with the redevelopment plan.

City County Councilor Dave Mahern was "troubled" by the process, because they are tasked by county residents to "review matters that come before us." He thought approving the proposal would set a precedent for the committee's action of having "no consequence."

Tracy presented the "unique proposal" that uses "form base zoning" instead of "use zoning." Speedway is a trial area to work out the "kinks" with the new type of zoning that includes a local hearing examiner to hear variances changes. She said the purpose of form base zoning is to provide a Main Street feel that people desire.

Councilor Benjamin Hunter asked if it was wise to work with the zoning overlay when the SRC is still working on north-south corridor issues since the SRC wants Georgetown Road and Grande Ave. vacated.

Tracy said "This rezoning classification has nothing to do with specifically where the roads are aligned." This contradicts her statements in an August 26 interview with The Speedway Navigator, when she said 16th Street needs to be realigned and vacated before the zoning can happen. According to Tracy, the road development has to happen prior to rezoning the area to the new SZ-1 classification, "otherwise we would have SZ-1 floating out in the middle of a big area with no road serving it."

Tracy told the committee members that new zoning ordinance will not impact the existing buildings and signs. Existing structures and signs will be considered legal and non conforming. She told councilor Janice McHenry the 10th Street alignment will allow Allison Transmission to beautify its entrance.

Tracy said she was not aware of any conflicts about moving a portion of 10th Street to the north. No one raised the discussion to the mounting public opposition about Allison Transmission's petition to vacate Grande Avenue for its own private use.

Councilor Jackie Nytes did not think it was the committee's charge to be concerned with the details of buildings heights and setbacks. Nytes was one of the opposing votes. She said there was no remonstrance at the MDC hearing, so it should be passed. She wanted the committee to confirm the MDC's approval.

Plambeck and Tracy said the controversy with residents is over 16th Street and Georgetown Road. Tracy said three people were concerned about the realignment of 16th Street. She said two people are concerned about Georgetown Road but the "jury is still out" while waiting for a study to be completed.

Committee Chair Lincoln Plowman asked why heavy industrial use was not allowed with the new zoning.

Tracy said heavy industry is not compatible with large crowds of people that are found during IMS events. She said it increases risks to the public.

Plowman was also concerned with the restrictions of fireworks and guns sales.

Tracy responded that it is not conducive for residential living above the retail buildings because of the mass storage of those items. She said the prohibition in SZ-2 is based on community response. She said there were no negative comments from Speedway residents concerning the zoning. She said the town council passed the ordinance three times.

The Speedway Town Council passed the zoning ordinance without public review. There was no hearing at the local level because the hearing was conducted by the Metropolitan Development Commission.

On December 19, DMD Public Information Officer John Bartholomew said that Councilman Jeff Cardwell will be putting in an amendment to allow gun stores in the zone.

SRC master developer Jeff Kingsbury was the only representative at the meeting. The SRC had its meeting at the same time, preventing the commissioners from attending.

Kingsbury said that an economic impact study is underway so he could not give a details, but said the four races at the IMS creates a billion dollars to the central Indiana economy. Kingsbury said there is the anticipation that F-1 will return.

Hunter said he was "reluctant" to pass the ordinance since SRC Executive Director Harris and City County Councilor Marilyn Pfisterer were not present to answer their questions. The redevelopment is in Pfisterer's district. "Not one person, not even Mr. Harris himself shows up."

Hunter was excited about the plan and realized the master plan and overlay zoning are separate issues; however, he said there have been issues with the plan. "The plan has caused me a lot of emails." He also said there are still unanswered questions with public works over the north-south corridor issue. Hunter wanted the committee to have "teeth" and not be a "ceremonial body" as the reason for his vote for denial.

Mahern also had problems with giving it a favorable vote with no one from the SRC present. He remarked that not even one member from the 18 member steering committee bothered to attend to explain the project to the committee.

Tracy said that 12% of the town's population participated in the process. However, at an August 5 meeting, American Structurepoint Project Manager Shane Burkhardt explained that ideas gathered from walk-in participants in the 2006 Charette Speed Zone were not used.

"To be quite frank, that information was not used," he said, adding "This is not the process for the casual participant."