Residents Continuing Opposition to LKQ

click on photo to see site plan

Councilor Lutz objected to the large amounts of gravel that will cover the site.

Photo by Jay Thompson

(posted Apr 30)
(revised May 2)

Surrounding property owners are not rolling out the welcome mat for LKQ's second attempt to locate a car recycling facility next to a residential area in the 8100 and 8200 blocks of West Morris Street.

Residents from Avon Creek attended City County Councilor Robert Lutz's April 29 town hall meeting, asking for help to fight the May 7 rezoning and variance petitions. The petition will be heard at the Metropolitan Development Commission hearing at 1 pm in the City County Building. A flyer was distributed in the area telling people to come to Lutz's meeting since the matter is in his district.

Lutz, who normally does not involve himself with zoning issues, said he has been in opposition of LKQ since its first petition last fall to locate the facility on Washington Street. He thinks car recycling is an inappropriate use of the land due to the impact on the surrounding homes, Julia Creek and increased traffic on Morris Street. He also said the area is known for the Indiana Bat. He contends that once the property is rezoned from I-3-S to I-4-S, it will open the door for LKQ to expand heavy industrial development to the south along Washington Street. LKQ is requesting to install a road half way into the property from Morris Street, but Lutz foresees a later petition to extend the road to Washington Street to help with traffic management. The current petition also includes 240 customer parking spaces that would further impact the neighborhood as customers come to buy parts.

People began circulating a petition at the meeting to show the commission their displeasure. Lutz said Amy Worgan is leading the remonstration and urged everyone to attend the hearing because attendance has more influence than a letter.

Residents also planned to contact David Hittle, DMD Senior Planner, to voice their opposition. Hittle can be reached at 327-5901.

Lutz said if the MDC approves of petition he plans to call for a hearing before the full council to hear the issue. It would take 18 of the members to defeat the petition.

Lutz said he visited LKQ's current facility in Avon, but it did not have a crusher so it did not have same impact on neighbors that the new location would. Lutz said he was impressed with the facility's operations, and would welcome the company and the jobs if it would locate in an industrial area away from the homes at Countryside Estates.

Steve Hardiman of DPW explained the city's system of rating potholes has been shot due to budget restrictions and the costly snow removal. The major thoroughfares will be hit first, then secondary thoroughfares. He said $13 million is budgeted for resurfacing this year, with an increase to a yearly budget of $27 million within the next five years to maintain current infrastructure. However, there is no money for new road construction to extend Holt Road to 30th Street.

Ken Gilsdorf, CSX public safety supervisor, confirmed that human error was responsible for the January 6 train derailment. He said that an unauthorized person released the hand brake that led to the train escaping the Big Four Rail Yard. He said that safety training has been instituted and that only a designated utility man can apply and release the hand the brakes. He said the yard master and dispatcher are monitoring every train that leaves and enters the yard. As a further safeguard to stop runaway trains, a split rail system has been installed at the yard entrance which causes cars to derail which must be bypassed by the dispatcher for arriving and departing trains. He said the CSX Great Lakes Region, which includes the Avon yards, was number one in safety in 2007.

Residents also requested CSX inspect its bridges at Bridgeport Road, Raceway Road and 21st Street for structural integrity for the nearly 100 year old bridges. Some residents said they do not feel comfortable driving under the bridge. They also requested to implement some type of pedestrian safety for walkers going to Meijer.

Additional monitoring wells will be added to monitor the drinking water in the area of the January derailment. The water will be re-sampled again in June by Marion County Health and Hospital. Thirty-three well samples have been taken so far with all results indicating no contamination.

CSX donated $5,000 to the library. The derailment caused the library to close for several days. Arcadis Environmental, CSX's environmental consultant, will maintain the ditch south of the library.