BROWNSTOWN — The Jackson County Plan Commission recently gave favorable recommendations to proposed amendments to the zoning ordinance addressing potential development in the Uniontown area.
The amendments pertain to the industrial and highway commercial zoning districts and the installation of a wastewater collection system in that area in the east central part of Jackson County. The area is presently served with septic systems.
The Jackson County Commissioners will have the final say on any zoning and related changes to zoning maps and will consider the changes during their meeting at 9 a.m. Aug. 1 at the courthouse, 111 S. Main St., Brownstown.
A multi-million-dollar project that is in the works will use a combination of lift stations and gravity flow to carry waste from the Uniontown area approximately 7 miles to the north at Lake Leslie. From there, the waste will be carried through Seymour’s sanitary sewer system to the city’s wastewater treatment plant on the far west side.
Uniontown lies in the area of the intersection of State Road 250 and Interstate 65 at Exit 41 and with U.S. 31, and county Building Commissioner Conner Barnette said once the municipal sewer system is added, the belief is there will be rapid development along in that area.
Funding for the project, approved by county commissioners in the fall of 2022, will be coming from a variety of sources, including the American Rescue Plan Act and Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative grant funds from the state. Construction is estimated to begin in September 2024 and be completed in March 2026.
With the potential for new industry, business and housing, the Jackson County Redevelopment Commission and Jackson County Board of Zoning Appeals started addressing the current zoning ordinance with the idea of changing it to reflect what kind of businesses the county would like to see in that area.
Joe Murphy, an economic development specialist with Garmong Construction Services, presented the proposed development and changes for that area to the nine-member plan commission during its May 16 meeting. Garmong, based in Terre Haute, is the consultant for the project.
The project will be able to serve around 1,200 acres of development that will support commercial and industrial businesses. Of the 1,200 acres, 800 acres makes up an industrial zoning district that will be immediately served by the proposed system.
Among the proposed amendments, a highway commercial zoning district will be established in areas adjacent to the I-65 corridor, U.S. 31 north and south of State Road 250 and along State Road 250, both east and west of I-65.
Murphy said this district will consist of businesses that will be supported by people coming off of the interstate. He said the language of these proposed zoning ordinances will force potential developers to comply with the standards that the county wants to see.
During a lengthy public hearing Tuesday night at the courthouse, Barnette said the proposed changes will not affect anyone’s taxes currently. As the area continues to develop and land use changes, however, taxes could likely change, he said.
According to the proposed ordinances for the highway commercial district, applicants must provide a preliminary architectural plan that includes a conceptual floor plan and a rendered or artistic drawing of the proposed landscape, parking, signs and all other exterior amenities.
The zoning ordinances also include lot coverage requirements. They require a dedicated spot for greenspace, façade standards, such as brick and masonry materials, and window and public entrance standards. Signage requirements and restrictions also are included within the proposed amended ordinances.
Similar lot and building requirements also apply to the industrial district with the intent to meet aesthetic and design quality to promote a thriving thoroughfare.
The plan commission opened the meeting for public comments, asking if anyone would like to speak in favor or opposition of the zoning changes.
Drew Markel, president of the Jackson County Redevelopment Commission and Jackson County Commissioners, spoke in favor of the proposed changes, saying the overall investment in the service area of the sanitary sewer is around $30 million.
“This is a massive investment for this area to bring sanitary sewer,” he said.
Earlier in the day during a commissioners meeting, Markel told his fellow commissioners there already has been some companies expressing interest in the area.
Matt Reedy, vice president of the commissioners, also spoke in favor of the zoning changes during the public hearing, saying he is excited to see the development the sewer project will bring.
“I’m hoping that everything you guys are doing and everything we have done will get it to grow in a fashion that Jackson County can be proud of,” he said.
A number of individuals who live in the Uniontown area, however, expressed concerns for the future of their property with the changes in zoning.
Barnette said current property owners will not have to meet the requirements of the zoning ordinance they reside in or own property in unless there is a change in ownership.
If that is the case, the new property owner will be required to meet those ordinance standards or petition for a special exception or land use variance.
Some people also had concerns about how their property would be affected it they were to divide up the land.
For example, if a property owner wanted to split off a piece of their property for a family member, would their property be rezoned?
Barnette said if a landowner was to divide their land and give it to a relative, then that land would be rezoned to whatever district it was in unless the owner petitioned for a special exception or land use variance.
Board member Daniel Blann said these zoning changes would not restrict someone from dividing their property, but it would restrict what someone can do once the property is divided.
Before the commission made a motion to pass or deny the proposed zoning changes, board member Richard Beckort said the zoning changes were just the beginning of a long project.
“I think this is a beginning. We all might not like that beginning, but it’s a place to start, and you’ve got to start somewhere,” he said.
Beckort then made a motion to pass the amended zoning changes to the county commissioners with a favorable recommendation. Board member Bob Gillaspy, who also is a county commissioner, seconded the motion. The motion passed 7-0 with board member Leon Pottschmidt abstaining from voting because he owns property in the Uniontown area and John Hinton absent.