Compiled by Peg McRoy
The Danville Town Council met July 19. These meetings can be viewed on the town’s YouTube channel after the meeting. The council meets at 7 p.m. the first and third Wednesdays of each month at Danville Town Hall, 49 N. Wayne St. The next scheduled meeting is Aug. 2.
What happened: The council adopted an ordinance to rezone property located at 407 North CR 200 East from a general business zone to a planned unit development. The petitioners are Rhonda Mackey, J. Fuehrer, and Jeffrey and Shelly Fuehrer for Ryan Homes/NVR, Inc. (Pheasant Grove PUD). The ordinance was adopted with a 3-2 vote with Greg Irby and David Winters dissenting.
What this means: The newly rezoned property is 37.7 acres. The plan commission held a public hearing on the rezoning of this property on June 14 and presented it to the council with a favorable recommendation subject to certain provisions. The provisions include 30% of the property remain as open space for tree preservation, with a density of 3.84 units per acre, lighting is the responsibility of the developer, the landscaping and buffer plans stay intact, rear yard architectural standards must provide a varying appearance, no above-ground pools or accessory storage buildings, and a commitment by the developer to pay an additional sanitary sewer fee of $1,400 per lot prior to the town issuing a building permit. Pheasant Run is planned to have 145 low-maintenance, age targeted, single family detached ranch homes. The property is currently agricultural. The timeline for Pheasant Run is to begin late spring or early summer of 2024 with the possibility of model homes being built to attract buyers by fall.
What happened: A representative for Pig Lot, LLC, a company owned by Duane Lane, reported to the council that the company is in compliance with the parameters of its tax abatement. The council voted 4-1 that the company is in compliance with its tax abatement requirements. Council Member Greg Irby was the dissenting vote.
What this means: Pig Lot built five new buildings at 1741 East CR 75 South between 2019 and 2021. Pig Lot maintains it exceeded its projected number of five employees to eight employees. The number of employees was questioned and there was a lengthy discussion, led by Irby, on the actual number of onsite employees. Lane defended the number of eight employees via an explanation of the Hawk Eye brand. Town Planner Lesa Ternet pointed out that the estimated number of additional employees at the time the abatement was granted was four, taking that number to a total of nine employees. The other tax abatement requirements were salaries and property value. The cumulative salaries were projected to be $104,000 with an actual of $1,346,580. The assessed value of the property before the development was $100,000. That same property is today assessed to be worth $3,679,000.
What happened: An ordinance restricting the distance for the manufacture, distribution, or sale of consumer and special fireworks was repealed and new provisions were put into place that are in compliance with the Indiana Fire Code.
What this means: The repealed ordinance restricted the distance to 500 feet of any existing business. The Indiana Fire Code specifies distance in feet based on quantity of explosive material, inhabited buildings, proximity to highways and traffic, separation of magazines. This Indiana Fire Code is 5604.5.2 and more detailed information can be found online within the Indiana State Government official website: DHS: Rules of the Indiana Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission
