Zoning plan an historic step forward

Paul W. Barada

The proposed comprehensive zoning ordinance represents more than just a redefinition of appropriate land use in Rush County.

“I think this proposed ordinance is an historic achievement because of the outstanding cooperation that made it possible. Every sector of the local county community came together to do what’s best for the entire county. There was no city versus county or agriculture versus housing, or any of that. Everyone involved was primarily concerned with doing what was best for the entire county. That’s a major step forward in my opinion,” Stephen Ariens, president of Rush County Farm Bureau, said.

“We had to come together to help position Rush County to not only be ready for new housing, but also to insure that confined livestock operations could continue. It has been one of the most cooperative and positive projects I’ve ever seen,” commented Tim Yazel, ECDC president.

The essence of the new comprehensive ordinance is to encourage new housing and new housing developments in areas that at least have municipal sewer systems.

“We hope that in the not-too-distant future, all these areas will also have municipal water systems,” Rush County Commissioner Ken Masters, who also works as a hog buyer, said. “We’re not telling people they can’t live in the country. They can, but the idea is to make the areas zoned for housing more attractive for prospective home owners and developers by helping insure that their investment won’t be harmed by any livestock operations.”

“We also wanted to leave plenty of room for CFOs and CAFOs in other areas of the county,” Mike Pavey, president of the Rushville City Council, said. “I think this proposed ordinance is the ultimate compromise for the county as a whole. It will allow several interests to co-exist and to thrive.”

Elbert Gordon, a member of the Rush County Area Plan Commission and a member of the Rush County Board of Zoning Appeals, said, “What we’ve been able to accomplish is outstanding. We’ve eliminated most of the roadblocks for anyone who wants to create a confined livestock operation that meets the new criteria, so they’ll be able to get up and running sooner, but we’ve also done the same thing to make it possible for new houses to be built in the areas where the infrastructure is in place. Rush County needs new people coming here to live if we want to grow.”

“I think this program will be looked back upon as a monumental, positive turning point for our community,” Rushville Mayor Bob Bridges said, “but what’s even more significant to me is the spirit of cooperation that has been the hallmark of the entire exercise. Every major player was in agreement about what we needed to accomplish, and that’s remarkable.”

Greg Hall, co-chairman of the ECDC Ag Roundtable, echoed Bridges’ comments. “This is absolutely an historic achievement in Rush County. Reasonable people came together representing potentially competing interests and were able to agree on what was best for all concerned. You just can’t argue with that type of cooperation and mutual understanding,” Hall said.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with the proposed comprehensive zoning ordinance,” Mark Bacon, District Eight Director of Indiana Farm Bureau, said. “I believe this new ordinance is the right way to go. It encourages housing close to towns with municipal utilities, and keeps farmland as farmland. Farming is a business just like any other business and, at the same time, farmers need to be good neighbors. Indiana Farm Bureau works hard for property rights and land use preservation. I believe this new zoning ordinance does that.”

Mike Beard, another member of the BZA, said, “This should be big news not just in Rush County, but throughout the state. We’ve put an ordinance on the table that represents a huge step forward. It’s totally a win-win situation, not just for today, but for the future of Rush County.”

Brad Buening, consultant, added, “This has really been a remarkable achievement in terms of the level of commitment and cooperation toward the achievement of a common objective. Others have made this point, but this really is an historic accomplishment.”

In conclusion, Greg Griffin, executive director of the ECDC, said, “If we can continue to work together with the same spirit of cooperation that we’ve seen thus far, there will be much more opportunity for everyone in Rush County in the future. As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Indiana State Department of Agriculture uses our new ordinance as a model for the rest of Indiana to copy.”

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