Fortville Town Council discussed the first reading of an rezone ordinance that would allow an AutoZone to be built off of Broadway Street and Garden Street.
Lacey Watt | Daily Reporter
FORTVILLE — Fortville Town Council passes the first reading of an ordinance that would rezone land to allow an AutoZone to be brought to the community.
The requested change would include the intersection of Broadway Street and Garden Street, where the site location is proposed. As of right now, the land is considered a commercial neighborhood, but if approved would then change to a commercial community.
The proposed building for a future AutoZone has a footprint of 6,816 square feet with 27 car spaces according to the letter of intent from Prism Engineering. The total space of the lot would be 1.67 acres right between Broadway Street and Garden Street, both providing public access.
In the letter of intent, Prism Engineering mentioned that with this proposed project, it fits in with the size and land use of the adjacent development, just east of 3Rivers bank, which is a small/medium-sized commercial site.
They also shared that the site along Broadway Street would be landscaped per the requirements of the town, which will enhance the appearance of the property.
Adam Zaklikowski, planning director for Fortville, explained that for the first reading, they ask for council feedback and to approve the first reading of the ordinance. Afterward, the ordinance would then go to the plan commission later in the month for a more in depth analysis of the proposed project.
Once the plan commission develops a recommendation, it would then go back to the town council at their next meeting.
“The reason that they are doing this rezone in the first place is because in the use table in the zoning ordinance, which a lot of it was carried over from Hancock County, an auto parts retailer is not allowed in neighborhood commercial, but is allowed in community commercial,” Zaklikowski said at the town council meeting.
Zaklikowski also explained that there are three different kinds of commercial zoning — neighborhood is the lowest intensity with regional being the highest — this zoning would fall between the two.
He also shared that the majority of commercial properties along Broadway Street are zoned that way.
Toyna Davis, vice president of the council, asked if the Indiana Department of Transportation was okay with the entrance of the proposed project coming out onto Broadway Street but, at that moment, there was not an answer.
Fred Fritz, president of the council, raised the question of if the area was a floodplain, to which Zaklikowski responded with more or less the eastern half of the property, which would be along the parking lot.
As part of the review, the county surveyor’s office which serves as the floodplain manager will take a look at the area.
Zaklikowski shared that during the plan commission meeting is when they will hold a true public hearing for the project, where the floor will be opened up for public comment.
The next plan commission meeting will be 6:30 p.m. Aug. 29 at the town hall, 714 E. Broadway St. in Fortville. The next town council meeting will be 7 p.m. Sept 5, where they will hear the plan commission’s recommendation.
