LAPEL — Lapel Town Council approved rezoning for a lot to pave the way for a truck dispatch business.
The lot, located off Atlantic Road and just north of County Road 300 South (closest to the railroad track) in the Stony Creek Acres Subdivision, would be rezoned from agricultural to light industrial.
The council voted 3-0 to approve the zoning ordinance change.
Council members Jason Kleinbub and Lindsay Washmuth were not in attendance at the meeting earlier this month to vote.
George Likens of Lapel One LLC, owns the property (Lot 1) and was asking for the rezoning to be approved prior to selling of the lot.
The rezoning request was initially sent to Lapel Plan Commission, which gave the application a neutral recommendation and then referred the request to the town council.
Town council president Deb Wainscott said the plan commission’s concerns were that other lots (Lot 2, Lot 3 and Lot 4) in the area would not be commercial.
Mike Robertson and Brian Robertson want to purchase the land and use it as a base for a truck dispatch facility. The council was told the trucks will depart in the morning empty and return in the afternoon empty, as well.
Residents had initial concerns, given at previous plan commission meetings, about truck traffic on County Road 300 South.
The Robertsons gave assurance that trucks will enter and exit off Atlantic Road and head north toward State Road 32 and would not be using County Road 300 South.
The re-zoning aesthetic requirements, for landscaping permits, guarantee that either trees or fences will be added as barriers to separate the adjacent lots.
Town to wait for INDOT approval
The town council voted to accept a bid, contingent on approval from the Indiana Department of Transportation, of $175,000 from E&B Paving to resurface and repair County Road 650 South.
INDOT had told the town it would reimburse cost for repairs.
The road was damaged because it was used as a detour for another INDOT project. At the time, INDOT did not know the area was annexed by Lapel; it thought the road was owned by Madison County, so the county, instead of the town, was notified about the work.
Council members agreed to make the acceptance contingent on the response of INDOT, since it now knows the cost of the project.
“We have to do (the work), and the state is going to pay us back,” Wainscott said. “We’re trying to figure out how much of that $175,000 (INDOT will reimburse).”
Flipping the switch
The town council also voted unanimously to purchase an automatic transfer switch for a generator at its water plant.
Mike Daniels, acting supervisor of the utility department, said he would get a quote for the council and bring it to the next meeting, scheduled for today, Thursday, Dec. 19.
It came to attention during the last week of November that, during a power outage, the utility department was unable to get to its trucks because they couldn’t open the garage door.
An automatic transfer switch immediately senses a power problem and signals the generator to start and saves significant amount of time in restoring power rather than having someone manually on the grounds to turn on a generator.
The town is looking for a full-time Utilities Superintendent, who would manage gas, water, sewer and street employees.
Applications can be picked up at Lapel Town Hall and should be turned in by Dec. 20.
Ordinance approved
The council voted 3-0 to change South County Road 900 West to Cascadden Boulevard, named after former resident Olivia Cascadden, who passed away in 2015.
Cascadden bestowed a trust that awards funds annually, alternating between the town and the school system.
The road is located near Lapel High School.