COLUMBUS, Ind. — City officials have given final approval on requests to annex and rezone a sizable property in Wayne Township.
Columbus City Council voted Tuesday to approve the second reading of ordinances to annex 153.53 acres — including about 4 acres of right-of-way — into the city and rezone 149 acres from Agriculture: Preferred to Industrial: Heavy. They also approved a fiscal plan for the annexation.
The requests came from TMC Developers, LLC for property located at 5180 W. County Road 450S and 5440 W. County Road 450S near Walesboro. The company hopes to prepare this land for future industrial development, according to the city-county planning department.
“We do not have a specific client in mind at this time,” said TMC Director of Construction and Development Mike Balog at the Columbus Plan Commission’s December meeting. He also noted that the property, due to its size, could likely be subdivided in the future to provide spaces for multiple companies, though they can’t rule out the possibility of a single user either.
Neighboring property owners have expressed concern about potential development and issues such as existing traffic problems, property values, noise, pollution, drainage, and general impact on neighboring properties.
Greater Columbus Economic Development Corp. President Jason Hester has expressed support for TMC’s requests, saying that over the last two years, the EDC learned about 38 projects where developers were seeking sites of 100 acres or more.
For more on this story, see Thursday’s Republic.
