There was a full house at the September 5 meeting of the Ripley County Area Plan Commission. Most of the people attending were in opposition to a 168-lot subdivision proposed by Ken Boatright at the south west corner of County Road 625E and County Road 300N.

Boatright’s application was for a rezone from the Agricultural-2 district to the Residential-1 district for the 109 plus acres. Engineer Mike Rhezo explained that Homestead Acres Subdivision would have two main entrances off County Road 625E and delivered a site plan to the Commission.

The 13 adjoining landowners were represented by Attorney Jeff Sharp. He said there was no reason for the change in zoning, that single family homes could be placed in the Agriculture-2 district.
He reminded the Commission the town of Milan did not have this area planned for housing growth in the Comprehensive Plan. There was concern about the town of Milan granting the number of sewer taps needed since they have been on a sewer ban.

Sharp said he had spoken to Hoosier Hills Water and no one had been in to see them about the water being adequate to the site. He also shared concern about the number of children the subdivision would bring to the newly expanded school system.

Sharp continued by saying the neighbors were concerned about the traffic because the county roads in that area may be too narrow to handle the amount of added vehicles on the road.

He said out of state developers should not be able to come in and change the makeup of the entire area. Drainage was also an issue. Sharp concluded his remarks by saying the addition of 168 more homes in Milan would put an added strain on emergency personnel.

After Sharp spoke, many of the adjoining landowners expressed their own personal opinion on why the rezone should not be granted. Following a two-hour discussion when tempers flared several times, the Commission voted seven to two to send the rezone request to the Ripley County Commissioners with an unfavorable recommendation.

Nine of 12 members of the Planning Commission were present: Kaye Hunger, Maureen Sheets, Covell Mills, Owen Menchhofer, Ronald Palmer, Gary Norman, James Negangard, Steve Youngman, and Dave Osborn. Executive Director Tad Brinson and Attorney John Ertel were present to advise the board. The next meeting of the Ripley County Planning Commission will be held on Tuesday, October 3 at 7:00 p.m. at the Commissioners’ Room at the Courthouse Annex in Versailles.