Unhappy residents help reverse APC vote

TIPPECANOE CO., Ind. (WLFI) - What a difference a month makes.

Last month, a rezoning request for a new complex of duplexes in Tippecanoe County was one vote away from being recommended by the Area Plan Commission.

But Wednesday night, it was almost unanimously denied.
    
The request asks for an empty 75-acre parcel on County Road 50 West, about a mile south of Harrison High School, to be rezoned from single-family houses to 178 duplex lots. Seven commissioners voted for it in August.  

But with any action by the APC requiring eight votes, the item was put back on the agenda for September's meeting.

This time around, many more unhappy neighbors came out and spoke up during the meeting, upset with the traffic it would bring and the rental aspect of the proposal.  Even West Lafayette City Engineer Dave Buck weighed in on behalf of the city, stating he supporting denying the proposal at this time.

In the end, Wednesday's vote was 11 to 1 by the APC recommending a denial to the Tippecanoe County Commissioners.

"I'm thrilled and very surprised that the Board saw our point and recognized that we already have a lot of traffic on our roads," said Steve Arnone, resident in the Harrison Heights subdivision.

"This is basically textbook sprawl," said Area Plan Commission Assistant Director Ryan O'Gara.  "We feel like a rental complex like this is much more appropriate a little closer in, a little closer to the research park which is the clientele they are trying to capture."

The Commission is scheduled to make a final vote on the rezoning request during Oct. 1 meeting.