SPEAKER_03 0:01

This week on Beyond the Headlines, residents divided over Buckeys as the Plan Commission puts off the hearing. Public gets will first look at the redesign for Franklin Aquatic Center. Markersville residents hear details on a 900-acre development called Iron Horse. And on our round table, we talk about housing, referendums, and more. From the Daily Journal, this is Beyond the Headlines, a local news podcast focused on story shaping Johnson County.

Buc-ee's

SPEAKER_03 0:39

She's our newest reporter. Her name's Kirsten. She's going to be covering crime in the city of Greenwood. And she's actually taking the position of our former news editor, uh Noah Crenshaw. He has transitioned over to the Republic to kind of help with some things there. So we miss him a lot, but we're glad to have you. How about you tell us a little bit about yourself?

SPEAKER_02 0:58

Yeah, thanks so much, Erica. I'm so excited to be here. You know, I'm so excited to dive into Greenwood crime courts. There's so much happening. So I feel like I have a lot to catch up on and a lot to look at. Um I'm coming over from state affairs in the State House. I was a State House reporter there for about a year. And then I before that reported for Indiana Public Broadcasting.

SPEAKER_03 1:18

Okay, yeah. So you were kind of in the in the thick of the Statehouse with all the policies and you know law changes and stuff like that. So you know a lot about that. Awesome. Yeah. Well, how about we go ahead and get started uh with our stories we got this week? And your first day on the job was probably quite interesting. And something we didn't get to cover last uh week on our podcast was uh the infamous Buckies coming to Greenwood. Yes. So uh, and you went to the Playing Commission meeting, so kind of tell us uh tell us a little bit about that.

SPEAKER_01 1:49

Yeah, absolutely. And gosh, what a first day. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:52

Um so you know, I was trying to read a little bit and looking over the plans, and it seemed like there was a lot of uh controversy online for residents who weren't quite sure whether or not they are excited about Indiana's first buckies being built in Greenwood. Um it's going to be off I-65 and Worthsville Road. It's a massive project with 74,000 square feet on more than 80 acres of land, and it's including a roundabout, some green space, trails, and a drainage pond. Um people were there to express their concerns, any uh discomfort they have with these new plans. But the Plan Commission actually delayed the decision until July 13th.

SPEAKER_01 2:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 2:36

So residents were hoping up showing up, hoping to learn a little bit more about the project. Um, and instead that discussion is being pushed off until next month.

SPEAKER_03 2:46

Yeah. And I bet you uh when they denounced announced that they were postponing it until uh, I believe next month, um, what was the environment or vibe like when that decision was announced? I know you probably sensed some frustration.

SPEAKER_02 3:00

Yeah, and the decision itself wasn't that surprising. Um, the city planning department had recommended that when they were looking over everything, there are a few details they want to make sure are just kind of spot on for what they're looking for in that proposal. So they had actually recommended that postponement, but people were pretty upset. The people who were there to express their concerns and who were hoping to learn a little bit more uh were you know at least wanting to hear, I think, the plan commission's uh ideas and just hear a little bit more information maybe from Buckys themselves.

SPEAKER_03 3:35

Right. Yeah. Well kind of share what are some of the main concerns that um residents uh shared during the meeting.

SPEAKER_02 3:42

I think the biggest one that I heard was traffic congestion. There is concern that there are schools in the area, it's already a busy spot, and so adding this huge destination where all of these travelers are going to be going in and out right off the highway. Yeah, um, people are concerned that's going to make congestion issues worse. Yeah. Well, there's also some concern about uh the locations, proximity to schools, um, as well as potential drops in property value.

SPEAKER_03 4:08

Yeah. No, and I I can see that because I I live in Greenwood actually. If if I'm on the interstate, that's the exit I take. So it'll definitely be a change uh if this gets approved to see uh the amount of traffic that'll be brought to that area. But um there were also support uh a lot, there's a lot of supporters for this project too, you know, because they they want the beaver nuggets, right? So what are um what did some of those supporters have to say?

SPEAKER_02 4:32

There weren't a ton of supporters at the meeting, uh, but I know there are some around in Greenwood and uh there's a lot of support online, yeah. Yeah. And I think people are just excited to have this new large destination in Greenwood. I mean, this is something that you know people are saying could really boost the economy. It could draw a lot of new visitors.

SPEAKER_01 4:51

It you know, and people are excited for the beaver now getting risking.

SPEAKER_03 4:55

Yeah, yeah. How did um how did the city kind of in the planning commission uh how do they kind of view this project?

SPEAKER_02 5:02

I know the planning department seems pretty excited about it. Um they said they are in support, they are, you know, looking forward to uh adding this new economic benefit to the city. Um they also say that Bucky's it kind of fits in with what they were hoping for for that area. You know, it is currently zoned agricultural, but uh when I was speaking with the planning department, they said they've had a lot of I guess businesses come in wanting to zone it for industrial. And they just don't see that area being industrial, they want to keep it more residential commercial. Um so Bucky's, you know, being zoned commercial, that's one of the things that they're actually uh waiting for. They had initially asked to zone an industrial, so the city asked them to go back and change that. But Bucky's was very amenable to that, so it will be zoned um commercial.

SPEAKER_03 5:52

Right. Well, and I know a little there's been a lot of uh concerns. I think some of the residents feel that this decision um or a lot of this planning and stuff was done behind closed doors, I guess you could say. Um, so what are um, you know, what are how do they kind of respond to those concerns as well?

SPEAKER_02 6:09

I I yeah, I mean, uh most of what we've heard from the city so far is just talking about the non-disclosure agreement they made with Vuckings. Um so a lot of residents feel like this kind of came out of left field for them. Whereas, you know, they feel like maybe the city has been planning on this for a while and maybe they should have had more input sooner on in the process.

SPEAKER_03 6:29

Okay, yeah. And, you know, things like an NDA or non-disclosure agreement, that's like pretty normal for economic development. Um, you know, ca with different planning and things like that as well. But um, I think there's like a larger question here, especially um, you know, that maybe our listeners are uh kind of debating is if if Bucky's is, you know, a place for tourism and economic, you know, win for the area, or if it's just gonna be a a mega development that's in the wrong place. So yeah, but what's uh what's next?

SPEAKER_02 7:03

The next step is going to be at that July 13th Plan Commission meeting, just you know, hearing what the discussion is, seeing what Bucky's is proposing, and hearing what the Plan Commission uh wants to do next, whether they would like to go forward with this, which at this point it seems like that is very likely. Um, but and yeah, just seeing, you know, they'll have to have some public discussion, public comment periods. Um, so those will likely be coming down the road. So we're definitely going to be hearing a lot more about this project.

SPEAKER_03 7:31

Yeah, of course. Awesome. Yeah. Well, we're gonna take a quick break and be right back. Want your business to reach our listeners in Johnson County and beyond, reach out to the Daily Journal by calling 317-736-2730 to ask about our advertising opportunities. Yeah, and we're back from our break and we uh we got some more stories for you. So um, yeah, uh a lot of good uh conversation about buckies. So looking forward to seeing uh how that goes.

SPEAKER_01 8:00

So yeah, me too. What's next, Erica?

SPEAKER_03 8:03

Yeah, so uh the next uh thing we got is uh the uh some plans about the Franklin Aquatic

Franklin Aquatic Center

SPEAKER_03 8:10

Center. So uh Franklin is currently planning a major upgrade to its family aquatic center with the goal to bring bigger attractions like a wave pool and a bowl slide to the city. Uh so this kind of hopes um this is kind of hope so people don't have to travel to you know water parks and they can just stay inside the area. So uh a lot of this, um, the city approved uh you know $1.2 million for a design and engineering work. And the total project costs estimated to be $14.5 to $15 million, um, which is actually much cheaper than building a new facility, which would cost around upwards of $40 million. So yeah, this is a big uh cost saving for them as well.

SPEAKER_02 8:54

Can you tell me a little bit more about what's being proposed?

SPEAKER_03 8:56

Yeah, so uh the um this is gonna renovate and expand the existing pool. Uh, this also is gonna add some new attractions as well. So, like a wave pool, which sounds pretty cool, a bull slide, um, additional water slides, a ninja cores, which I don't know what that is, but that sounds pretty cool as well. Uh, cabanas and rentable shelters, and also upgrading the bathhouse too. And uh this will actually create space for expansion and add about 130 new parking spots too. So we always need more parking. Uh, this also reflects the shift of uh park growth toward the north side of the city, uh, which is kind of interesting to see as well. And uh one of the pools, uh, as far as uh safety measures go, one of the pools is going to be converted to a zero-depth entry pool for more accessibility. And they're gonna be removing the diving boards because um the official said uh most of the injuries that happen that has happened over the years uh involved diving board areas.

SPEAKER_02 9:52

Well, is that not surprising?

SPEAKER_03 9:53

I know, right? Yes.

SPEAKER_02 9:56

So why now for this project? And what is the timeline?

SPEAKER_03 9:59

Yeah, so um the pool is actually pretty old. It's uh four years old and it's showing its age. So I uh they're they're like it's it's time for an upgrade. Uh and also a recent study found it's uh it needs significant repairs and renovating um is kind of the most cost effective option right now. Um so yeah, construction is gonna start uh August 2027 and uh after swim season, of course, we want to get through swim season. Um and they plan to reopen in May 2028. So yeah, we'll see some uh some interesting stuff. Are you uh much of a a water park person?

SPEAKER_02 10:39

You know, I love to go swimming whenever I can, but I'm more of a kayaker.

SPEAKER_03 10:43

Oh, see, I am terrified of kayaks. I feel like I might like tip one over, but it it looks fun. It looks fun. I'm more of a like you sit in an inner tube and you float down the river and get like really bad sunburn.

SPEAKER_01 10:55

But you know, that's fun too. Yeah. Any just any time in the water is a good time for me.

SPEAKER_03 11:00

Yeah, awesome. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:01

So what story is up next?

IronHorse

SPEAKER_03 11:03

Yeah, so uh we also uh if we move over to Bargersville, um, there was a neighborhood meeting for um a proposed 900-acre development called Iron Horse, um, which I know you're new, but this has been uh this has been kind of in the works. Um something that they're proposed in planning for a while, and this is a huge development. Uh someone call it multi-generational. So uh this is being proposed. Um, it could become the largest development in the town's history. Um, and it's located along State Road 135, State Road 144, and Old Plank Road. They've deemed it as multi-generational project.

SPEAKER_00 11:43

Okay, so what is the plan?

SPEAKER_03 11:44

Yeah, so this is gonna have a mix of single-family homes, town homes, um, multifamily housing, commercial and retail space. And this is gonna be a community designed for all stages of life. Uh, again, there's hundreds of homes for this project. Um, that's gonna have multiple builders across um, you know, across the development area. And the total concept includes like well over uh 1,800 units. So there's also gonna be nearly 40 acres of parks and green space, which half of that is gonna be a 20-acre community park donated to the town, which is kind of cool. Um, it's also gonna feature uh 13 and a half miles of trails. There's gonna be dog parks, sports courts, a pavilion, fire pits, and that's all within the community park, and a possible ice rink, maybe. I don't know. That's kind of cool as well. We'll see uh if they if that ends up happening, but um yeah, the trails uh that's gonna be uh going throughout the whole community. It's designed to be walkable. Um, there's also gonna be retail and mixed-use areas planned along State Road 135, and uh this whole project is designed to help diversify Barkersville's tax base um and kind of bring more shopping and dining, uh, you know, and local jobs to the area.

SPEAKER_02 13:03

Yeah. So are there any community concerns about the project?

SPEAKER_03 13:06

So at the neighborhood meeting, uh there were a lot of residents that had some concerns and you know wanted some questions answered. So uh traffic was a major concern for residents um and the developer uh Poulti group. Uh they proposed a number of improvements. There's multiple roundabouts that are gonna be going in. There's gonna be one at State Road 135 and 144, um, Baldwin Street and Old Plank Road. The one at State Road 135 and 144, the town is working with NDOT to kind of get that uh, you know, kind of get that started up. Um but also a formal traffic study is gonna be required um before any of this is approved. Another concern was also drainage and utilities, which interesting enough, the the development that they're working with right now has zero detention ponds on it, but this one will bring in 20 detention ponds to manage storm water. So from zero to 20 is a lot. Yeah. Uh water will also be treated uh before entering the local waterways as well. And uh expansions are planned um, you know, for the water and uh sewer main systems as well. Uh some of the residents also were concerned uh regarding floodage and draining um impact in their neighborhood, um, their nearby neighborhoods that are touching this development. And also um if the developers uh plan to have potential tax incentives or public funding for this project, and also uh if schools can handle it as well.

SPEAKER_00 14:36

Yeah. So speaking of the developer, how did they address these concerns?

SPEAKER_03 14:40

Yeah, so Puldy Group, uh they emphasized a lot of checks and balances will have to be met um, you know, throughout this process. They'll have to go through multiple PUD, which is planned unit development, um, review committee meetings, um planning commission, which will have a public hearing, town council for an ordinance. There, it's a long step process. Um, but they also made some other commitments too, promises of light pollution reduction. So these special street lights that are gonna reduce uh, I guess, light pollution, uh, landscaping buffers, uh they're gonna collaborate with schools too to, you know, kind of figure out uh since this would be bringing in a lot more to the school population. And they also said there's gonna be likely some form of public-private partnership, possible use of TIFF, um, you know, which tax increment financing, for those that don't know, you know, some type of incentive, but nothing is finalized yet. They're still working through that. But yeah, this is this is a large project, it's gonna be phased out over 12 to 15 years. Uh phase one could start as early as 2027 and end around early to mid-2030s. Um, but the PUD uh review committee uh still has a number of meetings to look through this project before it's ever approved. And yeah, the next meeting is July 8th, which is open to the public. So if you want to come and uh see how that works and what uh how they're presenting the project, uh listeners can come and attend. So uh yeah, we're gonna take a quick break now and we'll be right back. Like listening to this podcast, you can help support it. Subscribe to the Daily Journal at subscribe.dailyjournal.net to support your local newspaper and this podcast. Your support helps make everything we do possible.

Roundtable

SPEAKER_03 16:27

And we're back with our uh with our round table with some more news for you. So uh Kirsten takeaway, I know there was a um there was a special uh round table at the um at the library uh this past week. So share a little bit about that.

SPEAKER_02 16:40

Yeah. So residents packed the Clark Pleasant Library to hear from local leaders about the housing shortage in the county. Um local leaders say the shortage is a major issue across all income levels, but there's a huge mismatch between what's available versus what people can actually afford.

SPEAKER_03 16:55

Right.

SPEAKER_02 16:55

Um and you know, one of the biggest gaps is there in the middle that includes like duplexes, townhomes, smaller multi-unit options for people, you know, in that like mid-level range.

SPEAKER_03 17:07

Yeah, there is a gap with that kind of housing um within the county. Uh so yeah, but what's uh uh what's the what's the impact for of that?

SPEAKER_02 17:15

Yeah, um you know, but it said it has a real impact on people like teachers, police officers, um professionals like that. They can't afford to actually live in the county, and so people are being priced out and moving elsewhere.

SPEAKER_03 17:28

Oh yeah. And I bet that causes um there's some barriers too, um, with that as well.

SPEAKER_02 17:34

Yeah. So zoning rules largely favor single family homes and developers tend to build where it's easiest to get approval, which you know increases those barriers.

SPEAKER_03 17:44

Yeah. Yeah. What did the leaders kind of have to say about that?

SPEAKER_02 17:46

Yeah, they said it's a death by a thousand cuts, but there isn't really a single cause. It's just all these issues kind of compounding on top of each other. Um and the communities are starting to respond though. They're updating their zoning rules, they're pushing for more housing diversity. Um so basically everybody agrees that there's a problem and that solutions are going to be just a quick band-aid. It's going to take policy changes and a lot of community buy-in.

SPEAKER_03 18:11

Yeah, yeah. Like I said, it's not a it's not a one size fits all uh situation. Well, uh, we have some other news, uh a lot of school news happening. So um at Center Grove, uh Superintendent Bill Long, he's retiring after 33 years in education. 20 of those, uh 28 of those, sorry, were spent at Center Grove. So yeah, he uh he led the district through major growth, renovations, and increased diversity. Had the opportunity to uh sit down and talk with him about kind of his uh education career, what he's learned uh the most, you know, uh his leadership style, things like that. So um during his tenure, he uh had a strong focus on school safety and was actually um during his tenure, uh Centergrove was an early adopter of uh school police department. They were actually the second in the state to get one. Um and he, you know, during his time he built a district known for academics, arts, arts, and athletics as well. So as a leader, he kind of emphasized listening and compassion. And um, you know, he learned uh through his time, uh, he told me he said he believed it's important to admit when you're wrong. You know, it's uh it's it's okay to do that. So um some of the challenges we talked about that he faced were uh funding cuts, uh changes in education standards, you know, through iRead and things like that, and also the impact of social media too and misinformation that can uh that can uh kind of go out there too. Uh there's a lot of that. Yeah, there is. Uh some of the personal impact um that uh I got to talk with a few of uh people that he's worked with. Um he said that he's known for being hands-on and supportive of students and staff, and um, you know, he built a lot of strong relationships across generations of families. So yeah, he uh as he prepares for retirement, a new superintendent is stepping in, Erin Stahlbaum. She uh was formerly uh worked at uh Bartholomew Consolidated Uh Community School Corporation. Hope I'm saying that right. Um, but yeah, she uh she's gonna be stepping in and she's gonna be the new superintendent.

SPEAKER_00 20:21

So yeah, that's very exciting.

SPEAKER_03 20:23

Yeah. And then uh on the flip side, we have uh, you know, this uh caught some buzz as well. Uh Franklin School Board is seeking a referendum in November. Um, and they're asking uh voters for support. So this uh referendum, which um if you don't know what a referendum is, it's like a public question to ask uh, you know, the community dis uh to increase the tax rate by a certain uh by a certain number to kind of help schools pay for certain uh programs, safety initiatives, things like that. So this um referendum would raise um would raise up to $9 million over eight years starting in 2027. This would fund uh teachers and staff pay and also retain them and student safety services and maintain class sizes and programs. The current 2019 referendum will expire as the new one starts, so there's no overlap in having to pay both tax rates. Um, and this is driven largely by property uh tax changes, cutting school funding. Um again, SCA1 is uh is a big factor in that. Uh with this new law, um districts, um, especially Franklin is expecting to lose $4.2 million in the next three years. So uh this referendum can raise it's a lot of people might not know this, but a referendum can actually raise uh your property tax bill beyond the caps. So this will uh this will keep the district stable for now, but in the future, they could likely have to raise the tax rate again to fully sustain their cash flow by 2034. So the end of this of the one that the referendum they're proposing. Um again, this is part of a statewide wave of school referendums, and some say it's now necessary to just maintain current services. I know this is the second school district in the county to propose one, Clark Pleasant being the first one. And who knows, we might see more.

SPEAKER_00 22:18

Yeah. So I think it's almost a give in at this point.

SPEAKER_03 22:21

Yeah, yeah. So yeah, we had a we had a lot of a lot of news this week, a lot of uh important stuff. So, but yeah, we just want to thank you uh everyone so much for tuning in to be on the headlines. And we uh let us know what you'd like to hear by submitting your thoughts to news tips at dailyjournal.net and follow us wherever you get podcasts and leave a review. Anything you'd like to you'd like to add, Kirsten?

SPEAKER_02 22:43

Um, you know, I'm just so excited to be here and I'm excited to, you know, get out into the community more and learn more about Greenwood and all the exciting things that are happening.

SPEAKER_03 22:52

Awesome.

SPEAKER_02 22:53

Yeah, thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_03 22:54

Yeah, of course. We're excited to have you so awesome, and we hope you guys tune in next time.