Vigo County area planning approves rezoning to allow employee parking for local clinic

At an area planning rezoning meeting in Vigo County, planning members approved rezoning a roughly 1-acre vacant parcel from R-1 (single-family residential) to C-7 (General Commercial) so it can be used as an employee parking lot for a nearby clinic.

The parcel sits about 150 feet east of South Hiddenway Street on the north side of East Spring Hill Drive and abuts commercial zoning on multiple sides, planning staff member Sydney said. Staff flagged that the site is inside a FEMA-identified special flood hazard area and that any new construction must meet the requirements of the Vigo County flood damage prevention ordinance. Staff also noted the petitioners have applied to the Board of Zoning Appeals for relief from the hard-surfacing requirement and that the county engineer may require a stormwater and drainage plan and a drive-cut permit. Staff offered a favorable recommendation with the condition that the petitioner obtain approval of the landscape and buffer plan.

Mr. Craig, introduced in the record as the petitioners' representative, told the meeting the parcel was purchased to provide employee parking for Valley Professionals, which testimony identified as a federally qualified health center offering behavioral-health services at the nearby clinic. "It's just a parking lot," Mr. Craig said, describing the immediate plan as employee parking to free spaces in the clinic lot for patients; he added the site was bought with an eye toward possible future expansion.

Chair Mister Morris said he was familiar with the property, moved to approve the rezoning request and the motion was seconded. The chair called the vote "All by aye." The transcript records at least one affirmative vocal response after the call for the vote; individual roll-call tallies were not specified.

The planning discussion recorded the following conditions and clarifications: the property is in a flood zone and must comply with the Vigo County flood damage prevention ordinance; the petitioners have applied to the BZA for relief from the hard-surfacing requirement; and staff required approval of the landscape and buffer plan prior to finalization. Chad Lindsey, identified in the record as director of facilities for Valley Professionals, was present during the item.

The meeting moved on and the chair adjourned the session after the item was completed. No ordinance numbers, formal permit approvals, or vote tallies beyond the chair's call of "All by aye" were specified in the transcript.