The main topic on the Daviess County Commissioners’ agenda Tuesday morning was a decision on keeping or rescinding Daviess County’s zoning code. The commissioners had asked the County Advisory Plan Commission to hold a meeting to discuss and make a recommendation about county-wide zoning. After a public meeting last week, the APC sent the commissioner their unanimous support for keeping the zoning code in force. Commissioner Michael Keith said he had talked to many people, and almost all were in favor of keeping the code in force. Commission President Nathan Gabhart said that no one had contacted him either for or against zoning. Gabhart discussed what he saw as pros and cons of zoning but said he felt that the current situation did not dictate a move away from the current zoning code. Commissioner TC Cook said he had interviewed members of the Amish community and they were against zoning and that he was philosophically against it. After the discussion, the commissioners voted 2-1 to keep the county zoning code in effect. The commissioners did agree to investigate bringing administration of the owning code “in house.” However, Commissioner Gabhart said the City of Washington had done a great job of administering the County’s zoning.
In other business, the commissioners heard that the courthouse project is on schedule with about 87% of the work finished. County Highway Superintendent Chris Winkler reported the county had received $1,100,000 from Indiana’s Community Crossing Matching Grant for use on resurfacing county roads. The commissioners approved Sheriff Gary Allison’s request to apply for a $50,000 Operation Pullover Grant from the state and approved requests from the treasurer’s and auditor’s offices.
The commissioners also heard North Daviess School Superintendent Jodi Berry express concern about a potential truck stop locating across from the North Daviess Schools at the intersection of SR 58 and CR 550 E. Berry said she understands the proposed truck stop plans to enter and exit off CR 550 E and said that she was concerned about traffic on CR 550 E, which sees 20 school buses, 139 teenage drivers, and over 100 parents bringing and picking up elementary students each day. Berry said she was also concerned about the effect on traffic related to school activities. Berry also noted that North Daviess had put in a forced sewer main from the schools to the Elnora treatment plant. Berry said it is the only sewer line in the area and is not large enough to accommodate a truck stop. The commissioners said they would take Berry’s concerns under consideration.
