Evansville-Vanderburgh Area Plan Commission Meeting - May 7, 2026

The Area Plan Commission of Evansville and Vanderburgh County convened on May 7, 2026, to consider three rezoning petitions and a county-wide parking ordinance update. The commission approved a compliance rezoning, a 216-unit apartment complex over community opposition, a single-family subdivision, and forwarded the new parking regulations to the county commissioners.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The April memorandum was unanimously approved (8-0).

REZ-2026-010: Hicks Drive Compliance Rezoning

Petitioner Wendell McKinney requested to rezone 1810 and 1814 Hicks Drive from R1 to R3 to legally establish three existing single-family homes that cross property lines. The commission found no opposition and approved the petition 8-0, forwarding it to the City Council with a recommendation for approval.

REZ-2026-011: Old Boonville Highway Apartment Complex

Attorney Steve Bolieber and developer Kenny Reinbrecht (Elite Properties) requested a rezoning of 6600 Old Boonville Highway from R1 to R5 for a 216-unit apartment complex.

• Petitioner Position: The development is consistent with the comprehensive plan for the mixed-use area and will include a lake and significant green space. The developer committed to conducting a traffic impact study, installing tree buffers, placing the dumpster compactor near the industrial northern boundary, and developing a detailed Use and Development Commitment (UDC) before reaching the city council.
• Remonstrator Position (Led by Cathy Tooley and supported by the Lasher family): The community argued the area is oversaturated with apartments, traffic on narrow Old Boonville Highway is dangerous without sidewalks or streetlights, and the water infrastructure is strained. They asked the commission to deny the rezoning.
• Commission Deliberation: Commissioners expressed a desire for more specific UDC protections, including landscaping and fencing, before voting. Commissioners Hooper and Freeman voted no, citing a lack of a pre-application meeting with neighbors and vague commitments. Commissioners Stevens and Nix supported the project, trusting the subsequent site review process.
• Outcome: The petition was approved 6-2 (Hooper, Freeman dissenting) and forwarded to the City Council with the expectation of a strengthened UDC.

REZ-2026-012: Covert Avenue Residential Subdivision

Scott Beadle (Kash Wagner & Associates) and developer Aaron Miller requested a rezoning at 5925/6001 Covert Avenue from PUD, R1, and C2 to R3 for a proposed residential subdivision.

• Petitioner Position: The rezoning to R3 is primarily to allow a reduced 20-foot front yard setback for a planned 34-lot single-family and duplex subdivision. Miller committed to a UDC restricting the property to single-family and duplex uses, addressing the drainage issues of the Cold Ditch with county officials.
• Remonstrator Position (Led by Kate Combs, Aubrey Wellman, and Casey Burns): Neighbors expressed fears of flooding, the retention pond impacting Price Park safety, increased traffic from soccer events, and the potential for future apartment construction. A petition of 95 signatures opposing the rezoning was submitted.
• Commission Deliberation: Concerns about permitting future multi-family development were allayed by the developer's commitment to a UDC limiting the use. The commission noted the developer had met with the county surveyor to resolve drainage concerns.
• Outcome: The petition was approved unanimously (8-0) with the condition of a UCD restricting density, forwarded to the City Council.

County Parking Ordinance Update

Staff presented a proposed update to the county parking regulations, mirroring the recently adopted city version.

• Discussion: The ordinance modernizes parking requirements with credits for EV charging stations and reduces minimum parking for many uses. It exempts legally existing parking lots from new landscaping requirements upon a change of use.
• Commissioner Petke Concern: Expressed concern that the ordinance had not been properly vetted by commercial development stakeholders, suggesting a delay for further study.
• Counterpoint: Other commissioners argued the code is less restrictive than the current one and would spur development. They advocated for immediate approval with the ability to amend later.
• Outcome: Approved 7-1 (Petke dissenting) and forwarded to the County Commissioners.

Key Outcomes

• April Memorandum: Approved (8-0).
• REZ-2026-010 (Hicks Drive): Approved (8-0) for City Council.
• REZ-2026-011 (Old Boonville Highway): Approved (6-2) for City Council.
• REZ-2026-012 (Covert Avenue): Approved (8-0) for City Council.
• County Parking Ordinance: Approved (7-1) for County Commissioners.
• Next Meeting: Scheduled for June 4, 2026.