Indianapolis City-County Council Regular Meeting - March 2, 2026
Indianapolis City-County Council Regular Meeting - March 2, 2026
The Indianapolis City-County Council met on March 2, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. in the City-County Building, presided over by President Maggie A. Lewis. The meeting opened with a prayer led by Councillor Gibson and the Pledge of Allegiance. Attendance was taken; Councillors Armee, Nelson, and Sherman were excused. The agenda and minutes from February 2 were approved by consent. The council considered multiple proposals, including appointments, budget appropriations, zoning matters, traffic regulations, and resolutions recognizing community organizations and individuals.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of the agenda and journal entries for February 2, 2026.
- Proposals 77 through 91 (rezoning cases certified by the Metropolitan Development Commission) passed into law without reconsideration.
- Proposals 13 and 41 (fiscal impact reports for union agreements with IFD Local 416 and AFSCME 962) were accepted by the council; no further action required.
Public Comments & Testimony
- During the public hearing for Proposal 8 (additional appropriation for supportive housing), a resident of Decatur Township spoke. Although the item was about housing funding, the speaker addressed concerns about proposed data centers in Decatur Township, citing potential air pollution from over 100 diesel generators and the lack of a zoning definition for data centers. The speaker urged the council to implement a moratorium on data centers until an ordinance is crafted. Despite being reminded to stay on topic, the comment was allowed to conclude.
Discussion Items
- Proposal 58 (Special Resolution): Recognized Indianapolis Fire Department Chief Ernest Malone for 40 years of dedicated service. The resolution highlighted his career, certifications, and awards. Passed unanimously by voice vote.
- Proposal 60 (Special Resolution): Recognized Voices Corporation, a nonprofit serving youth and families on the Far East side, for its work in strengthening trust between families and systems. Passed unanimously by voice vote.
- Proposal 9: Reappointment of Robert Hamley to the Marion County Public Defender Board was withdrawn by the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee (9-0) because Mr. Hamley could no longer serve. Council consented to the withdrawal.
- Proposal 34: Approved the mayor's appointment of Christopher L. Bailey as Chief Deputy Mayor. Passed 22-0.
- Proposal 37: Appointed Rory Babb to the Woodruff Place Economic Improvement Board. Passed 22-0.
- Proposal 67: Approved the mayor's appointment of Tanya B. Terry as Chief of Police for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. The committee held a community meeting in Councillor Graves' district and voted 11-0 in support. Full council passed 22-0.
- Proposal 8: Approved an additional appropriation of $2,840,000 in the 2026 budget of the Department of Metropolitan Development for Section 108 debt and permanent supportive housing. Referred from Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee (15-0). Passed 22-0 after the public hearing.
- Proposal 10: Approved an additional appropriation of $65,000 in the 2026 budget for the Marion County Coroner's Office for a documentary series and Health First Indiana Initiative Grant. Passed by vote 10-0 in committee; full council passed by voice vote.
- Proposal 35: Determined the need for the Marion County Election Board to lease approximately 57,000 square feet at 51 Coranova Lane for the election service center. Passed 22-0.
- Proposal 38: Approved the amounts, locations, and programmatic operation of community development grant funds. Passed 22-0 (committee vote 12-0 with one abstention).
- Proposal 39: Amended chapters 740, 741, and 742 of the zoning code pertaining to flood control, stormwater management, and the well-field secondary district. Passed 22-0.
- Proposals 42–56 (taken together): Authorized speed limit reductions to 25 mph in multiple subdivisions and neighborhoods, and a weight limit restriction on Southwest Drive (Proposal 48). Councillors Brown and Bain thanked the Public Works Committee, noting that the changes would improve safety, especially for school children. Passed 22-0.
- Proposals 46 and 57 (taken together): Authorized parking restrictions on East 10th Street and Brookville Road. Councillor Hart explained that Proposal 57 addressed habitual truck parking issues near warehousing. Passed 22-0.
Key Outcomes
- All appointments and budget appropriations were approved as presented.
- New proposals introduced and referred to committees: Proposals 71–76, 92, and 93 (including the Grove at Pleasant Run affordable housing project with 160 units).
- The council adopted a motion for adjournment in memory of Officer Brian Elliott, Berness Hood, David Davis, Douglas E. Lynn Smith, Virginia "Jenny" Fox Hardigan, Sergeant Irma Jean Andrews, William Eugene Duggar, Sherry Jones, Catherine Ross, David Goss, Frank Wilkins, Jesse Moore, and Cheryl Jackson Newsom.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. I will now call to order the City County Council meeting for Monday, March 7th. It's March 2nd, 2026. We'll begin with a prayer pledge of allegiance led by Counselor Gibson. Would you all please join me in prayer? I know there's a lot going on in the world right now, and uh award that uh there's a lot of division about and in support for, but uh thank God we live in America and I I thank God that we're all Americans. So uh join me in prayer. Deputy Father, I uh thank you for this privilege, this privilege of serving this chamber with these fine individuals. I want to first think about uh all levels of our government, God in the name of Jesus. I pray for our mayor, Mayor Joe Hogsett, continue to lead God and show him and his entire team to do what's best for the people in Indianapolis. Also want to lift up the judicial branch, God, uh make sure they are handling justice swiftly. And God, I pray that you lift up the members that I serve with in this council, God. We'll make a lot of hard decisions, and they're not easy. We may have opposition support, but we try to do the best thing that we can do for direction of our people. I want to lift up uh councilwoman um president, Maggie Lewis and her husband, and the passing of her father-in-law. I pray you'll continue to strengthen their family. God, we ask that every person who lives in Naples that we do the will and create what you desired in our hearts and command us to do, God, and that's to love, love one another. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Join me to pledge allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag, the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, Councillor Gibson. Would all counselors select the green button to indicate your attendance. We have a public council that has to be excused this evening, Councilor Armee, Council Nelson, and Sherman, hopefully. Next time I'm on our condition. Can you hear me now? Yes. Uh-huh. Madam President. Yes. Can I make a quick uh acknowledgement too? To uh Boy Scouts Troop 446. Uh, they're doing their local government uh meeting tonight, and I appreciate them for coming out seeing government in action and very much appreciate them for coming out tonight majority leader. Thank you, madam president. I just wanted to acknowledge uh friends and former constituents from Decatur Township who I know who are in the audience uh showing their freedom of speech tonight on their uh proposed data center coming before their district. Thank you all for being here, and I think we've also got some friends and from uh the Ewell Creek area concerned about Eagle Creek and the elite project as well. So thank you all for coming downtown. I know it's difficult. Additional introductions. The next item on our agenda is the official communications. Madam Clerk. Thank you, Madam President. Ladies and gentlemen, you are hereby notified the regular meetings of the City County Council, police, fire, and solid waste collection special service district councils will be held in the city county building in the public assembly room on Monday, March 2nd, 2026 at 7 o'clock p.m. The purposes of such meetings being to conduct any and all business that may properly come before regular meetings of the council. Sincerely, Maggie A. Lewis, President City County Council. Ladies and gentlemen, pursuant to the laws of the state of Indiana, I call to be published in the Court and Commercial Record and in the Indianapolis Star on Friday, February 6, 2026. A copy of notice of public hearing on proposal numbers 13 and 41, 2026, said hearing to be held on Tuesday, February 24th, 2026, at 530 p.m. in the public assembly room of the City County Building, and a copy of notice of public hearing for proposals numbers 8 and 10, 2026, said hearing to be held Monday, March 2nd, 2026, at 7 o'clock p.m. in the public assembly room of the City County Building. On Friday, February 27, 2026, a copy of public notice, notice of public hearing on proposal number 68, 2026, said hearing to be held on Monday, March 9th, 2026 at 530 p.m.
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