Metropolitan Development Commission Meeting – November 20, 2024
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Metropolitan Development Commission Meeting – November 20, 2024
The Metropolitan Development Commission met on November 20, 2024, at 6:00 PM. The meeting included continuance requests, approvals of multiple tax abatements and policy resolutions, and a docket of non-appeal petitions. A special presentation on a proposed Wawa convenience store was also heard.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes Approval: The minutes of the November 6, 2024 meeting were approved unanimously (voice vote).
- Six Policy Resolutions (no public hearing): 2024 R028, 2024 E037, 2024 E041, 2024 E042, 2024 E043, and 2024 P010 were grouped and approved 7–0.
Discussion Items
- Continuance Requests:
- 2024 A037 (raised bio Inc., 5850 West 80th Street) continued to December 18, 2024, upon staff request; passed 7–0.
- 2024 A038 (Georgia’s Concrete, continued to December 18, 2024) due to higher‑than‑expected project costs; passed 7–0.
- Public Hearing – 2024 A034 (130 East Worcester Street): 10‑year real property tax abatement for Holiday Property Services. Project: 22 units at 60% AMI for 15 years, two full‑time jobs at $55,000/year, and a mural commitment or $15,000 donation to public art. Staff recommended approval. Approved 7–0.
- Public Hearing – 2024 A039 (351 West 10th Street): Termination of personal property tax abatement for Life of Mike Inc., which never utilized it. Staff concurred. Approved 7–0.
- Public Hearing – 2024 A040 (4825 West 79th Street): Five‑year personal property tax abatement for Olson Custom Designs LLC. Expansion with $5 million investment, retention of 56 jobs ($28/hr average), creation of 30 new jobs ($28/hr minimum), and a 5% tax savings donation to the Indy Achieves completion grant. Approved 7–0.
- Petitions of No Appeal: Nine items were read into the record. One continuance was granted for 2024 MOD 017 to December 4, 2024 (7–0). Special guest Joe Calderan (counsel for petitioner) presented on 2024 ZON 111 (4900 & 4952 Kentucky Avenue) – a rezoning for a Wawa convenience store with fuel. He noted unanimous support from Decatur Township Civic Council and staff, a 5.5‑acre site with 2.5 acres developed, and C4 zoning consistent with the comp plan. The Commission approved all nine petitions: Commissioner Morerity was recused on 2024 ZON 082 and voted no on 2024 CAP 832; all others passed (6–0 on most, 6–1 on 2024 CAP 832).
Key Outcomes
- Approved: Minutes, continuances, six policy resolutions, three public‑hearing tax abatements (2024 A034, A039, A040 – all 7–0).
- Approved: Nine non‑appeal petitions (2024 APP 018, 2024 MOD 009, 2023 MOD 015, 2024 ZON 082, 2024 ZON 111, 2024 ZON 116, 2024 ZON 117, 2024 CAP 832, 2024 CZN 837) with one recusal and one dissenting vote noted.
- Continued: 2024 A037 to December 18, 2024; 2024 MOD 017 to December 4, 2024.
- No public comments were received from the audience.
Meeting Transcript
Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. Welcome to the November 20th, 2024 meeting of the Metropolitan Development Commission. I will now call the meeting to order. Please rise and join me with the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you. Members of the Commission, you receive the minutes of the November 6, 2024 meeting. Are there any additions or deletions to those minutes? Hearing none. I will accept a motion to approve. Thank you. Have a second. Second. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Aye. Those opposed. Nancy showed Commissioner Morerity as recused. He was not at the meeting. Moving forward. Nancy, let's read the resolutions into the record, please. Thank you, President Dillon. 2024 R028. Metropolitan Development Commission authorizes DMD to enter into an amendment to add services and funding to the Merit Chase contract for Georgia Street with a new not-to-exceed amount of $1,107,500. 2024 A034 for public hearing. Recommend approval of four years personal property tax abatement. 2024 A038 FAR Public Hearing. A hearing regarding termination of the personal property tax abatement associated with economic revitalization area resolution. 2017 A065 2017. Recommend approval of five years personal property tax abatement. 2024 E041 authorizes DMD to expend unobligated funds on deposit in the Hillside Ho TIFF allocation fund in an amount not to exceed $30,000 for the construction of park improvements. This ends the reading of the resolution. Thank you, Nancy. I understand we have two resolutions that are going to be requests for continuance. Staff, could you come up and make that request now? Thank you. Good afternoon, President Dillon, members of the Commission. Staff is requesting resolution 2024 A037 raised bio Inc. This project is located at 5850 West 80th Street to be continued to the 1218 hearing date. Contacted our offices, and they're doing some internal reviews for the parameters of their proposed uh phase two project, and they've asked for some additional time. Thank you. Members of the commission, you have any questions on this continuance request. Anyone here in the audience have a question or a comment on this continuance request? We have before us 2024 A037. Staff has asked it to be moved till December 18th. Can I get a motion to approve? So moved. Thank you. Uh Commissioner James. Can I get a second? Second.
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