OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Marion County Alliance of Neighborhood Associations Monthly Meeting - March 24, 2026

Other Meetings (J-Z) — Tuesday, March 24, 2026
BodyIndianapolis, Indiana
SessionOther Meetings (J-Z)
DateTuesday, March 24, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:14:21

Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

I apologize.

0:02

I have kind of a cold thing going on, so I sound like I'm talking like that.

0:08

Good morning to all of you who are watching on channel 16 or 28, and to all of you who are able to make it here in person.

0:16

I want to welcome you to the monthly meeting of the Marion County Alliance of Neighborhood Associations.

0:22

We have several speakers with us this morning who are all going to talk about neighborhood driven initiatives to make positive impacts and address issues in their communities.

0:32

So it's going to be a variety of issues of topics that we're addressing today.

0:49

Not for profit, a mouthful, neighborhood-based organization that encompasses all of Marion County.

0:56

And our purpose is to provide support to neighborhoods that are addressing issues or generating projects in their neighborhood.

1:05

And also to help lend support to each other when we do have issues that we need to have addressed.

1:10

Sometimes, as we all know, getting the people to come out and speak their voices and show up at meetings is a challenge sometimes.

1:18

But we want neighborhoods to be able to talk with each other to learn about what they've done that was successful in the past, things that they might have tried differently, or to seek help in how to get an initiative started.

1:29

And the other core thing that we try to do is to address issues that are countywide issues, such as the Comp Plan review, which is currently going on, that is going to have impacts all across the county.

1:40

So we want to make sure that McCana is fulfilling its purpose by supporting countywide issues, but also looking to help neighborhoods with issues that are specific to their own neighborhoods.

1:53

There are lots of things that we all have in common, and there are some characteristics of our neighborhoods that are unique to us, but that will resonate with other communities that may be clear across the county.

2:03

Part of the way that we do that is to have our monthly membership meetings, which are held on the third Saturday of every month at North United Methodist Church, which is at 38th and Meridian.

2:13

You can't miss it.

2:13

It's the great big stone church with the bells in the top.

2:16

It's centrally located on the Indigo bus line, so it makes it easily accessible to everyone.

2:21

And we want to thank the church for allowing us to use their meeting space.

2:27

We have, in fact, invited their community outreach coordinator to come and speak with us about all of the myriad of community outreach programs that they have going on, some of which I just learned about.

2:38

But our meetings are held from 9 to 11 a.m.

2:40

Um on Saturday morning when many of you are out doing other neighborhood projects or trying to sleep in or catch a breath from whatever work week you might have had.

2:50

But we do also have the and those meetings are open to the public.

2:54

You can be a member of McCana, but you don't have to be.

3:16

I'm not sure.

3:17

But but you can watch those meetings on channel 16 and 28 throughout the month.

3:22

So if you're not able to meet or come to those meetings in person, you can still find out what's going on in the neighborhoods in Marion County.

3:30

I do at the beginning of this time of year, I always say our pop McCannna's policy is for those candidates who are running for public office.

3:38

Um they are always welcome to attend our meetings and have about five minutes to talk about their qualifications, um, their issue the issues that they think are important, their goals.

3:48

Um they we appreciate it if you contact me ahead of time, but you don't have to.

3:53

And we try and make that time equal so that we're so that anyone, any candidate has an opportunity to come and speak with McCannna members about the upcoming elections and what they hope to accomplish if they are successful.

4:05

Um pause and put on the glasses.

4:11

Our next meeting will be on April the 19th, and our speakers will be from the City of Indianapolis and from the and Jim, correct me if I get this wrong.

4:20

The Coalition for Homeless Intervention and Prevention.

4:23

Did I get it right?

4:24

Um, to talk about the homeless problem in Marion County.

4:28

There are a variety of initiatives that are being conducted by the city as well as other not-for-profit organizations such as CHIP to try and address the number of homeless people that we have that we need to find safe, secure places for them to be able to stay.

4:46

And that has been a topic that has long been on McCann's Horizon.

4:49

And thanks to one of our mayor's neighborhood advocates, Julian Novak, we were able to finally get all the connections made.

4:56

So homelessness will be the topic in our April meeting.

5:00

And then in May, we will be honored to have with us Dr.

5:01

Virginia Kane, who is the director for the Marion County Hospital Health and Hospital Corporation, or excuse me, the Marion County Public Health Corporation.

5:11

They have been wonderful partners to have with McCannna.

5:15

Dr.

5:16

Kane is nationally recognized as an expert in public health.

5:19

She has a lot of information to share about programs that are available through the Marion County Health Department, as well as a recent study that they completed again, which I believe is done every five five years that talks about the help of Marion County.

5:33

So we certainly welcome you to come and hear what all of those speakers have to say.

5:49

It's called Sharing Our Strengths, where if there is a specific issue in your neighborhood that you have tried to get addressed and are not getting any traction on, you can ask to have neighborhoods from across Marion County way in.

7:11

You can pick this up and tell what you can do to help just basically say to our elected officials, you need to include us in the process before the plans are done and made.

7:45

Which one?

7:46

I'm looking at the map trying to figure it out.

7:50

We do ask that you email if possible.

7:54

That makes it easier for those elected and uh elected officials and city representatives to kind of track things and keep track of things and get to them when they can.

8:04

Sometimes they can't always answer their phone.

8:06

It also gives you a record of the fact that yes, in fact, you did communicate with them.

8:12

So if you want some follow-up, you can ask for that.

8:15

And also out on the sign-up table is the form if your neighborhood has an issue that you would like to see support from other neighborhoods across the county on that you can complete and then get it back to me.

8:26

You can either fill it out and leave it with me, or you can email it.

8:30

Um if you want to contact McCannna, you can do so by mail at P.O.

8:36

Box 1082, Indianapolis 46206.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Environmental Protection█████████████████████████████████████████████45%
Community Engagement███████████████████19%
Zoning and Land Use████████8%
Youth Programs███████7%
Homelessness████4%
Parks and Recreation████4%
Land Use Regulation████4%
Engineering And Infrastructure██2%
Animal Care██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Marion County Alliance of Neighborhood Associations Monthly Meeting - March 24, 2026

The Marion County Alliance of Neighborhood Associations (MCANA) held its monthly membership meeting on Saturday, March 24, 2026, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at North United Methodist Church (38th and Meridian) in Indianapolis. The meeting focused on neighborhood-driven initiatives to address community issues, with presentations on youth baseball, wetland preservation, and data center concerns. The chair highlighted upcoming MCANA meetings on homelessness and public health.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Announcements: Jackie (Martindale Brightwood) announced a public hearing on April 1, 2026, regarding a proposed data center at 25th and Sherman, downtown at the Department of Metropolitan Development starting at 1:00 p.m. She asked for support from other neighborhoods.
  • Road Crew Courtesy: The chair urged attendees to be courteous to road crews patching potholes, noting workers are not responsible for the road conditions.
  • Two-Way Street Conversions: James Whitfield (Highland Vicinity Neighborhood Association) updated on the planned conversion of 29th and Capitol to two-way streets, stating the project is still in the planning stage with sewer and utility work on 29th Street but not yet on Capitol. The community wants to be included in planning and review.
  • Political Action: Ruth (North Side) argued that true change requires electing officials who will appoint neighborhood-friendly board members, criticizing state legislation (House Bill 1383) that weakens wetland protections and the political influence of developers.
  • General Concerns: Several attendees discussed challenges of getting developers to listen and the need for persistence and factual testimony in zoning hearings.

Discussion Items

Mayor's Neighborhood Advocate Update – Natalie Van Donggen

Natalie Van Donggen, Director of Community Outreach, provided city updates:

  • Road Repairs: DPW is using hot mix asphalt for pothole patching and beginning strip patching on thoroughfares with an increased 2026 budget. Residents can report issues via Request Indy or the Mayor's Action Center. A new tool at roadclosures.indy.gov shows closure details.
  • Winter Contingency Plan: City-operated winter shelters (family and men's) close March 31st. The program was weather-activated from end of November through March. In response to a question, Van Donggen said she would inquire about heat-activated shelters for summer.
  • Indy Parks: Day camp registration is open; summer job opportunities for youth ages 16–24 available via Project Indy (ProjectIndy.net). New amenities at Wish Park and Canterbury Park. Martin Luther King Park dedication on April 4 (time to be confirmed).
  • Animal Care Services: New animal shelter at 5001 East Raymond Street opening soon (construction timeline pending). Adoption events listed for March 21, March 28, April 11, and April 18.
  • Crack Sealing: Van Donggen recommended reporting degrading road conditions through the Mayor's Action Center or via Mayor's Neighborhood Advocates.

Indy RBI – Trisha Pollman

Trisha Pollman, with Bob Haney (RBI Director), presented on Reviving Baseball in the Inner City (Indy RBI):

  • The program provides low-cost baseball and softball for inner-city youth, supported in part by Major League Baseball but relying on sponsorships and donations. Registration is $25 per child, with scholarships available.
  • Fields are provided by Indy Parks at Brookside Park (softball), Forrest Manor, Christian Park, and Rhodias Park (baseball). Opening day is May 2, 2026; season runs through end of June.
  • Transportation to parks is a challenge; many families carpool. Parks are near bus lines.
  • Contacts: Bob Haney (317-626-2788) or Brandy Moorhead (317-566-4531). Website: indyrbi.org.

Wetlands Not Warehouse – Robin Heldman

Robin Heldman, chair of the Wetlands Not Warehouse initiative in Franklin Township, described the grassroots effort to prevent a warehouse development on a 208-acre site containing wetlands and woodlands:

  • In 2022, a rezone petition was filed for 208 acres (proposed 1 million sq ft of warehouses). Over 45 acres were wetlands/woodlands – the last remaining wetlands in the Pleasant Run watershed.
  • After a public hearing in April 2024 with over 50 residents, IDEM denied the wetland permit in 2024. The developer (Gershman Partners) changed plans, saving the easternmost 45-acre tract from a 575,000 sq ft warehouse.
  • The task force is now working to purchase and preserve the 45-acre site as a nature preserve. They have received a $10,000 donation from the developer for a conceptual site plan.
  • Partners include Hoosier Environmental Council, Great Lakes Audubon, The Nature Conservancy, DNR, DPW Land Stewardship, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and others.
  • Heldman emphasized that the wetland provides stormwater storage (225,000 cubic feet) and habitat for nine bird species of greatest conservation need.
  • Challenges: House Bill 1383 (passed July 2024) narrowed wetland protections. The site is zoned for industrial use, so it remains at risk. The task force is seeking grant funding for a master plan (estimated $35,000) and considering potential partnership with Indy Parks if land is donated.
  • Heldman encouraged other communities to start their own "Wetlands Not Warehouses" chapters via HEC. Contact: robin@rhrcorp.us or website wnwft.com.

Data Center Concerns – Pat Andrews

Pat Andrews (Decatur Township Civic Council) reported on a data center approved by the Metropolitan Development Commission on March 19, 2026, for 132 acres zoned I-2:

  • The proposed data center would be 250 megawatts with 120 diesel generators and up to a million gallons of diesel storage.
  • Health impacts: Citing a study from Oregon on a similar proposal, Andrews modeled the plume of diesel combustion particulates for the Decatur site, estimating 41.9 additional cancers per million people within a 3.6-mile-wide by 8-mile-long plume. Oregon's standard allowed only 10 per million.
  • Noise: Low-frequency noise from generators can travel 1.5 to 3 miles and disrupt sleep. World Health Organization recommends indoor noise below 30 dB for sleep. Prince William County, Virginia, has a 55 dB nighttime limit at residences.
  • Property tax myth: Andrews explained that additional assessed value from data centers does not reduce homeowner taxes due to tax caps; it only benefits commercial/industrial taxpayers. Data centers also receive 50-year sales tax exemptions on server equipment (replaced every 2-3 years).
  • Next steps: Decatur Township Civic Council will vote on a lawsuit challenging the MDC approval. Homeowners directly affected also have standing. Fundraising will be needed.
  • Andrews urged MCANA to push for a moratorium on data center permits until a zoning ordinance is in place. She noted that other Indiana counties have moratoriums.
  • MCANA recently adopted a policy requesting the city pause data center permits until appropriate standards are developed.
  • Contact: PCAndrews@comcast.net.

Key Outcomes

  • MCANA Policy: The organization has adopted a policy asking the City of Indianapolis to pause granting permits or zoning approvals for new data centers until a zoning ordinance establishing standards is developed and passed.
  • Decatur Township: The Civic Council plans to file a lawsuit against the MDC approval of the Sabey data center, citing multiple process and health concerns. Fundraising and community support will be sought.
  • Wetlands Not Warehouse: The task force is finalizing a conceptual site plan and pursuing grant funding for a master plan. Indy Parks has expressed conditional interest in managing the preserve if land is donated.
  • Indy RBI: Registration is open for the upcoming season; scholarships available. The program continues to rely on community sponsorship.
  • Future Meetings: April 19, 2026 – topic: homelessness with city officials and the Coalition for Homeless Intervention and Prevention (CHIP). May 17, 2026 – topic: public health with Dr. Virginia Kane, director of the Marion County Public Health Corporation.

Meeting Transcript

I apologize. I have kind of a cold thing going on, so I sound like I'm talking like that. Good morning to all of you who are watching on channel 16 or 28, and to all of you who are able to make it here in person. I want to welcome you to the monthly meeting of the Marion County Alliance of Neighborhood Associations. We have several speakers with us this morning who are all going to talk about neighborhood driven initiatives to make positive impacts and address issues in their communities. So it's going to be a variety of issues of topics that we're addressing today. Not for profit, a mouthful, neighborhood-based organization that encompasses all of Marion County. And our purpose is to provide support to neighborhoods that are addressing issues or generating projects in their neighborhood. And also to help lend support to each other when we do have issues that we need to have addressed. Sometimes, as we all know, getting the people to come out and speak their voices and show up at meetings is a challenge sometimes. But we want neighborhoods to be able to talk with each other to learn about what they've done that was successful in the past, things that they might have tried differently, or to seek help in how to get an initiative started. And the other core thing that we try to do is to address issues that are countywide issues, such as the Comp Plan review, which is currently going on, that is going to have impacts all across the county. So we want to make sure that McCana is fulfilling its purpose by supporting countywide issues, but also looking to help neighborhoods with issues that are specific to their own neighborhoods. There are lots of things that we all have in common, and there are some characteristics of our neighborhoods that are unique to us, but that will resonate with other communities that may be clear across the county. Part of the way that we do that is to have our monthly membership meetings, which are held on the third Saturday of every month at North United Methodist Church, which is at 38th and Meridian. You can't miss it. It's the great big stone church with the bells in the top. It's centrally located on the Indigo bus line, so it makes it easily accessible to everyone. And we want to thank the church for allowing us to use their meeting space. We have, in fact, invited their community outreach coordinator to come and speak with us about all of the myriad of community outreach programs that they have going on, some of which I just learned about. But our meetings are held from 9 to 11 a.m. Um on Saturday morning when many of you are out doing other neighborhood projects or trying to sleep in or catch a breath from whatever work week you might have had. But we do also have the and those meetings are open to the public. You can be a member of McCana, but you don't have to be. I'm not sure. But but you can watch those meetings on channel 16 and 28 throughout the month. So if you're not able to meet or come to those meetings in person, you can still find out what's going on in the neighborhoods in Marion County. I do at the beginning of this time of year, I always say our pop McCannna's policy is for those candidates who are running for public office. Um they are always welcome to attend our meetings and have about five minutes to talk about their qualifications, um, their issue the issues that they think are important, their goals. Um they we appreciate it if you contact me ahead of time, but you don't have to. And we try and make that time equal so that we're so that anyone, any candidate has an opportunity to come and speak with McCannna members about the upcoming elections and what they hope to accomplish if they are successful. Um pause and put on the glasses. Our next meeting will be on April the 19th, and our speakers will be from the City of Indianapolis and from the and Jim, correct me if I get this wrong. The Coalition for Homeless Intervention and Prevention. Did I get it right? Um, to talk about the homeless problem in Marion County. There are a variety of initiatives that are being conducted by the city as well as other not-for-profit organizations such as CHIP to try and address the number of homeless people that we have that we need to find safe, secure places for them to be able to stay. And that has been a topic that has long been on McCann's Horizon. And thanks to one of our mayor's neighborhood advocates, Julian Novak, we were able to finally get all the connections made. So homelessness will be the topic in our April meeting. And then in May, we will be honored to have with us Dr. Virginia Kane, who is the director for the Marion County Hospital Health and Hospital Corporation, or excuse me, the Marion County Public Health Corporation. They have been wonderful partners to have with McCannna. Dr. Kane is nationally recognized as an expert in public health. She has a lot of information to share about programs that are available through the Marion County Health Department, as well as a recent study that they completed again, which I believe is done every five five years that talks about the help of Marion County. So we certainly welcome you to come and hear what all of those speakers have to say. It's called Sharing Our Strengths, where if there is a specific issue in your neighborhood that you have tried to get addressed and are not getting any traction on, you can ask to have neighborhoods from across Marion County way in. You can pick this up and tell what you can do to help just basically say to our elected officials, you need to include us in the process before the plans are done and made. Which one?

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