MARTINSVILLE — City officials passed an ordinance Monday night establishing the Hanna Farms Planned Unit Development (PUD) District, all but guaranteeing the construction of around 280 homes on vacant farmland in the city's southeastern end.
Martinsville City Council voted unanimously to approve a zoning change from AG-Agriculture to PUD-E Planned Unit Development for the 85-acre property. The PUD district establishes certain zoning restrictions on lot size, setbacks, and signage in accordance with the city's zoning and subdivision ordinance.
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Earlier this year, Ruth and Glenn Russell, owners of Hanna Farms, agreed to sell their property to D.R. Horton, Inc., one of the largest homebuilders in the country. The site is bordered to the west by Artesian Avenue.
Homes in the subdivision are expected to range in price between $250,000 and $325,000. Construction is slated to begin next year, with first residents moving in around early 2023.
The project is expected to take more than four years to complete.
The state of city offices
Deputy Clerk-Treasurer Ben Merida discussed the potential costs associated with bringing the city-owned building at 110 W. Morgan St. up to code and compared it with the cost of renting out new office space.
The former Chrysler building currently houses the offices of the clerk-treasurer and the building inspector, as well as the Martinsville Police Department's evidence room. The city purchased the property in 2007 with the intention of developing a police and fire station but ultimately decided to build a new fire station next to the building. Plans for a new police station did not pan out.
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On Monday, Merida said it would cost around $58,000 to bring the building up to code. Combined with annual upkeep and the cost of utilities, the city would spend around $160,000 over a three-year period to remain in the building, he said.
He then compared that with the cost of leasing 7,000-square-feet of space in a building at 1201 S. Ohio St., which is owned by For Bare Feet Real Estate Investment, LLC. The city could expect to pay $65,000 in the first year of the lease, $67,000 in the second year and $69,000 in the third year, he said.
Ultimately, the city would save about $40,000 over a three-year period if it stayed in the building instead of leasing a new space, he said.
Councilwoman Suzie Lipps asked if there were other city-owned properties which would be suitable for temporary relocation of the clerk-treasurer and building inspector's office. Merida said they were not adequate for staffing needs.
Councilman Phil Deckard II said he thought the city was prioritizing erecting a second structure behind city hall to house the offices, noting he was hesitant to enter into a three-year lease without those plans being finalized.
"I wouldn't want to make a commitment for three years without a new building coming," Deckard II said.
Mayor Kenny Costin suggested the council hold two more public workshop sessions before coming to a decision.
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Those meetings will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 10 and Jan. 24 in council chambers at Martinsville City Hall.
Proclamation
Martinsville High School was chosen as one of two host sites for this year's Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches State Team Duals.
The 24-team event will draw teams in Class 1A and 2A from around the state, city officials said.
Costin signed a proclamation declaring Jan. 8, 2022, as "Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches State Team Duals Day."
The next regular meeting of the Martinsville City Council is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 10, in council chambers at Martinsville City Hall, 59 S. Jefferson St.
Design services approved
The city's Board of Works & Safety approved a $55,000 contract for design services with Indianapolis engineering firm Odle McGuire Shook for the removal of the building at 56 E. Morgan St. and design of a one-story, 2,400-square-foot masonry structure at the same location.
The Martinsville Redevelopment Commission purchased the property earlier this year for $195,000 before transferring ownership to the city, which planned on transforming the two-story structure into a welcome center with public restrooms.
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Bids for the redevelopment project came in higher than expected, however, which led the RDC to recommend the board of works look into demolishing the building and build a new structure in its place to house the facilities.
Fiber deadline extended
The board also voted Monday to extend the Dec. 31 deadline for a final agreement between the city of Martinsville and Meridiam Infrastructure North America Corporation, which is planning a $10 million investment to build an open-access fiber-optic network in the city.
The company, which manages public and community infrastructure projects in the U.S. and Canada, asked the city to move the deadline to Feb. 28, 2022, in order to give the company more time to finalize its agreement with the city of Bloomington, which is pursuing its own fiber infrastructure project with Meridiam. The company is also in negotiations with the cities of Columbus and Shelbyville.
In September, the city and Meridiam signed a non-binding letter of intent regarding the development of a fiber network in Martinsville. The company plans to begin construction next year.
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In other business, the board approved sewer adjustments for six properties.
The next regular meeting of the Martinsville Board of Works & Safety is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 10 in council chambers at Martinsville City Hall.
Contact reporter Peter Blanchard at 765-346-2942 or pblanchard@reporter-times.com. Follow him on Twitter @peterlblanchard.
This article originally appeared on The Reporter Times: Martinsville OKs zoning change for Hanna Farms housing development
