Zoning Changes Include Race Track Clearance In Daviess County

Last updated on Friday, October 28, 2016

(DAVIESS CO.) - The Daviess County Commissioners approved a pile of changes to the county’s zoning ordinances, including one impacting race tracks.

The Commissioners held a public hearing on the changes that, for the most part, either loosened some of the zoning regulations or made them closer to those used by the city of Washington.

The changes include:

It allows property owners landlocked the ability to have an easement to get to their property. The changes also permit race tracks in areas zoned AG-1. The operation of a motocross race track in northeastern Daviess County has been a point of contention among neighbors near Odon. Lance Parsons has operated a track under a special use permit issued by the Daviess County Zoning Board. Neighbors have spent months trying to get a hearing to have that permit pulled claiming that the track is a noisy, dirty nuisance.
One other changes loosened requirements to allow for the development of landlocked properties. The changes made will allow people to use a private drive or easement or right of way to get to landlocked ground.
The board signed and inter-local agreement with the city of Washington concerning the Emergency Management Agency. The agreement has been renewed annually for several years in which the County EMA serves the city for annual fee of $4000.
In another inter-local agreement the county agreed to continue to have the city building commissioner work as the county's building commissioner. The agreement was updated to include a staff member to be paid for by the county. The extra worker was needed to handle the extra workload created with increased ongoing and planned development particularly on the east side of town.

In other business:

The county also agreed to a reimbursement contract with INDOT in the amount of $13,500. The money will be reimbursed to the county for performing the work on a damaged portion of the unofficial detour used when INDOT was making improvements to Highway 257.

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