Zionsville moves forward on purchase agreements for two potential fire station sites

Chief Van Gorder told the Zionsville Safety Board on Sept. 15 that the town has moved from letters of intent to executed purchase agreements for two properties identified in a previously approved fire station feasibility study. "We did, agree to some letters of intent with those two property owners, and we have now moved on to a signed executed purchase agreement for both properties for the exact terms and dollars amounts that we had anticipated," Van Gorder said. The chief said the town council and mayor had earlier approved the feasibility report and funding, and department staff are now completing closing tasks including title commitments, survey work and environmental testing. Van Gorder told the board the department anticipates closing on the properties "before the end of this year." The feasibility report, council approvals and the mayor’s concurrence preceded the purchase agreements, Van Gorder said; he did not provide property addresses or purchase prices at the meeting. Board members asked no substantive questions about the properties during the update. Why it matters: acquiring land identified in a fire-station feasibility study is a key step toward siting a new station and affects capital planning, closing schedules and subsequent design or permitting steps. The department said it is moving through standard closing activities—title, survey and environmental reviews—before final transfer. The board did not take a separate vote on the land purchases at the Sept. 15 meeting; the update to the board described the executed agreements and the administrative work remaining before closing.