Council advances annexation and several rezones; updates to official zoning map approved

MUNCIE, Ind. — At its March 3 meeting the Muncie Common Council handled multiple zoning and annexation items, including an annexation ordinance for portions of the Heron Point neighborhood and several rezoning petitions presented for the council’s action.

Ordinance 30-24 (Heron Point annexation) was moved and taken up; city counsel Max Adams appeared to answer questions and the ordinance was adopted after roll call. The council also considered several rezoning petitions: Ordinance 3-25 (R-4 to BC at West Memorial Drive and South Sampson Avenue) was adopted after a roll call vote; Ordinance 8-25 (2810 West Ethel Avenue) and Ordinance 10-25 (3700 block East Centennial Avenue / Nanny Haven Subdivision) were introduced and received favorable planning-commission recommendations; Ordinance 9-25 (rezoning to R-3 at 2524 South Madison Avenue) was introduced, the council unanimously suspended the rules to allow immediate adoption and then adopted the ordinance by roll call after members discussed an FHA loan closing timeline presented by the petitioner’s representative.

City planning staff and petitioners provided background, and attorneys and proffers were on the record for several items. Petitioners and their counsel described intended uses (for example, mixed residential over commercial uses at West Memorial/Sampson), confirmed favorable votes at the plan commission, and answered council questions about building condition and compliance with city standards. For the West Ethel Avenue rezone the petitioner’s representative said the building has been commercial since 1966 and is being reclassified to match existing use.

The council adopted Resolution 3-25 to incorporate the 2024 zone changes into the official city zoning maps; planning staff said the updates were already added to the GIS mapping system.

What the council did

- Adopted Ordinance 30-24 (Heron Point annexation) after roll call. - Adopted Ordinance 3-25 (rezoning at West Memorial/Sampson) after roll call. - Introduced Ordinances 8-25 and 10-25 (rezones) after favorable plan-commission recommendations. - Introduced and then, after unanimous suspension, adopted Ordinance 9-25 (rezoning to R-3 at 2524 South Madison Avenue) to accommodate an FHA loan closing timeline presented by the petitioner. - Adopted Resolution 3-25 to update the official zoning maps for 2024 changes.

Why it matters

These actions change municipal zoning designations and expand city boundaries in specific neighborhoods, enabling development or use changes described by petitioners and reflected in the planning commission’s recommendations. Adopting the map updates makes the changes official in city records and GIS.

Speakers and sources in the record included petition representatives, planning staff, and the council’s roll-call record; where petitioners requested expedited adoption the council discussed code compliance and building conditions before suspending rules.