Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Trail Design Main Street topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Whitestown approves $528K design and land‑acquisition contract for Main Street trail despite neighborhood objections
Summary
Council approved a professional services agreement with Butler, Fairman & Seifert for up to $527,995.96 to design a trail and handle land-acquisition work tying New Hope to Main Street. Residents adjacent to the proposed route, speaking online, opposed the trail alignment through Clark Meadows' backyards and urged alternatives along Main Street.
The Whitestown Town Council voted 4–0 to approve an agreement not to exceed $527,995.96 with Butler, Fairman & Seifert Inc. for design and land-acquisition services for the Main Street trail connection from New Hope to Main Street Park.
Town engineer Sri (Town Engineer) described the scope as design work plus the land-acquisition process — appraisals, title searches and related activities — but not the purchase price for property. Todd Barker, director of development services, said the trail alignment would connect New Hope at the Hawk signal through Clark Meadows common areas and tie to County Road 500/Main Street and to a planned roundabout; the design will incorporate that roundabout’s crosswalks.
Heather Greg, a Clark Meadows Manor resident who joined the meeting remotely, told the council she and several neighbors opposed routing the trail behind their backyards. “We believe it belongs on Main Street,” Greg said, and warned the alignment would connect areas north of the neighborhood “directly behind several backyards.” She said some residents would appear to oppose the trail as currently planned and questioned who the trail would serve.
Council members and staff noted the project requires approvals for two major bridges and other state permits; Sri said land acquisition and permitting could take 18 months to two years. The council approved the professional‑services agreement but the town engineer and staff will continue design and permitting work before construction.
The vote was 4–0 (Hancock, Thomas, Patterson and Smock voting aye). The motion carried after staff answered questions about exhibits and corrected an earlier attached cost estimate; the correct per-person travel estimate referenced elsewhere in the meeting was unrelated and did not affect this contract.
The contractor agreement is intended to prepare design, survey, appraisal and acquisition work so the town can seek construction funding (including a future Community Crossings application referenced for other projects).
