Residents urge halt to industrial rezoning in New Carlisle, voice concerns about solar regulations and tax abatement changes

At the July 8 public-comment period of the Saint Joseph County Board of Commissioners meeting, residents urged the county to stop rezoning agricultural land in Olive Township and New Carlisle for industrial development and raised concerns about proposed regulations for solar development and changes to tax abatement affirmative-action language.

Dan Caruso of New Carlisle told the board that New Carlisle and Olive Township have contributed significantly to county economic development and asked elected bodies involved in rezoning to stop further conversions of agricultural property to industrial uses in those areas. “No more rezoning of agricultural property to industrial in all of township and New Carlisle,” Caruso said, adding that residents should “leave what we've got left alone.”

Cheryl Nicks of Clay Township, a former teacher, later supported Caruso’s position during online public comment and urged the county to reconsider additional industrialization in Olive Township, writing that such changes “affect all of the county.” Nicks also objected to two items on the county council agenda that evening: proposed regulations for solar development she described as “unnecessary and burdensome,” and proposed changes to affirmative-action language in the county’s tax abatement ordinance. Nicks said she benefits from affirmative-action policies and opposed removing affirmative-language from abatement criteria.

Tom Rowe additionally offered brief public comment noting his participation in veteran-support events and asked the record to reflect Jill Powers’ role organizing regional stand downs.

No board decisions were taken during public comment; the remarks were entered into the public record for consideration by relevant bodies and upcoming council discussions.