Tippecanoe County drainage board approves mass grading at Neuron semiconductor site, clears multiple drain petitions

The Tippecanoe County Drainage Board on Aug. 20 approved mass grading construction for the Neuron semiconductor site and granted a series of petitions to encroach on or vacate county-regulated drains, including a MetroNet fiber-optic crossing and four petitions tied to the Schroeder development.

Patrick Stanton, an engineer with Foresight Group, told the board the Neuron project covers about “a 130, 133 acres between Yeager, Colbert, and Salisbury” and that the applicant — identified in the meeting as SKEP and SK Hynix — submitted a phased package called the mass grading (mask grading) plans so construction can begin while full site documents are completed. “All we're requesting is the ability to get on-site and start doing some grading work,” Stanton said. He described a plan for three stormwater management facilities, one for each of the site’s three drainage basins, and said one proposed wet basin would discharge via pipe under Yeager Road.

A county staff member who reviewed the plans told the board the three proposed discharge points tie to county-regulated drains and meet allowable release rates under the county ordinance. “We have reviewed the mask grading plan as submitted,” the staff member said, adding a recommendation for construction approval in the July 24, 2025 review memo and clarifying that the board’s action was limited to mass grading approval; the applicant must return later for full site approval.

The board approved the motion to allow construction of the mask grading plans by voice vote.

During "other business," the board approved two related petitions for the Neuron project: a petition to encroach on the John Bowden regulated drain and a partial vacation of the Simeon Yeager regulated drain. The board then approved, also by voice votes, a petition from MetroNet to encroach the Julius Burwell regulated drain with a fiber-optic crossing and four petitions tied to the Schroeder project north of Calhoun (three petitions to vacate portions of a grant call and a fourth petition to encroach across the same grant call). The board member who presented the Schroeder items said the petitions were a follow-up to last month’s approval of that project.

Drainage staff provided a brief construction update unrelated to the petitions: Atlas Excavating is nearing completion of a two-stage ditch project on the Elliott regulated drain, a work run from the east end of the Ivy Tech campus west to Ross Road. Staff estimated that work was about 95% complete and said contractors would soon demobilize.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of minutes from the Aug. 6 meeting — approved (voice vote). - Construction approval for Neuron mask grading plans (mass grading) — approved (voice vote). Motion referenced the July 24, 2025 staff review memo; board action limited to mass grading approval pending full site review. - Petition to encroach on the John Bowden regulated drain (Neuron project) — approved (voice vote). - Partial vacation of the Simeon Yeager regulated drain (Neuron project) — approved (voice vote). - Petition by MetroNet to encroach the Julius Burwell regulated drain (fiber-optic crossing) — approved (voice vote). - Four petitions related to the Schroeder project north of Calhoun (three vacates of a grant call; one encroachment crossing the grant call) — all approved (voice votes).

The board’s approvals were limited to the items presented at the meeting. Staff repeatedly emphasized that the Neuron motion covered only mass grading and that the full set of construction and site plans remain subject to subsequent review and approval by the county.