Council introduces two rezoning requests for properties on North Wheeling and North Walnut; one receives plan commission support

The Muncie City Common Council on Sept. 8 introduced two rezoning ordinances brought forward by the planning commission.

Ordinance 26‑25 would rezone 1600 North Wheeling Avenue from R‑4 (residence) to BC (community business) to allow conversion from residential to retail uses. The council noted the plan commission recommended approval (7‑0). After a motion and second, the council voice‑voted to introduce the ordinance and the motion carried.

Ordinance 27‑25 would rezone 718 North Walnut Street from R‑5 (residence) to CB (central business) to match adjacent zoning and allow replatting for construction of townhomes. Jonathan Chambliss, co‑owner of Crew Properties and the developer on the Walnut Street site, told the council he is already building townhomes nearby and asked the council to suspend the rules and adopt the rezoning the same night to expedite the replating. A neighbor and several council members asked for standard process and neighborhood input; the council introduced the ordinance and later considered and approved a motion to suspend rules for this item.

Council members said the Walnut Street project had neighborhood association support and a favorable planning commission recommendation. The council recorded a roll‑call vote on the suspension motion; the motion carried with a majority of members voting yes and one recorded no.

Both items were introduced; the Wheeling rezoning received a favorable plan commission recommendation and proceeded through formal introduction. The Walnut Street request advanced with the council suspending rules to move the matter forward; the ordinance will be up for adoption at a future meeting.