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Resident voices concern as Angola council votes to vacate Thunder Drive; council cites Trine project and MOU
Summary
After a public hearing and a visit from a resident, the Angola Common Council voted to vacate Thunder Drive on third reading; the discussion referenced Trine University’s project, an MOU and concerns about potential permanent closure and traffic diversion.
Council members on Monday approved on third reading an ordinance vacating Thunder Drive following a public hearing and public comment from a resident who said he feared the street could be closed permanently and divert traffic onto Darling Street.
Aaron Miller, who identified his address as 510 College Street, addressed the council and said he had no objection to the city transferring ownership and maintenance of the segment between the railroad tracks and the MTI Center but said he was concerned about “closing it permanently.” "My only concern would be to close it permanently," Miller said. "Sometimes I go out that way. If I'm going west of town, that's the way I go."
Council discussion referenced earlier outreach from Trine (the university) and a memorandum of understanding (MOU) offered during project planning. A city official said vacating the street originally was suggested to help Trine avoid seeking a zoning variance for a weight-room project that encroached on a setback; vacating would obviate that variance because the land would no longer be a public right-of-way.
Council members asked whether vacating the street would reduce the city's insurance costs or materially lower maintenance budgets; the council was told by legal/insurance counsel that vacating would not reduce insurance costs. Some council members said they wanted more factual detail before earlier readings; others said the planning commission recommendation and the MOU supported the vacation. The public hearing had been held roughly four weeks earlier, the mayor noted.
On the roll call regarding the vacation, Council member Coffey voted No; Council members Olson, Dowell and McDermott voted Yes.
The ordinance was recorded as passing on third reading. Implementation steps — including transferring maintenance responsibility and updating records — were not detailed at the meeting and will involve planning and public-works staff.
