Committee approves annexation for 460-acre Alexandria industrial park

The House Local Government Committee voted to pass Senate Bill 491 to annex roughly 460 acres for an industrial park near Alexandria, a measure supporters said follows local planning and economic-development agreements and will be a major driver for Madison County.

Representative Roe Ray (presenting the measure) described the site as a 460-acre industrial park along a rail spur that is approximately one mile outside Alexandria's boundaries and noted utilities were already extended to the area for a POET facility. "This is gonna be a great, great deal for both Madison County and for Alexandria," Representative Roe Ray said, and several local and county entities were listed as supporters including the city of Alexandria, Madison County, the Madison County Economic Development Organization, and Norfolk Southern.

Jewel Lee, city attorney for Alexandria, told the committee the annexation was proposed after Madison County adopted a comprehensive plan that identified the industrial park as the number-one economic-development driver; she said the city sought unanimous local buy-in through its redevelopment commission, board of works, planning department and council. David Bodnaroff of the Association of Indiana Counties signed in neutral and said his organization was ensuring commissioners and the municipality were communicating.

Committee members asked whether landowners and county commissioners supported the proposal; testimony indicated that the annexation would be a super-voluntary process and that the comprehensive plan adoption reflected county involvement. Senator Gasco closed in support, and the committee recorded a roll-call vote in favor. The bill passed the committee 10-0 and will move forward for further legislative consideration.