Brownsburg council adopts police investigatory ordinance, zoning and annexation measures; approves school fire‑fee exemption

At its Jan. 23, 2025 meeting, the Brownsburg Town Council approved several ordinances and routine items, including an ordinance broadening the police investigatory fund, a zoning change for a proposed women’s medical clinic, a voluntary annexation tied to utility connections, and an annual exemption request from fire protection service fees for local schools.

Ordinance 2025‑01 — police investigatory tool: The council adopted Ordinance 2025‑01 on second and third reading and final adoption. Chief Joe Grimes said the ordinance updates language last drafted in the early 1990s to broaden a narrowly defined investigatory tool that previously applied only to narcotics investigations, allowing limited use for major crimes that may not involve narcotics. Chief Grimes stated the ordinance expands an existing $2,500 annual allocation to cover a broader but still narrow investigatory scope. The motion passed by voice vote with no recorded roll call in the transcript.

Ordinance 2025‑02 — rezoning to UC for women’s clinic: Council adopted Ordinance 2025‑02 on proposed second, third reading and final adoption for a property on Adams Street rezoned from TR to UC to allow a women’s medical clinic. Planning staff (Jenna) said there were no updates since the prior meeting. The motion passed by voice vote.

Ordinance 2025‑03 — voluntary annexation and utility connection: Council adopted Ordinance 2025‑03 on third reading and final adoption for a voluntary annexation tied to a utility connection; staff said the fiscal plan and utility connection items were addressed in earlier readings. The motion passed by voice vote.

Consent and claims: The council approved consent agenda items, including minutes and civil town fire territory claim dockets for Jan. 10–23, 2025, with a total claims and payroll amount cited in the meeting of $6,669,607.58.

Annual exemption from fire protection service fees (Item 12.1): The council approved the annual request for calendar year 2025 to exempt the school corporation from fire protection service fees under Town Ordinance 2013‑23, section 2. Staff (Debbie) said the exemption is typically requested each July but was brought later this year due to turnover and that the value for this request was $1,075.75 per month for the listed period; Debbie confirmed the exemption is provided under conditions in the ordinance, including documentation that schools maintain fire suppression systems. The motion to grant the exemption passed on roll call with one councilor opposed; Mister Adams voted no, Mister Lacey, Mister Simpson, Miss Hillman and the council president voted yes.

Procedural notes: Several of the ordinances were approved by the council without extended discussion and were presented as second/third reading items for final adoption. For the items recorded by voice vote the transcript records the motions, a second, and unanimous voices of ‘‘aye’’; for two agenda items (first reading of the Auburn Ridge rezoning and the school fee exemption) the transcript records roll‑call voting with individual votes.

What this means: The adopted ordinances will be enacted according to the terms presented in the meeting packet. Staff noted one brief administrative correction: a packet for the ADA report was missing a couple pages and will be addressed in staff follow‑up.