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Rezoning request for South Bend Motor Speedway site sent to council amid preservation concerns
Summary
A request to rezone 25698 State Road 2 for an auto-auction and storage facility was sent to the full council without recommendation after the Area Plan Commission cited strong public opposition over a rare black oak savannah; the petitioner said it is negotiating protections and hopes to present written commitments before the council hearing.
The county committee forwarded a rezoning petition and related special-use request for the former South Bend Motor Speedway property to the full County Council without recommendation after Area Plan Commission staff and the petitioner outlined competing priorities.
Carl Brown Grimm, Area Plan Commission staff, said the roughly 60-acre site along State Road 2 is split between commercial uses and a residential-zoned southern half that contains a rare black oak savannah of ecological value. "The vast majority of the comments received were concerning the protection and preservation of the rare black oak savannah found on the property," Grimm said, noting the APC voted unanimously to forward both the rezoning and special use unfavorably to the council.
Richard Nussbaum, attorney for Insurance Auto Auction (the contingent purchaser), responded that the petitioner has engaged environmental groups since the APC hearing and received maps "that would significantly downgrade the development and significantly increase the area, protected area." Nussbaum said the petitioner is prepared to offer written commitments that would prevent future development within the newly defined protected area and that talks are ongoing; he said if the parties cannot reach an agreement the petitioner might walk away.
Council members pressed for specifics on how many acres would be protected and how the site would be operated, asking whether vehicles would be disassembled and how fluids would be managed. Nussbaum said vehicles would be sold "as is" and that the petitioner inspects incoming vehicles and will try to eliminate liquids before arrival; he acknowledged that acreage was "in flux" while negotiations continue.
Committee members moved to send both the rezoning and the special-use application to the full council without a committee recommendation; voice votes approved the motion. Both items will appear on the council agenda for further review.
