Avon planning commission forwards town-council amendment to comprehensive plan after split vote

The Avon Advisory Plan Commission voted to approve a town-council-requested amendment to the town's comprehensive plan's future land-use map after a split, two-step process and public comment. The commission first defeated a motion to reject the change, then approved the council's revision and forwarded the amendment to the town council for final action.

The amendment focuses on acreage surrounding the town's new middle school. Rachel Christiansen of HWC Engineering, who helped prepare the plan, told the commission the steering committee and planning process considered utilities and the school and that the committee had recommended residential designations in some discussions before the council returned the plan for amendment.

Property owner Sri Kulkarni urged the commission to retain a residential designation for the 120-acre holding surrounding the school, saying utilities already run through the site and that development would support housing supply. "There's a sewer line that I just signed the paperwork for'it's a 15-inch main that's going to go through my property," Kulkarni said, adding that the presence of the new middle school and utilities made the area appropriate for residential use.

Planning staff (Linda) explained the practical effect of the comp-plan language: the future land-use map can show agriculture now, but the plan text directs that if water and sewer become available the residential recommendation should be considered. "It should stay agriculture until sewer and water is available," Linda told the commission, noting that any actual rezoning would still require a separate petition and town-council approval.

Commissioners divided on whether the map change materially changes how future rezoning petitions would be considered. One motion to reject the town-council revision was defeated 4-3. After no motion was made to send a non-recommendation, a second motion to approve the council's revision passed; the commission recorded the approval and forwarded the amendment to the town council for its action.

The commission and staff emphasized that the comprehensive plan is a guidance document, not zoning, and that rezoning remains a separate, discretionary process with statutory criteria. The record shows staff recommended approval of the council's amendment as written and highlighted that the plan text already accounts for utilities as a trigger to consider residential designations.

The item will next go to the Avon Town Council for final consideration and any required recording with the Hendricks County Recorder's Office.