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Jennings County APC approves rezoning tied to new holding-tank wastewater setup near proposed school
Summary
The Jennings County Area Planning Commission approved a rezoning request connected to engineering plans for a school site that will rely on permitted holding-tank wastewater systems; county staff said state and local health guidance requires a minimum 1,000-gallon tank and specified setback distances, with permitting to follow.
S1, identified in the record as a staff member presenting the site plan, told the Jennings County Area Planning Commission that engineers in Batesville prepared drawings showing a new school on the front right of the site and a cemetery on the back left. S1 said state and county Board of Health guidance now allows approved holding tanks and that the engineer advised a minimum 1,000-gallon holding tank for the proposed system, with setback distances discussed during design: “it looks like it’s 10 feet, 52 feet, 100 feet from the cemetery,” S1 said.
The commission discussed how the holding tanks would be sited and who is responsible for pumping and fees. S2 (the Chair) and other members clarified that permitting and precise setbacks will be confirmed through the county permitting process and by public-health authorities, not by the rezoning action. S1 said the county had consulted the Board of Health and that the state had recently changed guidance to allow holding tanks in some circumstances that previously required a septic system.
S2 moved to approve the rezoning as presented. The motion was seconded and carried after a voice vote; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript. Commissioners emphasized that approval at this stage is for land-use only and that detailed permitting, engineer-provided setbacks, and health-department approvals remain required before construction or system installation.
Why this matters: the site adjoins a school and an existing cemetery, and public-health setbacks and maintenance for holding tanks are technical requirements that determine whether reuse of land for institutional uses is feasible. The commission’s approval clears the way for the applicant and the engineer to complete permit applications and formal engineering plans for review by county staff and the Board of Health.
The commission did not adopt specific permitting conditions in the meeting beyond the standard referral to permitting authorities. Next steps: the applicant will submit engineering plans and permit applications; county staff and the Board of Health will review setbacks, pump schedules, and fees.
