Council approves first reading to annex 2.5‑acre Flora lots after public hearing

The Fortville Town Council on first reading approved an ordinance to voluntarily annex two lots on Alden Drive that the Flora family wishes to develop into up to two custom homes. The council recessed the regular meeting to open a public hearing; no members of the public spoke, and the council then closed the hearing and approved the ordinance’s first reading.

Adam Zaklikowski, Fortville’s planning and building director, told the council the agenda contained a typo: the annexation request covers 2.5 acres, not 5 acres. He said the full Flora property is about 11 acres and the owners want to keep the remaining farmland in the county, adding that the annexed lots are close enough to Alden Drive that the town requires water and sewer hookups rather than well and septic.

Zaklikowski said staff plans to prepare a non‑remonstrance waiver for the owners to sign. The waiver would state that the Flora owners would not remonstrate against future annexation that includes their adjacent acreage should nearby properties seek annexation later; staff noted the state legislature has placed limits on how long such waivers can remain valid. He also said the north lot has been positioned to allow a future extension of Alden Drive if needed, though the town will not require that extension as part of the current project.

Council members asked why the owners did not annex the entire parcel; Zaklikowski said the owners preferred to keep the larger parcel rural under county rules (lower taxes and fewer town restrictions on burning or animals). He also said contiguity to neighboring parcels—via existing rail lines—would likely make future annexation administratively straightforward.

The council approved first reading of ordinance 2026‑6B on the Flora voluntary annexation and will schedule a second reading and signature processing at a later meeting. The council took no substantive changes to the proposal at first reading.