Panel approves rezoning to allow New Albany police training facility, field house and park

A local review panel voted to approve a recommendation to rezone about 69.654 acres in New Albany from agricultural to community facilities, clearing the way for a police training facility, a community field house and expanded parkland.

Planning staff summarized the application as a cleanup rezoning to allow the three uses within Bevelheimer Park and the adjacent service complex. "This application is for a recommendation to the planning commission to rezone 69.654 acres from agricultural district to community facilities to allow for a new police training facility, community field house, and Bevelheimer Park green space," the staff presenter said, adding that the proposal met Accord plan standards and received a report-card score of 91.8. The staff report noted preservation of 26 trees, proposed setbacks consistent with community-facility zoning, and elevation and material treatments intended to match existing buildings.

Steve Mayer, the city’s deputy director of public service, told the panel the city owns the bulk of the parcels involved and described a 2023 agreement with the joint parks district that leases the lane where the field house will be built. "We see this as the comprehensive rezoning in order to allow for additional future growth of both the parks facilities and part of the city of New Albany services," Mayer said, describing the request as largely a zoning cleanup because much of the development is already under construction.

Panel members asked about site access, private property ownership adjacent to the parcels, traffic impacts, and noise control for a planned indoor shooting range. On driveway alignment and existing drainage, Mayer said realigning the northern curb cut would require replacing a culvert and add construction cost; he said engineers were comfortable with the current private-service-drive configuration and the city could revisit the alignment later if needed. On notification, Mayer said property owners within 200 feet would be notified and that most adjacent parcels are privately owned.

On traffic, Mayer said the police training facility would be a secured site used primarily during normal business hours and that the city expects low volumes outside peak periods. He said a roundabout and related pavement work should be finished by summer and that Bibelheimer Road will receive a two-foot paved shoulder; the design includes a dedicated left-turn lane into the field house that widens to three lanes at the entrance and tapers back to two lanes near residences. Regarding the shooting range, Mayer said the city is using specialists to design HVAC and acoustical controls so the range is a controlled facility with limited noise leakage.

After discussion, a panel member moved to approve the rezoning recommendation and another seconded. The panel recorded seven votes in favor and one abstention; the clerk announced that the motion passed with seven votes to approve the application.

The panel did not place conditions beyond the items described in the staff report. The panel will forward its recommendation to the Planning Commission, which will review the rezoning and ultimately send its recommendation to City Council for final action.