Hancock County board advances search for Sugar Creek park land; commissioners ok appraisals

The Hancock County Parks and Recreation Board on June 18 reviewed a potential land acquisition along Sugar Creek and outlined next steps to determine whether the county should purchase and conserve the property.

The board’s Chair said the parcel — described in the meeting as roughly 26–28 acres at 400 North and 100 West along Sugar Creek — includes a disc-golf course, a pond, mature trees, wetlands and significant creek frontage. “We have a potential land acquisition that we recently presented to the Hancock County Commissioners,” the Chair said.

Board staff told members they had held a pre-application meeting with the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to assess eligibility but concluded that the Benjamin Harrison Conservation Trust Fund is the stronger candidate for an initial “phase one” acquisition because LWCF typically suits projects that already have public access and development plans. The Chair described the phase-one approach as focused on purchase and permanent conservation, with planning and development to follow after conveyance.

The Chair reported staff completed an IPaC wildlife review and said the study identified possible habitat for multiple environmentally significant species, including 11 migratory bird species, Indiana bat, whooping crane, snuffbox mussel and monarch butterfly; the transcript also noted a possible presence of bald and golden eagles. Those habitat findings will factor into any due diligence and permitting the county pursues.

The Chair told the board the Hancock County Commissioners approved a request to obtain two appraisals at a cost not to exceed $4,500 so staff can determine a fair-market value and complete due diligence. The board plans a public information session focused on the proposed acquisition, conservation values and the long-term recreational vision for Sugar Creek; the Chair said the board intends to hold that session on July 16 at 5:00 p.m. and has adjusted its regular meeting time to accommodate public attendance.

The board also launched a public survey to collect resident input on the parcel and other potential park sites in unincorporated parts of the county. Caroline Adams and John Melbourne of the county’s GIS team were credited with preparing the survey and its mapping tool; John described a feature that allows respondents to draw polygons on a map to indicate preferred park locations. The Chair said the survey is live and will be promoted on the county website and social media.

What’s next: staff will complete the appraisals and due diligence and present findings to the board; the board will host the public information session July 16 at 5:00 p.m. and continue to explore Benjamin Harrison Conservation Trust and other grant opportunities.

Clarifying details: the meeting transcript describes the parcel as “a 28 uh 26 parcel”; the exact acreage is not specified in county documents presented at the June 18 meeting and should be treated as approximate. The transcript contains one unclear numeric phrase about recent receipts (“received in 2060”); the board report stated the parks and recreation impact fee balance was $10,300 as of June 15.