Planner previews rezone request for 3695 W. State Road 45 to allow fast-casual restaurant

Raymond Debaya, a Planner II with Monroe County, introduced a rezone petition at the July 9 work session asking the Board of Commissioners to rezone 3695 West State Road 45 from Limited Business (LB) to General Business (GB) to permit a fast-casual restaurant.

"The petition is for a rezone," Debaya said, explaining that the change would expand allowable uses on the lot from roughly 60 to about 85 uses under the county development ordinance and would allow a restaurant use and, potentially, a drive-through as an accessory use if conditional standards are met. He told the board staff recommends approval based on findings in the commissioner packet and noted the Plan Commission forwarded the petition with a positive recommendation (7 in favor, 0 against, 1 abstention) at its June 16 meeting.

Debaya said that if the board approves the rezone at a future hearing the applicant would still need to complete site-plan review and secure any required approvals from the Indiana Department of Transportation for commercial driveway access on State Road 45. He also noted the property sits in the Sinking Creek critical watershed and that dimensional and impervious-cover standards would change with a rezone to GB.

The board asked scheduling questions and instructed staff to place the petition on a regular meeting agenda (either July 16 or July 23) so the petitioner can present and the board can take formal action. No vote on the rezone took place at the work session.

The planner identified nearby commercial uses and the Walmart to the east and described recent site changes visible in imagery comparisons between 2005 and 2025. The board thanked Debaya for the overview and said staff would ensure the packet is on the next regular meeting agenda for a formal hearing and vote.