Muda69 Posted July 29, 2024 Posted July 29, 2024 https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/hamilton-county/2024/07/29/cities-plan-what-booming-hamilton-county-will-look-like-in-20-years/73986175007/ Quote ... Noblesville looks east to double size For Noblesville and Westfield, part of the answer to a lack of space is simply to get more of it by annexing unincorporated county land. Noblesville has its eyes on unincorporated Wayne Township, east of Indiana 37, for future expansion. The land is almost all agricultural and measures about 35 square miles, roughly the same size as the developed part of Noblesville's current boundaries, said Community Development Director Sarah Reed. As developers reach deals with landowners, the city will extend sewer and water connections and annex the properties bit-by-bit. ... Turf wars While land in the cities fills in, developers are expected to cast their sights on rural property to the north in Jackson and Adams townships, and already one major interlocal squabble has broken out. Fearing encroachment by Westfield, the town of Sheridan and Adams Township are working on a merger plan that would prevent annexation by their neighbor to the south. The consolidation was set in motion when Hamilton County said it would spend $40 million to bring water and sewer lines along U.S. 31 north of 216th Street, beyond the Westfield city limits. Combined with plans by the Indiana Department of Transportation to reconstruct U.S. 31 to an expressway, development is expected to sweep into the area quickly. Westfield, in a move considered by Sheridan to be hostile, this year annexed 33 acres along the corridor in Adams Township. The Sheridan-Adams merger would extend Sheridan's city limits to U.S. 31, preventing Westfield from annexing more land. The move will give Sheridan control over the pace and breadth of future development. Local officials said they’d like to retain the agricultural heritage of the northern part of the county. But Dillinger, the Hamilton County Commissioner, said many variables go into how growth plays out, including a landowners’ willingness to sell to commercial developers and the aspirations of future government leaders. “I’ve seen farmers sell their land in the south county, then buy more up north, waiting for the buyers to come there,” said Dillinger, a commissioner for 40 years. “When developers have access to water and sewer, then everybody gets interested.” ... This is a long article so I just highlighted the plans of Noblesville to double in size and the the plans of Sheridan-Adams Township to stay small. Good luck to Sheridan, I think it's a slowly losing battle.
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