CUMBERLAND — The Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission was scheduled to consider a rezoning request on March 4 that, if passed, would move a 100-year-old church on East Washington Street and German Church Road a step closer to being razed for another gas station and 24-hour convenience store. City-County Councilor Ben Hunter filed a request to continue the hearing to March 18 to allow him time to get all the parties together to discuss the matter.
The MDC Hearing Examiner gave the request a favorable opinion on Feb. 12, but the Town of Cumberland has filed an appeal.
Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle has asked that the 4.8-acre site that includes the historic church be rezoned to allow commercial development, including gas stations. The congregation is building a new church elsewhere, and has agreed to sell its property to Giant Eagle, which plans to level the church and outlying buildings to make way for a GetGo store and gas station. The current proposal leaves more than two acres of additional land for future development. This future development could be any use allowed in C-3 zoning classifications, including drive-through facilities and other auto-oriented uses.
Although the property lies within Cumberland’s corporate limits, a political technicality leaves the Town virtually powerless in this case. In the 1970s Indiana adopted Unigov to consolidate services provided by Indianapolis and Marion County into one unit designed to be more efficient. Under Unigov, Cumberland was one of several towns established as an “included town.”
As an included town, Cumberland has no control over planning, zoning, permitting, or redevelopment authority among other services. Included town status is an important issue for Cumberland because it is unique in that it straddles the line between Marion and Hancock counties. Cumberland is a full service town on the Hancock County side providing services like police protection, streets, parks, planning and redevelopment. Included town status on the Marion County side puts Cumberland at a disadvantage for controlling its own destiny or in the case of Giant Eagle’s rezoning request having a say in development and redevelopment that impacts the Town’s identity and is inconsistent with its Comprehensive Plan.
“Forty-five years ago, no one would have foreseen a situation like this,” said Town Manager Andrew J. Klinger. “Now, though, the Town of Cumberland is a full service Town that is continuing to grow on the Hancock County side; however, the City of Indianapolis is interpreting Cumberland’s Comprehensive Plan and making critical decisions on zoning issues. The Comprehensive plan was developed and approved by the Town, with guidance from a steering committee that included representatives of Indianapolis’ Department of Metropolitan Development and Hancock County staff. We should have more say in what happens in our town.”
While the Town is focused on this particular property now, Klinger noted that it has highlighted the bigger question of autonomy. “Our goal with this site is to see a greater potential use that would create a sense of place and generate more tax revenue than another gas station,” said Klinger. “Our long-term goal is to have more say in decisions that affect our residents. If the Town had redevelopment authority similar to the excluded cities, then the Town would have been equipped to avoid this current dilemma and could pursue more appropriate growth and development.”
Metropolitan Development Commission public hearing will be held March 18 at the City-County Building, 200 E. Washington St., Public Assembly Room, 2nd floor at 1 p.m.