INDUSTRIAL PARK INVESTMENT
Planning and Community Development Director Waleed Albakry said some of the main changes in community planning are rezoning the Industrial Park to I-3 to allow for more flexible uses and the new online platform for citizens to fill out applications.
There was an amendment made to the zoning ordinance allowing more industrial usage. The industrial park, co-owned by the city and county, is located at 210 Frank Martin Road. It is often referred to as 231 North Business Park, a little over 86.5 acres. City Council changed the zone to I-3, hoping it would attract potential investors (to allow for more flexibility in usage). The city and council invested a large amount of money providing water and sewage to the site.
Albakry said the park is close to the city’s north side and the west side of the highway, making it a perfect location for ease of getting in and out of the city. This makes the park an ideal place for substantial investments.
There aren’t any residential lots within 231 N. Business Park. Different options are being considered by the council on how the city should utilize the space. Nothing yet is finalized.
Apart from the rezoning of the Industrial Park, the city receives a lot or rezoning applications. Albakry mentioned that: “the city had lots of applications coming from applicants about rezoning land to allow for more residential units. This is a very busy time for everyone in the city due to the high volume of applications.
ONLINE PLATFORM
With the rise in technological advancements, the Shelbyville Planning and Community Development department strive to keep citizens informed using innovative software. The department is talking to three different software companies to see which software would fit them.
Albakry said creating the online platform will make the website more accessible. They digitalized many files and created fillable pdfs for applicants to fill out and email to the department. “Every couple of weeks, we work on updates, and we want to make it as comprehensive and easy as possible to find information from all the applicants and the citizens at large.”
Community members can fill out site plan applications, zoning amendments, and planned unit development, among many other things. They can also click a link on the website and receive a brief description of the information and step-by-step instructions on how to apply. The department can see the applications and respond immediately after submission. It is meant to harmonize the city planning process.
Albakry said, “I would like for as many people as possible to know about the avail- ability of information.” He wants everyone to be aware that they can easily find the infor- mation they are looking for. The department is working on improving how people access information every day.
“It is meant to harmonize the city viewing process.”
With ongoing changes to community development, Albakry is optimistic about the many impactful transitions the city will undergo as it grows.
“It’s a transition period from a smaller community to a bigger one. That’s always a challenging time but also exciting.” -GN