The Batesville Airport will be able to rent hangar space to a manufacturing business now that part of the property has been rezoned from agricultural to industrial.
Batesville Aviation photo.
(Franklin County, Ind.) - Despite protest from some neighbors, a rezone of the Batesville Airport has been granted.
The Franklin County Observer newsletter reports that Franklin County Commissioners voted in July 16 to partially rezone the airport from Agricultural to Enclosed Industrial. A second vote was held July 30 to complete the rezoning after an existing parcel of the airport property was split.
The rezone covers the airport buildings and five acres to the south, but not the runway. Batesville Aviation owner Shorty Whittington agreed to reduce the size of the area being rezoned from 44 acres down to about 12 acres after neighbors in the rural area voiced worries over what could happen with the property if the airport were to close in the future.
The Batesville airport had closed briefly in late 2017 and early 2018.
With the rezone, wastewater treatment manufacturer Earthtek Environmental LLC will be able to store materials in the airport’s hangars. The hangar space is being rented from Batesville Aviation.
Whittington has been seeking alternative uses for the airport to make it profitable. Straightline racing of high-end sportscars at the airport was ended last year after neighbors filed a lawsuit concerning noise, traffic, and safety.
According to The Observer, the July 30 vote may not have been properly advertised by commissioners at least 48 hours in advance, an alleged violation of Indiana’s Open Door Law. Commissioner Tom Linkel said county attorney Grant Reeves approved the commissioners' actions as long as they rezoned less acreage than was originally requested.
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