1300N Corridor Study Results Announced in Milford – InkFreeNews.com

Crystal Welsh from construction firm Abonmarche explains the results of the 1300N study at a public meeting on Wednesday 30 October. Photo by Lilly Dwyer.

Lilly Dwyer
InkFreeNews

MILFORD — A meeting was held at the Milford Civic Building on Wednesday, Oct. 30, to allow the public to hear the results of a study of the CR 1300N corridor, its features and potential future development for the area.

The results were presented by Crystal Welsh of the construction firm Abonmarche, who worked on the study with a steering committee consisting of members of the Kosciusko County Redevelopment Commission, county highway department officials and representatives from Milford and Syracuse, among others.

Kosciusko County completed its comprehensive planning process in 2022. Key issues identified during this process were the need for new housing, commercial and industrial development.

According to the CR 1300N study, “The study area is centered along CR 1300N, which is a major transportation corridor with rail access. Once the new overpass is completed, the corridor will soon be connected to SR 15 over the Norfolk Southern and CSX Railroad. The connection to the state highway will further strengthen this corridor.”

The study was conducted before the construction of the new overpass.

When calculating the demand for new housing, the study predicted that the area would create 40 jobs per year over the next 20 years, for a total of 800 jobs. Interviews with local employers showed that 15-20% of workers live within five miles of their place of work. This would require 20 new housing units per year or 100 units over the next five years.

Taking into account these factors and regular population growth, the study estimates that 37 housing units per year will be needed for new residents over the next five years.

The housing types Wales mentioned, in addition to single-family homes, are also important to residents.

“We really need to find opportunities to find more affordable housing. Additionally, as seniors age, not everyone wants a detached single-family home (home) with a yard to maintain. Condominiums and apartments, especially for seniors, are becoming very popular,” she explained.

The development strategy includes building a residential community with three to five units per acre in Milford; and an urban neighborhood of four to 15 units per acre in Syracuse.

Welsh pointed to the proposed Milford subdivision and added, “Based on what we’re looking at, we think it would be a good residential property. This does not require the current owner of the property to have the right to use it as farmland or anything else. It doesn’t say that it will be repurposed as residential. It will remain as is until the property owner decides to do something else with it.”

The CR 1300N survey does not include a land acquisition plan. Welsh also noted that the study would not affect property taxes unless land use changes.

Apart from residential construction, the largest land uses in the development strategy are agricultural and industrial.

“Based on the information we were working with, 800 to 1,000 acres seemed reasonable for additional industrial development. It could be anything from a small store on a 25-acre property to another large agribusiness on a 200 or 300-acre property,” Welsh said.

At 51%, most of the land within the study area will remain agricultural. In addition, land within the study area designated for parks and open space was not altered.

According to Welsh, development is most likely to happen where there are public services. In conducting the study, the committee avoided proposing development on unpaved roads, flood plains or wetlands.

The study itself states that development should be concentrated along CR 1300N “and within existing municipal boundaries to help maintain rural character.”

The only proposed commercial zone is in the city of Syracuse, adjacent to the railroad tracks along CR 1300N, with a worker focus in mind.

“So it could be things like a daycare, or maybe an urgent care, or a few restaurants. When we talked to business owners, especially the Polywood people, they said, ‘You know, it would be nice if there was something closer,'” Welsh said.

Welsh emphasized that research is not a specific course of action, but a proposal. If the Kosciusko County Redevelopment Commission and the Land Planning Commission were to formally approve the study, it would only be an endorsement of their ideas. The cities of Milford and Syracuse are also not required to adopt the plan.

Redevelopment President Joni Truex said, “What we’re trying to do is just provide a blueprint for moving forward. If you wanted to do something with your land, it would be a good idea; that’s all we say.”

Matt Sandy, APC director, also said the study is a “living document” and that plans could change in the future.

The final presentation of the study will take place at the next Kosciusko County Redevelopment Commission meeting at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 14th.

The research and presentation presented at the meeting are available at kosciusko.in.gov/department/board.php?structureid=210 under Related Pages.

This figure illustrates the various areas of development proposed in the CR 1300N study. The largest areas are agricultural and industrial, followed by various residential developments. Photo courtesy of the Kosciusko County Redevelopment Commission.