Alexandria annexation bill signed into law
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A bill to annex about 460 acres of noncontiguous land in Madison County into the city of Alexandria was signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Mike Braun.
Senate Enrolled Act 491, authored by Sen. Mike Gaskill, R-Pendleton, allows the city to utilize the land for an industrial park.
Speaking with Inside INdiana Business in January, Alexandria Economic Development Director Alan Moore said annexing the land would give the city control over zoning, which is something developers look for when making site selections.
“When we do the site visits, one of the questions everybody asks is, ‘Is it zoned?’ And as competitive as the market is, if the answer is not yes, then that’s a negative for your site location,” Moore said. “So [we’re] trying to attract industry, and we think this is an important tool to allow Alexandria to do that.”
The city currently has the Alexandria Business Park, which encompasses 460 acres and is home to a bioethanol production facility operated by South Dakota-based Poet. The land set for annexation goes beyond that park’s borders not far from State Road 28.
The bill unanimously passed the Indiana House in February and received approval in the Senate with only three “no” votes on April 8. The only amendments made to the bill stipulated that the land not be used for any carbon sequestration projects.
“We are very grateful for the support of community leaders, local officials, and state lawmakers who believe in Alexandria’s future,” Moore said in an email to IIB. “We’re incredibly grateful to the members of the House and all members of the Senate who voted in favor of this important legislation. Together, we’re laying the groundwork to bring new jobs, new investment, and new momentum to Madison County.”
While the bill only focuses on 460 acres, Moore said there is potential for future expansion of another 550 acres in the future.
Now that the bill has been signed into law, Moore estimates that it could take about a year for the annexation to be completed.