by Olivia P. Tucker
Times Reporter
The Scottsburg Advisory Plan Commission tabled any decision of having rental homes be built in Vienna including a requested change in zoning at the site when they met last Tuesday, Feb. 21.
The project called Legacy Village was looking to be built on a 30 acre parcel at 2693 South Vienna Road at the corner Vienna Road and Highway 356 south of Scottsburg.
The project would consist of single family homes, duplexes and a commercial area for retail businesses and shops. The homes were planned to be rentals on 45 lots that were 55’x100’, the duplexes were planned to be 80’x80’.
The plans were presented by developers Jeff and Jerry Mills, Jonathan McCoy, an engineer with Civil and Environmental Solutions in New Albany and Alan Applegate, an attorney with Applegate, Fifer, and Pulliam.
The public hearing was moved from City Hall to the Mid-America Science Park in anticipation of a larger than usual crowd.
A number of people spoke against the plans. One Vienna resident, BJ Brandenburg showed a Powerpoint presentation which summed up the community concerns of the increase of students that would be at Vienna-Finley Elementary, the traffic the locals would have to face because of the school and the quality of life for the small area of Vienna. At its conclusion of Brandenburg’s Powerpoint, the crowd applauded in agreement.
Lyndi Hughbanks expressed concern about the rent prices. She said she is a landlord of rental properties around Scott County. She was concerned of the cost of the properties and being able to find renters in the new homes because of the number of vacant rental properties in Scott County.
Scott County School District 2 Superintendent Marc Slaton said that though the school would be happy to accept new students, the nearby Vienna-Finley Elementary School currently is at capacity and the increase of students would require that school to build an addition.
He said that the traffic issues that occur when the students arrive and leave have been a concerning issue that SCSD2 has been working to resolve. The elementary school is land locked on the property, the superintendent said.
APC board member and Scottsburg City Council President Ric Manns said that he was never in favor this project from the beginning. “Vienna is never going to be in the city limits,” he said.
Board member Carla Zellers said that the project had her support until she learned the houses were planned to be rental properties.
There were 19 letters that were sent to the property owners within 250 feet of the property, said the Executive Director of the APC Carmen Boley. “Out of those 19 there were 11 that were returned who objected the project,” she said.
The APC board tabled any decision so the developers and engineer could come up with a plan that better suited the needs and concerns of the Vienna residents. An alternative development plan could be presented at a proposed April 17 APC meeting.