The Starke County Commissioners intend to ask the county plan commission to review the zoning designation of the North Judson Industrial Park. The issue came up at last night’s meeting during a discussion of the controversial and now defunct Metro Recycling transfer station project. North Judson residents Aaron Simerly and Carol Silhavy asked the commissioners how the project was kept so secret for so long and raised concerns about the environmental and economic effects such a business would have on the community.
County attorney Marty Lucas, who lives in North Judson, assured them he’s been to every county commissioners meeting for the past eight years, and Metro Recycling was never mentioned. Likewise there is no mention of the project in the North Judson Town Council minutes.
The Starke County Economic Development Foundation is a public-private partnership, governed by a board of directors. They are not directly accountable to the county government, but representatives from the council and commissioners, as well as the City of Knox and towns of North Judson and Hamlet do serve.
The Starke County Economic Development Foundation also owns the North Judson Industrial Park. The county has nominal say in their business recruiting unless tax breaks are sought as part of an incentive package.
The county plan commission is responsible for zoning regulations. The commissioners did vote unanimously last night to formally ask them to look into whether the property is suited for heavy industrial zoning. They also asked county highway superintendent Rik Ritzler to talk to SCEDF officials about whether the roads in and around the industrial park can handle heavy truck traffic.
Metro Recycling officials announced last week they are scrapping plans for a recycling transfer station in North Judson. However, the company still owns the property just outside the town limits. Metro Recycling CEO Neil Samahon told WKVI News last week the company might consider other uses for the site that do not require additional permitting from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, such as a retail buyback center for recyclables.
