Dry Run Ditch Relocation Approved

(posted Jan 17)

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management has approved the water quality permit to relocate Dry Run Ditch south of 16th Street.

The approval came despite requests for a public hearing filed in November by Susan Luebbert, owner of Speedway Monogramming, and Merri Anderson, Greater Garden City Civic Association president. The GGCCA has concerns over Speedway's actions since the community is downstream from where Dry Run Ditch feeds into Eagle Creek via Little Eagle Creek.

The reason for the channel relocation is to create a unified Indianapolis Motor Speedway campus, but the unified campus will eliminate Speedway Monogramming and the former Jud Logan's building.

Affected property owners Luebbert and Joyce Bishop complained they never received notification of the relocation.

According to IDEM Public Information Officer Amber Finkelstein, "Our legal notice requirements fall under AOPA (Administration Orders and Procedures Act) 4-21.5-3-5, which basically states that IDEM must make a good faith effort to contact potentially affected parties. Generally, 401 WQC notices are mailed." She also said newspapers are not normally used for notification of these types of projects unless the project is a multi-county project that would make mailing cost prohibitive.

Not all businesses were on the notification list. Dotlich Crane was omitted from the list, but not Speedway Industrial Park or Union Carbide.

IDEM does not generate the list of contacts. Finkelstein said "applicants provide the list of potentially affected parties that should receive a copy of the public notice." The relocation petition listed the applicant as Town Manager Barbara Lawrence.

In Luebbert's request for a hearing, she inquired about the selected route designs. Only two of three or four routes were submitted to IDEM. Alternative three routes the channel in a "S" curve taking out the two buildings. Alternative two routes the ditch south of Speedway Monogramming but still runs through 4501 W. 16th Street.

Finkelstein said "the alternatives that are included in the packet would have been the choices that Speedway decided to include in their application to pursue permitting."