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Residents Seek Support to Block Variance
(posted Mar 12)
Resident Sue Jent is still not completely sure if she has the Speedway
Town Council's support to remonstrate against Zore's variance petition
to build two buildings at 1300 N. Mickley Street.
Jent sought support again at the council's March 9 meeting, asking them
to remonstrate at the April 21 variance petition hearing with the Metropolitan
Development BZA. Jent sought similar support from the council at the October
13, 2008 meeting. The minutes from that meeting state "Council President
Gary Raikes advised that Zore's has indicated that the variance will be
withdrawn but that Council will be remonstrating against this proposed
variance if needed."
"How are you going to help us, or how are we going to help you?"
Jent asked.
She wanted to know how concerned citizens can help with the remonstrance,
as well remaining informed.
Town Manager Barbara Lawrence requested email addresses from Jent in order
to keep area residents informed. "I understand how important this
issue is to you."
Council members are stuck between a rock and hard place concerning the
situation since it involves taxpayers on both sides of the issue.
Although the company is located just outside of Speedway, the town is engaged
in a franchise licensing agreement with the towing and parts company. The
company also provides training resources to the fire and police departments.
The police use the facility to train officers on vehicle identification
number investigations. Owner James L. Zore owns two houses in Speedway.
His property is located where petition signatures are being gathered to
fight the variance.
Jonalyn Zore-Swinford believes that remonstrators would feel differently
about the family-owned towing service company if they knew more about their
operations.
Zore-Swinford said the company intends on keeping the perimeter trees with
its plan to build a 7,200 square foot facility. The proposed building location
takes the recycled metal collection point further from the street.
The metal is stored for recycling, nothing goes to the landfill. The new
facility will house the material rather than have it sit in trailers while
waiting to be sold. She said there is not as much traffic now because of
the depressed metal markets due to the economy. The increased traffic that
the residents are noticing is due to the Accelerate I-465 project that
has closed 21st Street bridge. Zore-Swinford feels the five different taxes
they pay on their trucks should cover any road repairs at the federal,
state or local level.
Zores wants a to build a 16,200 square foot building for future expansion
to avoid going through the legal hurdles again. She said the proposed building
will replace two units of the mini warehouse currently in use.
She said the family is very environmentally and community oriented. James
L. Zore said the town's wells are located north and south of their property,
so they remove batteries and drain fluids before crushing vehicles in an
enclosed facility to avoid leaching into the soil. Some of the fuel collected
is used to heat company buildings as part of the recycling effort.
The company has received several recognition awards, including recently
being honored by the Boone County and Zionsville Fire Departments for assisting
with an extrication that saved a lady's life after she was pinned under
a truck. The company will host extrication classes during the upcoming
Fire Department International Conference in April. James J. Zore is one
of only two certified master trainers in the state who teach this type
of safety rescue, Operations Manager Tim Moore is currently taking certification
classes.
Zore's has been at the Mickley location since 1945, before many of the
homes in the area today existed. Zore estimated that he spent between $150,000
and $200,000 in fees, time and ancillary costs to build a $40,000 storage
facility on the western edge of the property.
According to Barry Sneed of IDEM, the agency has visited the business,
based on a complaint. "They (Zore's) have been working cooperatively
and meeting the terms and time frames of the agreed order signed February
8, 2008. Staff expect the company to submit their annual storm water report
within the very near future." Sneed made it clear that Zore's was
not singled out by IDEM.
"All salvage yards in the state have to comply with the same rules.
Documents indicate that IDEM received a complaint and did an inspection
as a follow up of the complaint. During the inspection we noticed the violations
which lead to the Agreed Order."
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