Council approves land-use plan

By Doug Rapp, Staff Writer

June 22, 2009 11:32 pm

— The city council voted to adopt the comprehensive land-use plan at their meeting Monday night. The land-use plan is being formed in anticipation of the I-69 corridor which will pass near Washington.
Representatives of Bernardin Lochmueller & Associates, the engineering firm that prepared the plan, attended the meeting to address the council
David Isely, with BLA, said this was an “incredible opportunity” for Washington and southwestern Indiana.
“It really is going to revolutionize our area,” Isely said.
Isely said when construction starts on the section of I-69 around Washington around 2015 it will be an opportunity for the city that will require planned growth.
“Communities that plan like you’re doing to get infrastructure in place and manage their growth are the ones that can really take advantage of a new highway like I-69,” he said.
After the meeting, Mayor Larry Haag said adopting the comprehensive plan was one step of many in preparing for I-69.
“In the morning we start embracing that and creating a master plan to work toward our thoroughfares, our commercial and industrial zones and electric, water and wastewater expansions. The urgency’s here. We need to act.”
Haag said the city will be working with the county, the state department of transportation and federal highway authorities to form a master plan.
The comprehensive plan is an update to the 1986 Washington Comprehensive Plan.
Although the construction of the new swimming pool wasn’t part of the official city council agenda Monday night, Mayor Larry Haag was asked about it after the meeting.
“It’s progressing,” he said, noting that bad weather frequently interrupts the construction. “They’re working every day between rain showers that they can.”
Haag said he couldn’t give an exact date for when the pool will open, but he said it will be open this summer and will be open until Labor Day.
In other business
Ordinance
The council adopted an ordinance authorizing the city “to borrow money from city utilities for current purposes in anticipation of taxes levied and to be collected.” The city borrowed $381,000 from the water department to cover budget shortfalls. The board of public works and safety met immediately after the council and passed a resolution authorizing lending $381,000 to the city.
Insurance
Marilyn McCullough, with Thompson Insurance, told the council there will be no rate increase for city employees. She said those covered by the city’s insurance will receive a $500 wellness benefit, entitling them to preventive screenings covered 100% up to $500.
Resolution
The council passed a resolution accepting the Meredith Hotel property, transferred “as is” from the county.