Jeffersonville council denies rezoning request for new middle school

Jul. 19—JEFFERSONVILLE — Greater Clark County Schools officials have been halted in their plan to replace Parkview Middle School.

At its meeting on Monday, the Jeffersonville City Council denied by a 5-2 vote a zoning change that was requested by GCCS. The rezoning is needed for the construction of a new middle school at 3616-3618 Utica Sellersburg Road. Only council members Joe Paris and Bill Burns voted in favor of the request.

Council member Scottie Maples was absent from the meeting, and council member Scott Hawkins abstained from voting.

The Jeffersonville Plan Commission gave the rezoning a favorable recommendation with a 5-2 vote on June 28.

Paris, who sits on the plan commission and council, was one of the members that voted against the rezoning. Paris decided to vote in favor of the rezoning after hearing the information presented by the school board to the council.

Those who voted against the rezoning were not against the building of a new school, but said that it would not be the best use of that property.

The two plots of land make up 26 acres, which school board representatives deemed ideal for the building of a new school.

School board superintendent Mark Laughner said that the building of the new middle school would be a $60 million to $65 million project. Parkview Middle School was built in 1961, and according to Laughner, facility studies showed that the building needs to be replaced.

Architect Jamie Lake, who represented the school system at the meeting, said that the space at the property would prevent traffic from backing up onto Utica Sellersburg Road.

Lake told the council that this school would be different from any other in the city, with the ability to queue three to four times the number of cars on the school's property during morning drop-off.

Despite the school board's confidence that this new building would not have a big impact on traffic, residents shared their concerns. Several people living in the area of the property said that the neighborhood cannot sustain the number of cars and buses.

Laughner told the council that another study completed for the school board found that growth near Parkview was going to plateau over the next 10 years. Population was going to grow however, in the north, near the Utica Sellersburg property.

Council president Matt Owen said that many students walk to Parkview where it is located on Brigman Avenue, and doesn't see that happening on Utica Sellersburg Road.

Some of those against the building of a school stated that there is too much of a need for housing, especially with the increase in jobs in the area. The property has already been approved for residential use.

"My vote is based on the fact that the zoning is inconsistent with the comprehensive plan," Council member Steve Webb said on Monday.

Webb, who voted against the rezoning, said that the most desirable use for the land is single family homes.

Some residents that attended the meeting were in favor of a school being built at the site.

Real estate agent and former Clark County Council member Brian Lenfert noted that the addition of a school would bring more amenities than a subdivision, with community access to the track and field and tennis courts.

Lenfert also said that having a good school in the area with community amenities is a huge draw for people looking to move their family to Jeffersonville for a job.

Real estate agent David Bauer said that there are currently no available properties in Jeffersonville zoned for a school. If the school board finds another property to build a middle school, it will again have to request a zoning change from the council.

Laughner said that they planned to start construction on the school around 2024 or 2025 and it would be completed by 2027.