A zoning issue affecting one potential Cambridge City home sale is threatening several other sales, and prompting the town’s council to review zoning issues on a wider basis.
A loan to purchase a home in the 1000 block of East Church that’s currently zoned industrial is in limbo because of a lender’s concerns about its zoning.
That could potentially cause as many as three property sales to fail and deter a new resident from moving to town, council members learned at their Feb. 10 meeting.
No industry is currently operating in that block.
If another lender won’t provide the loan with the current zoning, town attorney Bob Bever noted a few options for Cambridge City leaders if they want to address the situation, impacting one or more properties.
One of those options seemed more appealing to council: the town’s plan commission could conduct a public hearing to gather opinions, then possibly recommend that council rezone the block to residential before council could cast a vote. That process would take several weeks.
Council already had agreed during last fall’s 2025 budgeting to pursue an in-depth assessment of the town’s zoning to address inconsistencies and out-of-date information.
A broader review likely can’t be completed in time to address this concern because no one has been hired to conduct it, but some council members said it’s a reminder of why that work is important to complete for the town’s long-term growth.
In other business
- Fire protection contracts were renewed at the 2024 cost for Jackson Township ($15,500/year because the township bought a $160,000 aerial truck for the town in 2020), East Germantown ($3,000) and Mount Auburn ($1,400). East Germantown had requested a five-year contract, but council agreed to one year.
- The town might partner with Cambridge City’s chamber and Main Street organizations to split the total cost of $9,850 for equipment and service three ways to improve downtown Wi-Fi. Current equipment is outdated and weather damaged, so signals aren’t strong or fast. The monthly $100 cost for service is included in that total. After securing memorandums of understanding with its partners, council could vote on a contract at the 6 p.m. March 10 meeting in town hall.
- Wessler Engineering’s Adam Sitka said Phase 1A and 1B water improvements are completed. However, about $300,000 remains unspent and can’t be returned because low-interest lending through Indiana’s State Revolving Fund has already been finalized. Thus, additional water line replacement and valve improvements are planned.
- Baker Tilly municipal advisers are calculating water rates for Gateway Industrial Park customers in anticipation for Phase 2 installation of a new water tower to increase capacity. About $2.7 million for that project is coming through the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Sitka said he doesn’t have a crystal ball to know if any financial changes are coming, but EDA funding hasn’t been frozen, compared to some other federal agencies.
- Council accepted the lone bidder’s quote to farm ground adjacent Riverside Cemetery. R.L. Myers Family Farms LLC will pay $2,400 for approximately 16 acres. The amount was unchanged from 2024. Myers suggested the town add permanent boundary markers since property to the north was just surveyed.
- Council approved two $500 donations from Miller Wood Specialties for police and fire departments.
A version of this article appeared in the February 19 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.