Richmond will provide $7.5 million for the Smith Hill planned unit development’s infrastructure.
During its Sept. 21 meeting, Richmond Common Council voted 7-2 to provide $7,560,000 as a forgivable loan to HWC Development. Larry Parker and Lucinda Wright voted against the loan, which includes $4,330,000 from state Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative money and $3,230,000 from the city’s Redevelopment Commission. Donation of the 80 acres, valued at $1.1 million, completes the local READI match.
Parker renewed his objections to the possible inclusion of rental properties in the development, which is planned to include 167 single-family homes and 98 townhomes. When council considered rezoning the land south of Backmeyer Road to facilitate the planned unit development, Bryan Stumpf of 11th Street Development said all Smith Hill units would be for sale. Parker said council approved the zoning with that understanding.
However, the new zoning does include rental units as permitted uses. Beth Fields, the city’s director of strategic initiatives, provided the applicable section of the city’s unified development ordinance.
“We will live up to the obligations of the PUD,” said Chris Hamm of HWC Engineering in Indianapolis.
Hamm further said the developer is not yet certain about the development’s composition. He said discussions continue with builders interested in all housing varieties. The Richmond Advisory Plan Commission will consider Smith Hill’s detailed development plan during its 5:30 p.m. Oct. 28 meeting. Hamm said that plan commission approval is necessary to finalize the development’s lots and builder interests, but HWC wants the community to be proud of the development.
During the public hearing, Brett Haskett opposed the loan, saying developers had sold council “lie upon lie” and an out-of-town developer should not receive millions.
Valerie Shaffer, president of the Economic Development Corp. of Wayne County; Melissa Vance, president and CEO of the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce; and Jason Troutwine, a vice president at Reid Health, all spoke in favor of the loan. They said Smith Hill will provide needed housing.
Council President Justin Burkhardt said some council members feel misled by misrepresentations from the developers.
Council member Gary Turner said that a planned unit development is designed to provide a developer with flexibility and autonomy and the development’s composition was not relevant to the loan decision.
Council last year approved issuing bonds for infrastructure funding; however, a delay in READI funding enabled the Redevelopment Commission to accumulate enough cash to make the bonds unnecessary.
Homeless transport ordinance
During council’s Sept. 8 meeting, Mayor Ron Oler presented an ordinance that would implement fines for anyone transporting someone to Richmond who does not have a place to spend the night. Oler said other cities are also considering such actions in hopes the state legislature creates legislation addressing the situation.
Burkhardt on Sept. 21 assigned the ordinance to council’s public safety committee.
Richmond Police Department Chief Kyle Weatherly told council there are no confirmed incidents of anyone being transported to Richmond without housing.
Purcell said that the ordinance does not address the city’s homelessness and the city needs to pursue a true solution.
Other actions
- Council approved Richmond Sanitary District applying for and accepting a $23,794 grant from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management for household hazardous waste collection. The district annually performs the service, and the 2027 service will be a collaboration with Wayne County government to include county and Union County residents.
- Council approved an ordinance amending the 2026 civilian salary ordinance to correct errors and include updates.
- Council referred to its finance committee an ordinance that would enable Richmond Police Department to apply for and accept an Indiana Criminal Justice Institute grant up to $60,000. Weatherly said the grant reimburses RPD for officer overtime used to reduce highway injuries. The local match is fulfilled by fuel and equipment used during the targeted patrols.
A version of this article appeared in the September 30 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.
