Neighbors are urging the Bristol Town Council to reject the proposed annexation of more than 500 acres along County Road 14.
Council President Jeff Beachy says the annexation was requested by the family that owns the land. “It is the Kauffmans’ desire to sell the property, and in order to sell the property for a higher value, they are asking for annexation, which would give them infrastructure, including water, sewer, police and fire protection,” Beachy explained during last week's council meeting.
He said the land would be annexed as an agricultural zone, but the landowner plans to request a rezoning to manufacturing in the future.
The request drew opposition from neighboring landowners. They worry that the annexation and future rezoning could lead to new data center development.
Lester Otto said the town is pushing out residents, in favor of industry. "Your job is to take care of the people of Bristol, and you’re not doing it," Otto told council members. "What you’re doing is feeding the money grabbers."
But Beachy argued that an industrial tax base is needed to pay for essential services like police and firefighters. “We have to make decisions that may not be popular, that move Bristol forward, whether it’s progress in industry or residential or for our visitors who come to town,” Beachy added.
Town officials said that if the annexation isn’t approved, the landowners have indicated that they would ask to be annexed into the city of Elkhart instead or proceed with a rezoning request from Elkhart County.
County Commissioner Bob Barnes dismissed that as fear mongering. “There’s nothing wrong with annexing that property out there for commercial use, but creating chaos and fear about data centers and everything else when that’s not even a talk, there’s not even a conversation on that,” Barnes said.
The landowners were not at last week’s meeting, and Beachy said Indiana Code doesn’t require annexation petitioners to appear in person.
Council members voted three-to-one to move the annexation request forward. It will be up for second reading on March 19.
