At the Nov. 12 Whitestown Town Council meeting, multiple residents used the public-comment period to raise concerns about two separate local projects: a proposed police training facility and a Citizens Water transmission project involving large tanks and a pump station.

Darren Steele, who identified himself as living adjacent to the proposed training facility, said neighbors were not notified about details because the municipality had purchased the land and the matter did not follow the usual notice steps residents expect under a private developer zoning process. "Since the town has elected to use the zoning ordinance loophole, we were not notified until a recent news report drew attention to it," Steele said, and he pressed what he called the top safety concern: why backstops would be oriented toward residential yards rather than away from places where children play.

Kristen Conrad, who said she lives about a mile from the facility, urged greater community engagement and warned of noise pollution and potential lead exposure, citing a recent range closure in Avon amid a lead investigation. "I do not know what noise mitigation plans the facility has," Conrad said, adding that she and her husband worry about the cumulative effect on nearby homes.

Matthew Zervas spoke about a separate issue near his neighborhood: a Citizens Water proposal to install large transmission tanks and a pump station. Zervas said neighbors feel they were not engaged and alleged that Citizens Water has pursued aggressive legal tactics. "We feel that Citizens Water has acted in bad faith... They've leveraged a high powered legal firm to execute imminent domain on the property," he told council.

Town staff and some councilmembers responded that municipal projects and rezonings follow a different process when the town is the property owner, and Todd (town staff) said rezonings would still require Plan Commission public hearings and notice. Staff acknowledged instances where residents were later briefed by Chief Ralston and said the town would post corrected definitions online for clarity.

No formal town action on the training facility or the Citizens Water transmission project occurred at the meeting. The council did not vote on either project; residents said they will continue to attend planning and zoning meetings to press their concerns.

What’s next: Residents said they will continue to attend Town Council, Plan Commission and zoning meetings; council staff indicated that any property-specific rezoning would proceed with statutory notice and Plan Commission public hearing requirements.