An open letter from Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen

Dear Editor:

Jensen

I am writing this letter to express my disappointment in a long-standing Noblesville business for misrepresenting facts before the public regarding the long-planned east-west corridor.

On topics of such importance for our community, our citizens deserve candor, context, and facts. For nearly my entire life, the City of Noblesville has been having a conversation about how we can better move traffic through our city. This project is difficult and does not have an easy solution. If there was one, it would have been accomplished decades ago.

That’s why I have asked my Administration to put an emphasis on proactive, in-person conversations around the future of an east-west corridor in Noblesville. This is especially important with stakeholders like homeowners and businesses directly affected.

IDI Composites International, a business located in the heart of our City, is one of these stakeholders that I personally sought out immediately after taking office and have had many positive meetings with over the course of the year. IDI is a valued member of the Noblesville community with a track record of successful business operations and concern for the local community.

To my surprise, IDI abruptly left the negotiating table recently after months of positive conversations. In a matter of weeks, IDI has chosen to lob a negative, fact-distorting campaign to misinform the public. While IDI wants you to believe that we are attempting to destroy their business, the City is in fact proposing to relocate roughly 15 percent of their property, all parking lot. This plan would mitigate the impact upon a designated historic area during the construction of the east-west corridor.

I am disappointed that extensive efforts to work with, accommodate and explore solutions has been characterized by IDI as the City refusing to listen. To say that city representatives “ignor[ed] the entire discussion raised by the audience at the November 12, 2020 Community Advisory Committee meeting” and “had no genuine intent to consider legitimate issues raised or alternatives” is erroneous and frankly disrespectful toward the many hard-working individuals involved in the planning efforts of this project.

FACT: The Mayor’s Office and the project design team have met one-on-one with IDI representatives on at least eight occasions to discuss the project, gather their input and adjust project plans to minimize the impact on their operations. For example, our plans have been modified to minimize the property acquisition affecting IDI and to better accommodate truck traffic into and out of their campus.

I am disappointed that decades of study, analysis and evaluation of alternatives has been characterized as rushing the process.

FACT: The city has been analyzing a new east-west Corridor for more than 30 years.

I would encourage residents to visit cityofnoblesville.com/signatureprojects and review the materials that show the extensive analysis and due diligence that has been performed to date. In-depth analysis, design work, and consideration of alternative alignments have been performed, in coordination with our team of environmental, historic preservation, and infrastructure design professionals, for many years.

FACT: The B1 alignment was approved following the extensive environmental process that is required by the state and federal governments.

Upon learning of the creation of the historic district, the project team explored multiple angles and strategies to see whether the initially envisioned alignment could be sustained. After thoroughly pursuing those efforts, our professional advisors have concluded that the likelihood of getting approval of the initially envisioned alignment, which is essentially what IDI is recommending, is so low that it is a waste of taxpayer resources to pursue it further. Attempting to revisit questions already asked and answered only serves to increase our risk, increase the cost of the project for taxpayers, and further delay a project that has been sorely needed in our community for decades.

FACT: Moving forward with a route that intentionally goes through a neighborhood that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places could cause our City to lose out on millions of dollars for this project and damage important relationships with state and federal agencies that would affect future road, trail, and infrastructure projects.

FACT: IDI’s suggested route would bisect and divide The Plum Prairie Historic District, which would displace families in a historically minority neighborhood that has cultural significance for our community. This is evidence enough to find their proposed route a harmful and irresponsible choice for our city.

IDI’s “Bypass Coalition” title itself goes along with their general theme of misinformation and confusion. This City has made it clear that this road project will not be designed to be a bypass, but rather an alternative boulevard to help east-west traffic flow through our city. The corridor will bring residents and visitors near businesses, restaurants, and other parts of town, therein boosting our local economy and enhancing public safety. It is irresponsible that IDI would suggest that a portion of their parking lot is more important than the local businesses, workers, residents, healthcare workers, first responders, schools, and students alike who need this corridor.

I am disappointed that a valued community employer and business has walked away from the table of constructive dialogue and negotiation.

FACT: The project alignment, which has been approved by the state, impacts only the south portion of IDI’s parking lot, representing around 15 percent of their total property.

The City has a strong track record of working with IDI to facilitate their growth and operations in Noblesville, including granting nearly $300,000 in property tax abatements during the previous decade, which is still providing a monetary benefit to the company today. Additionally, we have made multiple offers to find and improve alternative parking solutions that could provide a net increase in space and parking capacity. To the extent that IDI contemplates building expansions that would take up portions of their parking lot, we would be glad to work with them on redevelopment and property acquisition strategies in the area to help achieve those plans and improve their campus. We appreciate that IDI wishes to maintain or achieve a “desired visual aesthetic,” and we believe that our project, which will provide better boulevard access and develop a convergence of three modern walking and biking trails near their business, will enhance the overall value and aesthetic of their property.

FACT: Our project design does not require the company to relocate. In the unfortunate event that they end up leaving the city, it will be their choice and not anything that was forced upon them.

We do not want IDI to leave the City of Noblesville, and we remain committed to working with them to find an agreeable solution while moving forward with this vital infrastructure and public safety project. Transformational projects can be difficult and involve weighing impacts on various local interests in consideration of what will support the betterment of the community in the short- and long-term. We will always want to and strive to engage stakeholders to understand the impacts and considerations while being willing to make the difficult decisions that are in the best interests of the 65,000 people that hired me and count on me every day to look out for them, advocate for them, persevere for them, and stand up for them.

FACT: I was elected to represent the people of Noblesville, not one corporate partner over parking spaces.

Thoughtfully,

Mayor Chris Jensen