A plan for commercial growth, a new U.S. 231 west, north of WL

County starts land use plan for Wabash, Tippecanoe townships. Red letter day for Crasian Brewery. Summer Blues and Jazz ready to go Saturday in downtown.

Thanks this morning to sponsor Stuart & Branigin for support to help make this free, all-skate edition of the Based in Lafayette reporting project possible.

This and that to get the week started …

(Map: Area Plan Commission)

LAND USE PLAN COMING FOR SWIFT GROWTH IN WABASH, TIPPECANOE TOWNSHIPS

Suburban housing growth just west and north of West Lafayette that has Tippecanoe School Corp. building a new Klondike Middle School and the county rethinking road planning has the Area Plan Commission looking at a new land use plan for the area, too.

In recent weeks, Tippecanoe County commissioners signed off on an APC study of land uses and growth patterns in unincorporated Wabash Township and Tippecanoe Township, which, when combined, skirt the edges of West Lafayette and stretch to Battle Ground.

The residential growth is one thing, Ryan O’Gara, APC assistant director, said.

“But what really triggered this were the commercial developers coming in and asking questions,” O’Gara said. “They see the potential. They see the rooftops. We want to get ahead of this.”

The plan would be similar in nature to ones done in recent years, laying out areas best suited for various levels of development in downtown West Lafayette and on the western edge of West Lafayette, along the new U.S. 231 corridor. O’Gara said the plan would include a committee of residents and others from both townships. He said the study likely would take six months.

“They approached me to be included with Wabash,” Tippecanoe Township Trustee Bill Jones said. “(Wabash Township Board member) David Tate, in his introduction to township government, started communication with them concerning growth in Wabash Township.   But the two townships need to have the same approach. … Basically,  my major concern is the growth in my township.  As a fire department, we would do anything to increase the distance between homes that are being built.”

Wabash Township Trustee Angel Valentin said he was glad residents and other township stakeholders would get a say in the process in a growing part of the community.

“Particularly, for me, I want to see more emphasis on how our land use plans will impact the quality of life of folks in our communities,” Valentin said.

O’Gara said the plan also would anticipate a future extension of U.S. 231, from Sagamore Parkway north to a new Interstate 65 interchange between the ones at Indiana 43 and Indiana 18. Now, U.S. 231 follows U.S. 52 west to Montmorenci before heading north to I-65 near Chalmers.

“We’re trying to impress upon (Indiana Department of Transportation) that this is important, this straight shot to I-65,” O’Gara said. “You can imagine what that would open up for development. And Purdue would have an instant back door to all the things happening on the west side of campus in the Discovery Park District.”

Some context on that, though: The new U.S. 231 around the west edge of Purdue and West Lafayette was finished less than a decade ago, after being sketched as a proposed route since the mid-1980s.

“Everyone’s well aware of what that took to get done,” O’Gara said. “But now is the time to get that conversation going.”

---

(Photo: Crasian Brewing

CONGRATS CRASIAN, TAEYS RIVER: Crasian Brewing Co., based in Brookston, was celebrating five medals at last week’s Indiana Brewers’ Cup, an annual competition at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Tom and Michele Bulington, Crasian founders, called the night “surreal. “Our small, four-barrel brewery went up against some proven heavy hitters in our industry,” Tom Bulington said. “We're thrilled to put a bigger dot on the map to mark Brookston among the more than 170 breweries in the state." Crasian won a first place in the "wood-aged" beer category with a Bourbon Barrel Aged Barleywine, silvers with the brewery’s Harold’s Honey Red Ale and Springboro Maple-Brown Ale, and bronze medals for Loco Hiroko Jalapeno Cream Ale and Tripel Threat Belgian Ale.

Teays River Brewing in Lafayette took two medals, including a bronze in the best of show category for its Business Time Gose. Teays also won a bronze in the Other American Ale category for its Luscious Brown Ale.

(Photo: Dave Bangert)

CANDIDATE QUESTIONS, AN OPPORTUNITY: The League of Women Voters of Greater Lafayette is asking for voter suggestions about the questions they’d like to have asked in candidate Q&As ahead of the November general election. Anyone with a question for any of the candidates can submit it electronically through the League website.   Go to www.leaguelafayette.org and click on the “Ask Candidates” button. From Ken Jones, with the League of Women Voters: “Ask one or 100, we don’t care.   Just keep them relevant to the office and civil in tone.   We'll look at every suggestion and determine how to use it or combine the thoughts with others and get them in front of the candidates.”

SUMMER BLUES AND JAZZ FESTIVAL TICKETS, LINEUP FOR SATURDAY: The Friends of Downtown will present the Summer Blues and Jazz Festival, 6-11 p.m. Saturday, July 23, on Fifth Street in downtown Lafayette. Tickets are on sale now. Here’s the lineup:

Blues Stage

• 6-7:15 p.m.: Jason Wells

• 7:45-9 p.m.: Blue Sky

• 9:30-11 p.m.: Uncle Buck’s Mojo Box w/ Kyle Bledsoe

Jazz Stage

• 6:45-8:15 p.m.: Victor Lee and the Locals

• 9-11 p.m.: Brent Laidler and the Nexus Quintet

Admission is $15 for adults, $5 for ages 13-18, and children under 13 get in free. There will be food trucks, and beer and wine available from the Lafayette Brewing Company, People's Brewing Co. and Bistro 501. Advance tickets are available at this link.

FINALLY, A PROGRAMMING NOTE FOR BASED IN LAFAYETTE …: I’m taking a step back in the coming week for a little downtime. You can expect several editions in the coming days. But if huge news happens and you don’t find it here immediately, I wanted to give you a heads up now. Thanks for reading, thanks for subscribing.

---

Thanks, again, to sponsor Stuart & Branigin for helping make this edition of the Based in Lafayette reporting project happen.

---

Tips or story ideas? I’m at davebangert1@gmail.com. Also on Twitter and Instagram.