This and that: Mass ag land rezoning on the ropes, and more
Doubts surface on move to designate select agricultural zoning north and west of West Lafayette. LPD releases video, more from May 1 fatal shooting. Distinguished voices speak up to Purdue trustees
Some this and that in a weekend edition …
CHANCES DIM FOR MASS REZONING PROPOSAL FOR SELECT AG PROPERTY
A massive rezoning plan for thousands of acres of farm land north and west of West Lafayette, already put on hold once, doesn’t look to have the support it needs to advance, based on a hearing last week.
Members of the Area Plan Commission’s ordinance committee outlined several doubts they had, as they suggested it wasn’t something they were willing to endorse, as proposed.
In April, the Area Plan Commission staff sent letters to 159 property owners proposing to rezone 9,225 acres in Wabash Township and 7,158 acres in Tippecanoe Township from an “agricultural” designation to “select agricultural.” According to the APC’s plan, the “select agricultural” zoning is based of soil quality and productivity, set aside for prime farmland most suitable for crop production. The zoning is reserved for a range of agricultural activities and associated residential uses. The proposal came on the heels of the Wabash and Tippecanoe township land use plan, approved by county commissioners in 2024.
The new designation would add a layer of protection for the land when zoning changes were proposed, according to the APC staff. It also would limit some uses allowed in the current agricultural zoning designation. Under the proposal, which would have to go for votes at the Area Plan Commission and the Tippecanoe County commissioners, landowners would be allowed to opt out of the mass rezoning effort.
Ordinance committee members, a month after asking in May for a 90-day delay on the proposal, remained skeptical Wednesday.
Tom Murtaugh, who also is a county commissioner, asked whether any property owner had ever asked to move acreage from A to AA zoning. No one could recall that happening. APC member Jackson Bogan said he would have been more comfortable with a plan that let property owners opt in rather than forcing them to opt out of the large-scale zoning change.
Amanda Esposito, assistant director of the APC, said 15 property owners, covering 29 properties, already had opted out.
APC member Gary Schroeder said that much of the land targeted for the rezoning already was in the likely path of development west and north of West Lafayette.
“I just think making a large swath of AA (zoning), which is going to be harder to develop in the foreseeable future, is not something that we want to do,” Schroeder said.
The APC ordinance committee is expected to continue discussing the proposal at its 4 p.m. July 2 meeting at the County Office Building, 20 N. Third St. in Lafayette.
Uses, A vs. AA zoning: Here’s a look at the housing and commercial uses that would be allowed, along with which ones would require a special exception in the AA/select agricultural zoning designation, compared to the current A/agricultural zoning:
DISTINGUISHED FEEDBACK FOR PURDUE TRUSTEES IN HEADS DOWN, ANXIOUS TIMES FOR HIGHER ED
On a Friday morning devoted in large part to recognizing accomplishments and elevation of the some of the university’s star faculty, it was worth noting a couple of professors dropping messages to Purdue trustees about the state of uncertainty on campus these days.
Trustees didn’t directly address pressures pushing up against higher ed in general and on the West Lafayette campus, specifically. But Friday was a week removed from Purdue dismantling a swath of offices, initiatives and staff connected with the university’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, as new state laws ordered state universities to wipe those clean. (Trustees didn’t mention or do more to explain those moves Friday, despite a half-dozen students who sat through much of the meeting holding up signs that read, “Cowards: You are on the wrong side of history” and “Stop complying in advance.”)
Friday also was two months removed from trustees essentially laying out a low-profile strategy for getting through a season of ongoing threats from state and federal levels over everything from funding to research grants to international student admissions. (Gary Lehman, Purdue trustee chairman, had said in April that Purdue’s approach of not trying to stick its head up too far and make headlines “is how we want to operate.” Purdue President Mung Chiang had said that while other schools were anxious, “this university remains serene, sturdy and strategic.”)
Faculty and staff have been similarly keeping a low-profile and keeping quiet – on the record, at least – as things mount. (The J&C and the Purdue Exponent on Friday reported on one more reason: Majors with small student numbers are being hung out to dry, thanks to last-minute provisions in the General Assembly next two-year budget. From the J&C: “At least 48 majors at Purdue at risk of elimination under Indiana law.”)
Eugene Spafford was named a distinguished professor Friday, who, according to Provost Patrick Wolfe, “has pretty much single handedly shepherded, stewarded, built and maintained and grown the brand of Purdue in all things cyber and cybersecurity related” since he came to campus in 1987.
Spafford used his minutes with the trustees to, among other things, encourage them to recognize the kind of support he received early on at Purdue to study a fledgling field of cybersecurity – an interdisciplinary approach that “many of my colleagues here at Purdue didn’t really understand” at the time but now features 140 faculty across 20 departments who have it as a major area of interest – as they contemplate funding sources and the possibility of administration support drying up.
“We really are creating new fields here, new knowledge,” Spafford said. “The support of the board of trustees is really valuable for that, and I say thank you as someone who’s received that support. …
“Many of the junior faculty now who are exploring these new areas are particularly anxious about the political situation. The difficulty with funding and maybe perhaps with getting some students is weighing on the minds of many,” Spafford said. “I would encourage all of you to do what you can to encourage our wonderful faculty to stay, to innovate. Funding is important – obviously that’s something you have to do and we’ve heard a lot about that. This is an enterprise that needs to be funded, but it also depends on knowledge in those people, and where you can provide that encouragement will make a difference.”
Gregory Shaver, a mechanical engineering professor, was one of five ratified as named professors – in his case, the Reilly Professor of Mechanical Engineering professorship via an endowment honoring Vincent P. Reilly, a 1922 Purdue alumnus and founder of Illinois Gear and Machine Co.
Among his remarks, Shaver offered to trustees:
“I also want to say, with respect, that everyone in this room and hundreds of thousands of people outside of it want Purdue to continue to be the world class land grant, R1 university that it is,” Shaver said. “My hope is that the decision makers in this room will take a long view and that when big changes need to be considered, you will engage the other campus leaders, faculty, staff and students in a manner that feels to me a little bit less common these days. Again, with respect.”
LPD RELEASES FOOTAGE OF MAY 1 FATAL SHOOTING
The Lafayette Police Department on Friday released a video recounting its investigation into the May 1 fatal shooting of a Lafayette man by a police officer called to a standby detail at an apartment as the man’s wife and a child attempted to leave during a domestic situation.
Kenneth D. Smith, 55, of Lafayette, died from multiple gunshot wounds after firing shots as two officers, Jeremy Kennedy and Evan Sturgeon, were on the scene.
A week after the incident, the Tippecanoe County prosecutor’s office reported that it concluded that the officers’ actions were justified and done in self-defense.
According to LPD, the shooting happened at 9:02 p.m. May 1 in the 2800 block of Ravenwood Court. According to the police account, Smith began shooting in the direction of the woman, juvenile and the officers. LPD said an officer returned fire. Smith was pronounced dead at the scene, according to LPD. No officers were injured, according to LPD. The woman and the juvenile were not injured, either, according to police. LPD said Kennedy, a seven-year veteran of the department, fired and hit Smith. Sturgeon, a five-year veteran of LPD, did not fire his weapon, due to his position in the apartment, according to the police account.
On Friday, LPD released its video overview, including the 911 calls and the officers’ body camera footage from the scene, saying: “The purpose of this video is to share information with the community and provide insight into the events that occurred.”
Here’s a link to the video, which comes with warnings about graphic content and footage, via the LPD site.
CITYBUS ASKS FOR INPUT ON 2030 PLAN
CityBus is holding a series of public forums in the coming weeks for its Keep CityBus Moving 2030, a long-range planning effort the organizations says is “designed to build a stronger, more connected transit system for the next generation.” “Keep CityBus Moving 2030 is our opportunity to reimagine transit together,” Bryan Smith, CityBus CEO, said in a release. “We want to hear directly from the people who rely on our service, because their insights will help us create a system that truly works for everyone.”
The 10 sessions started Friday and Saturday. Upcoming sessions include:
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday, June 9, CityBus Center, 316 N. Third St. in Lafayette
1-6 p.m. Tuesday, June 10, CityBus Center
3-7 p.m. Wednesday, June 11, West Lafayette Farmers Market, Cumberland Park
11 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday, June 12, Purdue Farmers Market, outside Class of 1950 Lecture Hall
10 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, June 13, CityBus Center
8 a.m.-noon Saturday, Lafayette Farmers Market, Fifth Street in downtown Lafayette
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday, June 16, virtual feedback session.
For more details, including proposed fares, proposed routes and a link to a community survey, check gocitybus.com/2030.
AND, FINALLY …: EXTEND YOUR BASED IN LAFAYETTE SUBSCRIPTION BY CHIPPING FOR CASAs FOR KIDS FUND
The 2025 edition of the Subaru CASA Cycling Challenge, a 24-hour event held Aug. 2-3 at the two-mile Subaru of Indiana Automotive test track in Lafayette, will again have a version of Bangert Brothers team there to put in some laps in support to the CASAs for Kids Fund here in Tippecanoe County.
The CASAs for Kids Fund is set up for abused or neglected kids who wind up in the court system and in foster care, offering funding for clothing, bedding, school band instruments, field trip or summer camp fees, dance class, equipment to join sports teams and other things the system can’t provide. The CASAs for Kids Fund gets them that stuff and gets them that much closer to a normal life as a kid. And fundraising tied to the 24-hour ride gets the CASAs for Kids Fund geared up for the next year.
Just like last year, I’ll add a free month to your full-access Based in Lafayette subscription for a donation of any amount to the Bangert Brothers team or team members.
If you’re game, here’s the link.
Thank you for supporting Based in Lafayette, an independent, local reporting project. Free and full-ride subscription options are ready for you here.
Tips, story ideas? I’m at davebangert1@gmail.com.
Amazing students: cowardice!
Trustees: yuuup
Also: Spaf!